together. fearless.
Our 2026 Stewardship Appeal
Giving to First Church is a unique and special use of your resources. It is at once a spiritual act that shapes and enhances your connection to God, and a very practical way to support the community of faith that is so important to you — especially in these days. Giving is a way for us to keep God’s love at the center of our lives, for as Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
First Church is our church home, helping ground us in what really matters. It is the space where we live into our calling of warm welcome, abundant grace, and striving for justice and the needs of our neighbor.
Generosity is a core Christian value. It is part of Christ’s commandments to love God with all our hearts and love our neighbors as ourselves. Our involvement in the church is one of the most important ways we worship God and reach out to help others.
Read our informational booklet that contains some frequently asked questions about finances and giving, for those who really want to “dig in!”
STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN COMMUNICATIONS
An archive of our stewardship communications appears here:
An early indication of your giving plan for 2026 will be tremendously helpful for the church’s faithful financial planning. Our primary source of income is contributions from our members and friends. You can find more information on our Church Finances page.
OUR ANNUAL BUDGET
Our primary source of income is contributions from our members and friends. You can find more information by viewing our 2026 Summary Budget and Detailed Budget, in preparation for our Fall Congregational meeting on November 23, 2025.
WHAT IS A PLEDGE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
A pledge is a commitment of financial support for the year ahead, often paid monthly or weekly. Many people set up recurring online contributions. Some give using the QR code each week during worship. Others give annually at the beginning or end of the year, or prepay a gift intended for next year.
Making your intentions known allows us to plan faithfully and realistically. You can give to the church without pledging, of course. However, we encourage annual pledging because making and keeping promises is an important spiritual discipline that fosters faithfulness and mutual responsibility.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I GIVE?
When you think about how you manage your financial resources, what does it mean to be a person of faith? Giving to others or sharing with the community is an important part of our relationships with each other and with God.
There are many ways to decide how much to give. One traditional way is “percentage giving,” calculating your contribution by a percentage of your income. This is a biblical practice—dedicating the very “first fruits” of one’s labor, rather than offering what remains after all other expenses are taken care of.
Traditionally, a “tithe” is understood to be 10% of income. Some people at FCC give to the church at this level, and some give 5% to the church, and 5% in other ways to make the world a better place. If you are a first-time giver, consider giving 3% to 5%. If you already give annually, but not at this level, challenge yourself to increase the percentage of your giving with each new year, reaching your chosen level between 5% and 10%. No matter what the dollar amount ends up being, the point is to discover and commit to a level of giving that honors God’s generosity to you, that increases your joy, and that joins you with others in supporting equally the life of First Church.
How to share your intentions
Pledge Dedication Sunday is November 23, 2025.
Pledge cards will be available on the table at the back of the Sanctuary or by the Hastings Common doorway.
Pledge Online Anytime
If you already give online, please log in on the right side of the page, and then indicate the total of your intended annual pledge or gift. You can then either:
- set up recurring payments annually, quarterly, monthly, or weekly, to be given electronically from your bank account, or
- indicate that you’ll pay later by cash, check, or online.
If you have any difficulty, you may email your pledge to the church.