But as for you, return to your God, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God. —Hosea 12:6
This fall, we have developed a multi-media pledge campaign: THE CALL TO GIVE, piecing together the year ahead, in the midst of both the certainty of our love of God and this community, and the uncertainty of these precarious times.
How to Pledge
You can make your 2021 Pledge online. You will be able to indicate your annual pledge or estimate of your anticipated giving, and then either set up recurring payments annually, quarterly, monthly, or weekly, or indicate that you’ll pay later by cash, check or online.
Call to Give: Pledge Campaign Communications
Each week we have heard powerful stories from members in their own words about what it means to support First Church in Cambridge, and have been invited to prayerfully consider what we might give. If you do not already receive our weekly First Glance emails, please subscribe here, so that you don’t miss out. An archive of those communications is available here:
Our Covenant (12/8/2020)
Our Community (11/17/2020)
Giving Together (11/10/2020)
Pledging & Giving (11/3/2020)
The Year Ahead (10/27/2020)
An Overview (10/20/2020)
Pledge Campaign Progress
Thank you to all who have pledged! Watch our campaign progress video to see how close we are to our goal.
Our Annual Budget: The Impact of Your Pledge
Our primary source of income is contributions from our members and friends. You can find more information on our Church Finances page.
What is a pledge and why does it matter?
A pledge is a commitment of financial support for the year, often paid monthly or weekly. You can give to the church without pledging, of course. Many people set up recurring online contributions. Some give-by-text each week. Others give annually at the beginning or end of the year. We encourage annual pledging because making and keeping promises is an important spiritual discipline that fosters faithfulness and mutual responsibility. Pledges also help the congregation to plan more wisely.
How much should I give?
There are many ways to decide how much to give. One traditional way is “percentage giving,” calculating your pledge by a percentage of your annual income. This is a biblical practice—dedicating the “first fruits” of one’s labor right off the top, rather than offering what remains after all other expenses are taken care of. Traditionally, a tithe is understood to be 10%. Some people at FCC give at this level, but not everyone is able to do so. If you are a first-time giver, consider giving 3% or 5%. If you already give annually, challenge yourself to raise the percentage of your giving with each new year. No matter what you give, the point is to discover and commit to a level of giving that honors God’s generosity to you and that increases your joy.