Freely Give
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We live out our faith in Jesus Christ by
serving others and by supporting His Church. As Jesus said, "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). |
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2022 Pledge Drive
**please respond by October 17**
Dear St. Raphael Church members and friends,
Your Parish Council and I are asking for your prayerful consideration of how much of your financial resources you can share with St. Raphael Church in 2022. Giving back to God some of what He has given to us is a privilege and a blessing. Let us give generously and with a grateful heart, knowing that our good God has given us so much more than we can ever return back to Him.
Making a regular commitment to give to the church is a discipline that, like prayer and fasting, can bear spiritual fruit if we enter into it with faith. And from a very practical standpoint, the parish council needs to know what the projected income for the upcoming year will be, so as to form a responsible budget.
My prayer for all of you is that as you decide to step out in faith regarding the sharing of your finances, God will show you how generous He is to you.
In Christ,
Fr Ignatius
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Dear St. Raphael Church family,
Thank you for supporting the church through your tithes, talents, and time for the last 20 years. You have made it possible for the parish to celebrate worship services; provide opportunities for spiritual growth, education, and fellowship; conduct marriages, baptisms, chrismations, and memorial services; engage in charitable giving and community service; and provide a church home for the University’s Orthodox population. We want to continue and expand this tradition, with your help.
In addition to the General Fund, the Council has identified three other specific areas of focus. They are:
1.The Mortgage. Council refinanced the mortgage at 4.0%. The monthly payment is $1621.77. This past year, we were unable to make additional principal payments. Our goal is to fund 100% through pledges and God willing put more towards principal with extra pledges. The Council hopes to enhance our ministry in the Iowa City area through having a functioning kitchen area, allowing us to have more activities, outreach, and meals, with the potential to supplement our food pantry. Our capital campaign is addressing this need and we pray that we will be able to reduce or pay in full our mortgage obligation.
2.Travel Expenses. We would like Father to be able to attend all needed conferences and would love to see funds earmarked for covering his trips. With limited physical attendance over the last few months, we are hoping have ample funds to send Father to conferences in the event that they are happening.
3.Education Expenses. The Council feels is imperative to fund educational expenses for our sub-deacons, clergy, choir directors, etc. as needed. Funds earmarked for these purposes would be most appreciated.
In 2020, the Council applied for PPP funds from the government in order to help alleviate some of the financial shortfall that was anticipated due to the Covid-19 shutdown. These funds were forgiven in their entirety, which means the church does not have to repay these to the government. While PPP wave 2 was made available, the church did not qualify for this second wave due to the more stringent requirements by the government. Pledges have remained consistent during 2021 and thankfully, with the lessening of restrictions and opening back of the church, our weekly donations have continued to increase and help with our unbalanced budget that was passed in the prior year.
Our pledge form for 2022 is attached to this email and packet. Please prayerfully consider your gift to St. Raphael. Having a timely and accurate idea of what our income will be allows the Council to create a prudent, realistic and responsible budget that will be presented at the Annual Meeting. In light of that, these packets are going out a month earlier and are requested to be back to the treasurer by October 17. It is the Council’s hope that at the annual meeting we will be able to present a budget for your consideration that reflects all pledges, rather than going into the New Year with the question of the budget.
As last year, you will have options for returning your pledge. You may:
1. Return the attached pledge form via snail mail or drop it off at the church (please mark attention Treasurer for confidentiality purposes.)
2.Fill out the online pledge form. Electronic forms will be forwarded to the Treasurer for confidentiality purposes. If you would like to have your pledge automatically withdrawn from your account, you will need to provide routing account and bank account numbers. If you have given in the past and the information is the same, you may note this on your form. If it is a new account, please provide your information on the paper pledge form.
3.Visit the church website and arrange for a recurring gift via PayPal or Donor Box (below).
Keep in mind that our church budget is very basic and expenses remain stable in the event of another closure/limited attendance allowance.
Again, we appreciate the time and talents that you provide through music, teaching, maintenance, cooking, and much more; we could not function without them. That being said, since we receive no funding from the Archdiocese or the government, have no endowment fund, and have a mortgage and many other obligatory expenses, we also fundamentally rely on your financial generosity. We are truly blessed by each and every one of you.
In Christ,
Becky Morey, Stewardship Coordinator
Your Parish Council and I are asking for your prayerful consideration of how much of your financial resources you can share with St. Raphael Church in 2022. Giving back to God some of what He has given to us is a privilege and a blessing. Let us give generously and with a grateful heart, knowing that our good God has given us so much more than we can ever return back to Him.
Making a regular commitment to give to the church is a discipline that, like prayer and fasting, can bear spiritual fruit if we enter into it with faith. And from a very practical standpoint, the parish council needs to know what the projected income for the upcoming year will be, so as to form a responsible budget.
My prayer for all of you is that as you decide to step out in faith regarding the sharing of your finances, God will show you how generous He is to you.
In Christ,
Fr Ignatius
_________________________________________________________________________________
Dear St. Raphael Church family,
Thank you for supporting the church through your tithes, talents, and time for the last 20 years. You have made it possible for the parish to celebrate worship services; provide opportunities for spiritual growth, education, and fellowship; conduct marriages, baptisms, chrismations, and memorial services; engage in charitable giving and community service; and provide a church home for the University’s Orthodox population. We want to continue and expand this tradition, with your help.
In addition to the General Fund, the Council has identified three other specific areas of focus. They are:
1.The Mortgage. Council refinanced the mortgage at 4.0%. The monthly payment is $1621.77. This past year, we were unable to make additional principal payments. Our goal is to fund 100% through pledges and God willing put more towards principal with extra pledges. The Council hopes to enhance our ministry in the Iowa City area through having a functioning kitchen area, allowing us to have more activities, outreach, and meals, with the potential to supplement our food pantry. Our capital campaign is addressing this need and we pray that we will be able to reduce or pay in full our mortgage obligation.
2.Travel Expenses. We would like Father to be able to attend all needed conferences and would love to see funds earmarked for covering his trips. With limited physical attendance over the last few months, we are hoping have ample funds to send Father to conferences in the event that they are happening.
3.Education Expenses. The Council feels is imperative to fund educational expenses for our sub-deacons, clergy, choir directors, etc. as needed. Funds earmarked for these purposes would be most appreciated.
In 2020, the Council applied for PPP funds from the government in order to help alleviate some of the financial shortfall that was anticipated due to the Covid-19 shutdown. These funds were forgiven in their entirety, which means the church does not have to repay these to the government. While PPP wave 2 was made available, the church did not qualify for this second wave due to the more stringent requirements by the government. Pledges have remained consistent during 2021 and thankfully, with the lessening of restrictions and opening back of the church, our weekly donations have continued to increase and help with our unbalanced budget that was passed in the prior year.
Our pledge form for 2022 is attached to this email and packet. Please prayerfully consider your gift to St. Raphael. Having a timely and accurate idea of what our income will be allows the Council to create a prudent, realistic and responsible budget that will be presented at the Annual Meeting. In light of that, these packets are going out a month earlier and are requested to be back to the treasurer by October 17. It is the Council’s hope that at the annual meeting we will be able to present a budget for your consideration that reflects all pledges, rather than going into the New Year with the question of the budget.
As last year, you will have options for returning your pledge. You may:
1. Return the attached pledge form via snail mail or drop it off at the church (please mark attention Treasurer for confidentiality purposes.)
2.Fill out the online pledge form. Electronic forms will be forwarded to the Treasurer for confidentiality purposes. If you would like to have your pledge automatically withdrawn from your account, you will need to provide routing account and bank account numbers. If you have given in the past and the information is the same, you may note this on your form. If it is a new account, please provide your information on the paper pledge form.
3.Visit the church website and arrange for a recurring gift via PayPal or Donor Box (below).
Keep in mind that our church budget is very basic and expenses remain stable in the event of another closure/limited attendance allowance.
Again, we appreciate the time and talents that you provide through music, teaching, maintenance, cooking, and much more; we could not function without them. That being said, since we receive no funding from the Archdiocese or the government, have no endowment fund, and have a mortgage and many other obligatory expenses, we also fundamentally rely on your financial generosity. We are truly blessed by each and every one of you.
In Christ,
Becky Morey, Stewardship Coordinator
Ways to Donate and Pledge
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We joyfully give back to Christ by supporting the church financially, because He has given so much to us. And unlike in the Old Country, our church is not supported by the government.
Ways to give:
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AmazonSmile
Do you shop on Amazon? If so, there is an easy way to benefit the church while doing so. Go to smile.amazon.com, where you'll find all of the items for purchase (at the same prices) as are found on the main site. Once you sign in, you will be asked what charity you would like to benefit. Enter St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Christian Mission and 0.5% of qualifying purchases will be given back to the church. It's that simple.
Do you shop on Amazon? If so, there is an easy way to benefit the church while doing so. Go to smile.amazon.com, where you'll find all of the items for purchase (at the same prices) as are found on the main site. Once you sign in, you will be asked what charity you would like to benefit. Enter St. Raphael of Brooklyn Orthodox Christian Mission and 0.5% of qualifying purchases will be given back to the church. It's that simple.
Financial basics: St. Raphael Orthodox Church operates as a financially independent entity—that is, the church is fully responsible for budgeting its income and its expenses, and maintaining the balance of the two. Our expenses include clergy (mainly compensation for our priest), maintenance of our building (including mortgage and all utilities), charity, supporting the archdiocese, and a few other expenses. Our only source of income is contributions from our members and friends in form of regular pledges or one-time donations and gifts. (You are welcome to look at the Treasurer’s Report for a more detailed view of our financial situation.)
Choose What to Give Toward
When making yearly pledges, most of us give primarily toward the most important needs: Operating Expenses and the Building Fund. Other ways to direct your giving (listed below) are also on the downloadable Pledge Form and as "Designations" on the blue donation form above.
Main expenses:
Other expenses:
Main expenses:
- Operating Expenses: St. Raphael Orthodox Church’s 2022 operating budget needs (excluding mortgage) are estimated around $11,000 per month. This includes a tithe to the archdiocese, building insurance and utilities, and priest salary and benefits.
- Building Fund: Our monthly mortgage payment is $1,622.
Other expenses:
- Food Pantry: Our food pantry is open regularly to those in need.
- Building Improvement/Special Projects: Currently this goes toward repair and upkeep costs and to the creation of our new kitchen.
- Benevolence Fund: This is for small cash gifts given by our priest to those with emergency needs.
- Sunday School: Currently not a part of our operating expenses, Sunday school supplies are essential for learning.
Current Projects
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Our New Kitchen
A longtime dream is coming true. We have begun the process of planning a full-service kitchen off the corner of our fellowship hall in the basement, where the piano now sits. Just imagine! No more food slopping around in the car on the way to church. To give toward the kitchen: Write "Kitchen" in the subject line of your check. Or in the blue donation box above, click on the designation "Building Improvement/Special Projects." |
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