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Stewardship Campaign 2025

The theme for this year’s stewardship season, which began Sunday, November 3, is “God’s Abundance in a Time of Transition.“

Mark your calendars to join us to celebrate this abundance on Sunday, November 24, at 11am. After making our financial commitments, we will enjoy delicious ice cream sundaes from the Sugar Bowl at our Grateful Sundaes Social! See you in Church and afterward in Hutton Hall on the 24th!

We had ourFinancial Forum on Sunday, November 10, where we presented financial trends and giving trends over the past 6 years. The information being presented can be found by clicking the button/link below the video:

OPEN SIMPLIFIED FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS BELOW

SIMPLIFIED FINANCIALS

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Stewardship at Saint Barnabas

  1. What is a pledge? What does it mean to pledge?

A pledge is a statement of intent to financially support our parish’s mission. It is also a tool to help the parish’s leadership know how to budget so Saint Barnabas can make longer-range plans to meet the parish’s needs. Today, we prefer to use the phrase “financial commitment” rather than the older word “pledge.”

  1. Why are we asked to make a financial commitment every year?

The church leadership needs to know what the likely income of the church will be so that they can budget for future expenses.

  1. What are the key elements of stewardship at Saint Barnabas?

The church regularly discusses stewardship through giving of our “time, tithing, and talents.” Stewardship is similarly woven into the “Five Ways of Discipleship” that our community has embraced: Worship Regularly, Grow Faithfully, Serve Joyfully, Give Abundantly, and Invite Frequently.

  1. I give regularly to Saint Barnabas through the offering plate. Why should I make a financial commitment?

Although every contribution to the finances of the church is important, a financial commitment helps Saint Barnabas leadership budget for the next year.

  1. I want to give to Saint Barnabas, but I don’t carry cash or have a checkbook. Can I donate online?

The homepage of the church website has a GIVE button.  Here’s a link:  Give or Donate – Saint Barnabas

  1. Or you can use your phone through the QR code below: I don’t have a regular income, and I don’t know how much money I will have in the coming year. I don’t think I can make a financial commitment to the church.

We can only plan on what we know in the present. A financial commitment is only an estimate of what you might be able to give for the coming year, and personal circumstances may change. If you find that you are unable to fulfill your financial commitment, that’s okay. Every commitment matters, no matter the size.

  1. I am very involved and volunteer a lot at Saint Barnabas. I give a lot of my time and talents to the church.  I don’t have a lot of money left over every month, and I will give what I can.

We are grateful for our volunteers whose time and talents make many things possible.  The financial commitment we make is one of our responses to God’s goodness. We want everyone to feel comfortable however they decide to embrace their stewardship.

  1. How many people made a financial commitment to Saint Barnabas last year?

The church received 343 financial commitments in 2023 (for the 2024 calendar year).  This is out of 608 households that are active and consider themselves members of Saint Barnabas.  In 2019 (Pre-Covid), there were 437 financial commitments.

These 343 financial commitments totaled $1.59 million, representing about 70% of the 2024 budget of $2.35 million.  In 2019 (Pre-Covid), financial commitments comprised nearly 80% of the 2020 budget.

  1. Can children make a financial commitment?

Yes, children can certainly make financial commitments.  We encourage you to discuss stewardship with your children.

  1. Who should I talk to about my questions on stewardship at Saint Barnabas?

Please contact Don Henninger, the Senior Warden, or David Getts, the Stewardship Chair.

Frequently Asked Questions about Finances at Saint Barnabas

  1. How much does it cost to run the church?

The church is expecting to spend approximately $2.35 million during 2024.  About half of this pays for our clergy and staff and the other half pays for everything else, including our programs, maintenance, utilities and our monthly assessment to the Diocese.

Another way to think about this is it costs almost $6,400 per day, $45,000 per week, or $195,000 per month to do what we do throughout the year.

  1. Where does our money go?

Salaries and benefits for our clergy and staff are about 50% of our total budget, ministry programs are about 20%, maintenance and utilities are about 15%, and the Diocesan Mission Share is about 16%.

  1. What is the Diocese Mission Share?

The Diocese Mission Share is 16.9% of our annual income, paid monthly to the Diocese.  In 2023, we paid about $310,000 to the Diocese as our Mission Share.  The Diocese uses the Mission Share to pay for Diocesan staff and operations, the annual Diocesan convention, and to support about 20 churches in the Diocese that are not able to support themselves financially.

  1. What are the salaries of our staff?  Are they competitive with other churches?

The Simplified Financial Overview shows the total cost of our clergy and lay staff, including salaries, health care, and pension costs. These amounts align with what other churches of our size pay their clergy and staff.

  1. What kind of benefits do we provide our staff?

The National Church sets these: pension (18% of clergy salaries, 9% of staff salaries), health and dental insurance, and disability coverage.

  1. What do maintenance costs cover?

We have a large campus comprised of aging buildings.  They are used for multiple purposes, which requires a robust variety of equipment and regular maintenance.  Historically, we have elected to spend more money on making disciples than on maintenance.  This is fairly common among churches.

  1. Why does the value of the Foundation fluctuate?

The money in our Foundation is invested in a variety of stock, bond, and alternative investment funds.  The value of these funds fluctuate as the overall market fluctuates.  On average, the Foundation has earned a return of approximately 8% per year over the past 5 years. Disbursements from the Foundation are restricted by policy to 4% of the 5-year average principal each year.

  1. What are Vestry Funds?

Vestry Funds are unexpected gifts to Saint Barnabas, which the Vestry approves for use to help fund the church’s operating budget.  These gifts can vary significantly from year to year.  These gifts are not given for a specific purpose (such as a capital campaign) or to the Foundation.

  1. Who should I talk to about my questions on the finances of Saint Barnabas?

Please contact Don Henninger, the Senior Warden or Scott Jones, the Treasurer.


We will celebrate God’s abundance by making prayerful financial commitments to Saint Barnabas on Sunday, November 24, when Canon Anita Braden will be our guest preacher. At 11:30am join us to put a cherry on top at our Grateful Sundaes Social! We’ll be scooping up ice cream from the Sugar Bowl, with plenty of toppings to satisfy any sweet tooth. Mark your calendars now!

About Saint Barnabas

Welcome to www.saintbarnabas.org, our church community’s online expression of our life and mission. If you are looking for a place that feels like home, a place where friends remember your name and become excited when they see you across the patio, a place where members share the value of deep, life-changing faith in Jesus, you’ve come to the right place. All are welcome.