Our Annual Stewardship campaign is a time when members and friends make a commitment to support UUCSH during the upcoming fiscal year. We call that commitment a “pledge.” Our 2023 stewardship campaign ran from March 19 to April 16. While the campaign is over, new members or anyone who missed the campaign can still use the button below to make a pledge for 2023-24 Fiscal Year. 

UUCSH is completely member-supported. All our expenses—staff salaries, program supplies and building costs (e.g., mortgage and utilities)—are paid out of the donations of generous members and friends. Pledges allow us to plan that spending, which can be particularly important when hiring staff. Pledges are not binding. If you have a change in circumstances, whether due to job loss or lottery windfall, just contact the Treasurer ([email protected]) and your pledge will be adjusted.

How much should I pledge?

If you are new to UUCSH, you may be asking “How much should I pledge?” The answer may depend on your financial circumstances. For some, a few hundred dollars is extremely generous, while others can afford to donate thousands. We offer a guideline of 3.5% of “Adjusted Gross Income,” a level that varies with wealth and that enables us to fund the mission of UUCSH. Over the last few years, the median pledge has been about $2,000. We hope that our members and friends are excited about UUCSH and excited to be supporting our mission.

When do I pay my pledge?

A pledge made now is for the Fiscal Year 2023-24, which runs from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. You should plan to pay your pledge (via donation to UUCSH) over the course of that year. Some make a single donation at some point during the year, and some donate quarterly, monthly, or even weekly. UUCSH is happy to accept whatever works best for you.

How do I pay my pledge?

The How to Give page has lots of information about the different ways that donations can be made. An additional approach—which we make available specifically for pledges—is to have us arrange automatic monthly withdrawals from your checking account via our partner Vanco. If you are interested, fill out the Electronic Giving Form and return it (along with a voided check) to the Treasurer. After July 1, 2023, the number of months remaining will be less than the normal 12. Feel free to consult with the Treasurer if you are unsure about the details on the form.

How do I return my pledge form?

When you are ready, click on the link below and fill out our digital pledge form!

Information about your pledge will go to the Treasurer, who should confirm your pledge within a few days.

What if I have questions?

Our Officers and Members of the Board of Trustees have all been pledging for several years and most have been fielding questions during Stewardship Campaigns. They would be happy to talk to you about your financial commitment to UUCSH. Or you can reach out to the UUCSH Treasurer ([email protected]).

Finally, what happens during Stewardship?

While a pledge is welcome at any time of year, especially from new members, the spring Stewardship Campaign is the time when UUCSH tries to encourage every one of its members and donating friends to declare their donation intent for the following fiscal year. 

During Stewardship, this web page highlights what the congregation is doing, what we are planning, and why we are excited about supporting UUCSH in the upcoming fiscal year. This information, for the 2023 Stewardship Campaign, is shown below.

2023 Stewardship Campaign: Embracing the Journey

Our 2023 stewardship campaign took place from March 19-April 16. Read more about it in the description on this page.

The Annual Stewardship Campaign is the time of year when we reflect on why we’ve made UUCSH our spiritual home. We take the time to consider how it enriches our lives and the lives of the community around us. And we decide how we would like to give back to UUCSH with our time, talents, and financial support.

This year’s stewardship campaign theme is “Embracing the Journey.” We can be proud of the twenty-five-year journey that we’ve been on with UUCSH. However, as our Right Size Task Force has made us aware, now is the time to begin embracing a new journey toward partnerships with other congregations that offer exciting opportunities for worship and community. 

What have we done recently that allows us to be flexible and ready for new opportunities? Here are just a few examples:

• Successfully adapting to hybrid and streaming services during the pandemic
• Increasing our in-person attendance for worship with the pandemic receding
• Welcoming a steady flow of new visitors and members
• Expanding the variety of our worship services including services led by CUUPS (Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans), poetry-based services, and streamed services
• Supporting statewide and local Social Justice concerns (currently focused on hunger and housing insecurity, and environmental and racial justice)
• Revitalizing our Religious Education program through shared classes with other congregations as well as our own classes

What will the new opportunities look like? In a word, sharing. We may share personnel with another congregation—a minister or religious education professional. We may share programming—Sunday services or adult religious education classes. Sharing in partnership with neighboring UU congregations will allow us to accomplish more than we can on our own. To get there requires us to invest the time, effort, and financial resources to successfully cultivate these partnerships.

While we look to invest in the future, we are also firmly committed to sustaining present initiatives:

• Continue giving away 100% of our plate collection to community organizations that align with our values 
• Supporting UU FaithAction New Jersey on statewide social justice issues and on local community issues
• Allow our existing ministries to continue to thrive

UUCSH will be on an exciting journey over the next few years. We will have each other to lean on while we work together toward our future! With your help, we will be ready for the challenge.

Information on how to pledge is below. Thank you for your continued generosity!

How do I return my pledge form?

When you are ready, click on the link below and fill out our digital pledge form!

If you would like us to arrange automatic monthly donations from checking, please print this electronic giving form, fill it out, and bring or mail it to UUCSH (not needed if you are already enrolled, just indicate that you want to continue on the online pledge form). Or if you prefer, you may arrange your own monthly donations using the Vanco on the Give Now page, or with the Vanco app.

What if I have questions during the Stewardship campaign?

Please contact this year’s Stewardship Chair, Karen Toth, at [email protected].

Key Stewardship Dates in 2023

Stewardship Kickoff: March 19

Pledge Sunday: April 16

Stewardship Campaign Ends: April 16

Our Annual Meeting: May 21