How do I pledge?

To make your financial commitment to First UU, fill out and return a pledge form. You can also fill out a pledge form online. You can get a pledge form any time from the church office. You can also email your pledge commitment to: office@uusat.org

How do I pay my pledge?

There are many options for paying your pledge. For detailed information, see Giving to First UU.

How much should I pledge?

This is a personal decision. We ask that you consider your personal budget and determine an amount you can contribute to the church on a weekly or monthly basis.

We ask everyone to consider making a pledge that is both responsible and significant based on his or her own financial situation. A commitment appropriate to our faith tradition is 2% to 5% of net household income.

Most of our members are able to contribute on a regular basis, and many households already pledge at these levels. For those who do not, we ask you to consider working towards this goal over time.

Please know that you are always welcome at our church, regardless of your financial situation. If you’re out of work, have uncertain income, or are facing demands on your resources, pledge only what feels a responsible amount to you.

Where does my pledge go?

Your pledge and other donations pay for almost all of First UU’s operational costs, including staffing, committee and teamwork, building maintenance, supplies, programming, religious education, utilities, and more. Member pledges fund nearly the entire church budget, supporting our great worship services (including music), religious education programs, and social justice programs; in short – all of the congregation’s activities. Your pledge also helps sustain the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Ultimately, pledges and other financial gifts make it possible for this congregation to fulfill its mission and vision – to invite all into caring community, inspire spiritual growth, and involve everyone in working for a peaceful, just, and free world.

How is pledging different from giving money to the offering on Sunday morning?

While donations via the weekly offering are greatly appreciated and are used to help support the church and its work, they are unpredictable, and thus we cannot rely upon them in planning our budget. Also, once a month, undesignated cash offerings go toward our shared offering to support an organization in our community. By making a pledge, you let First UU know what you plan to give in advance, which helps us plan our budget for the coming year.

Pledge payments may be placed in the Sunday morning offering, but we ask that they be made by check with a notation on the memo line that they are for your pledge. If you want to place cash in the offering toward your pledge, you can place it in an envelope with your name on it; otherwise, we have no way to track cash contributions.

How do I change my current pledge?

If your financial circumstances change and you want or need to change your pledge, simply contact the church office at office@uusat.org.

A pledge is a promise – it is not a contract – but letting us know of your intention if you need to change your pledge helps us anticipate our cash-flow and manage our budget. Simply contact the church office at if you find that you would like to change your pledge or check on it.

What if I want to contribute by volunteering?

Your volunteer efforts are greatly appreciated! We could not survive without the generous donations of our members’ and friends’ time and talents.
If you are eager to know more about our volunteer opportunities, committees, and other areas where energies are needed and about the ways you can get involved as a volunteer, contact the church office at office@uusat.org.