Annual Appeal

Welcome to our Annual Appeal for Fiscal Year 27!  Our theme this year is “Belonging and Thriving - Together.”  As we are confronted with national uncertainty and discord, it is vitally important that we build and strengthen our connection to one another and to other supportive communities.  Our shared dedication to community outreach and social justice is essential.

Here are the key dates for this year’s Annual Appeal:

03/01 Sunday Service kickoff & signup table for pledging potlucks

03/06 & 13 Pledging potluck weekends

03/17 Pledges due to Annie in the church office

03/19 Stewarding outreach begins

04/06 Annual Appeal ends

You can submit your pledge forms by mail, by dropping off into Annie’s inbox, by attending a pledge potluck, or through a steward visit.

We are encouraging in-person visits this year!   If you would like to have an in-person visit to discuss your pledge and/or your ideas about the church, you can contact Phil Sawyer at Psawyer215@gmail.com or 860-633-8655

Our financial goals for the FY27 fiscal year include contracting professional bookkeeping services and restoring some of the financial cuts that were made last year.  The targeted goal is to restore the salary “bump” increases; restore professional expense budgets to 90% of the typical amount; fund the B&G reserve at $10,000 (request was $25,000); and fund the emergency response  equipment at $1500 (request was $3000). 

Achieving the FY27 budget rests on an increase in pledge income of 5% with a pledge rate increase of  5-7%.  Here are some examples of the monthly increase amount:

Annual Pledge	5%	7%		Annual Pledge	5%	7%		Annual Pledge	5%	7%
$500	$2	$3		$1000	$4	$6		$3000	$13	$18

 It is with gratitude and joy that we share that we have received a $15,000 grant to encourage us to participate in the increase pledge rate of 5–7% for this year!   Pledge increases of 5% or more will be matched 100%. Please join this challenge grant if you can and if you are not able to meet this rate, please know that your pledges add up to a powerful contribution.  If you would like to establish another pledge match grant for this year, you can contact Louisa Graver at lgraver163@gmail.com or 860-645-1377.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as our church works through the process of balancing our aspirations and our available resources.  Later this year, Trisha Corey-Lisle will lead us in a “reimagined method of budgeting” to help us achieve this balance.

 If you have any questions, you can contact any one of us on the Stewardship Committee.

Yours in Spirit,

Patricia Wildes (chair), Louisa Graver, Larry Lunden, Stan McMillen, Jerry Myers, and Phil Sawyer