Frequently Asked Questions
The annual pledge campaign is a targeted season, usually in October and November, when we talk about the spiritual importance of pledging and invite parishioners to make a pledge for the following calendar year. You will receive materials to help you understand how to make a pledge and what your pledge dollars support.
A pledge to St. Columba’s is your stated intention to fulfill a defined, annual monetary gift that supports the operational budget of the Church. Filling out the pledge form, whether in paper or electronically, is not actually a gift. Rather, the pledge is simply a statement of what you plan to give.
Yes. The church appreciates and relies on the time and effort parishioners put into volunteering and participating in our many ministries. We could not do what we do without each of you! However, the pledge campaign supports a broad spectrum of operating expenses and ministry work, and we rely on your financial support in addition to your active participation in our community.
What is the Annual Pledge Campaign?
What is a pledge?
I give my time to St. Columba’s, do I still need to pledge?
Consistent with Biblical teachings, we ask ALL active parishioners to pledge. For additional questions please reach out to a member of the clergy.
When filling in the pledge form, you can indicate whether the pledge is “Individual” or “Joint.” Some members of a household prefer to participate in “Joint” pledges, whereas others prefer to make multiple separate “Individual” pledges. You may choose the approach that works best for you We have created resources for kids of all ages and developed a Q&A for talking with your kids about a family pledge. Visit our page, Engaging Children & Youth in Pledging to learn more.
The youth group will also discuss the spiritual connection to pledging. If their guardians agree, youth may wish to make their own “Individual” pledge outside of the pledge(s) made by their guardian(s).
Absolutely! Send an email to Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship, to request envelopes, or you can find them at the Welcome Desk at St. Columba's.
Who should pledge?
Should we pledge as a household or family or should each member of the household or family make a separate pledge?
Can youth make their own pledge? How can I get my kids involved in pledging and giving?
Is it possible for me to receive a batch of envelopes to submit my weekly or monthly pledge in person or by mail?
Spiritual Reasons for Pledging
Great question! There is so much to learn from the Bible regarding giving and pledging. We have created this page with more information.
What does the Bible say about pledging?
"How to" information on making a pledge
To make a pledge, you can fill out a pledge card that was mailed to you, when you pick one up at church, or make your pledge online through our website here. Please make your pledge before the end of our pledge campaign - November 20, 2022.
To fulfill or pay your pledge, you will need to go online to Realm to make your gift, or you can mail a check to
St. Columba's Episcopal Church Please make checks payable to “St. Columba’s Episcopal Church.”
A pledge can be fulfilled at a frequency of your choosing (e.g. weekly, monthly, or annually). We prefer that you set up recurring online giving. For instructions on how to set up a recurring gift through our online portal, watch this short video.
We also welcome gifts by check, credit card, cash (placed in the offering plate in an envelope with your name and contact information clearly marked), appreciated stock or tax free IRA distribution if you are 70 1/2 or older. If you have any payment questions, contact Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship. No. Putting money in the offering plate is a wonderful spiritual discipline, but it cannot be considered as part of a fulfillment of a pledge unless it is clearly labeled "2023 pledge" in an envelope. Unplanned, unmarked plate offerings are much appreciated contributions but we can’t predict them when creating our budget, so they are not considered pledge fulfillment.
If you are unable to fulfill your pledge, please know that we are grateful for your intentions of supporting our ministries. As your church, we are here for you during times of both joy and difficulty. Please let us know what portion of your pledge you are able to fulfill by contacting Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship, so we can adjust our budget accordingly. All conversations are confidential and pastoral support is available if you need it.
We are so grateful for all gifts given to St. Columba's. Gifts given at the end of the year do require specific attention to detail. In order for you to claim a deduction on your 2022 tax return, anything mailed to St. Columba's must be postmarked by midnight Dec. 31, 2022. In order to demonstrate legal compliance, envelope postmark dates will be used to verify any contributions arriving in early January. Credit card gifts also must be posted to our vendor account by midnight on Dec. 31. If you choose to provide gifts of stock or other securities to St. Columba's, it is important to initiate these transactions by mid-December to make certain they are posted to our brokerage account by close of business on Dec. 31.
Absolutely! Send an email to Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship, to request envelopes, or you can find them at the Welcome Desk at St. Columba's.
How can I make a pledge?
How do I fulfill my pledge?
4201 Albemarle Street, NW
Washington, DC 20016
What if I put cash in the offering plate – does that count toward my pledge?
What happens if my financial situation changes during the year and I am unable to fulfill my pledge?
If I want to be sure my gift is received by the end of the year, how do I do that?
Is it possible for me to receive a batch of envelopes to submit my weekly or monthly pledge in person or by mail?
Financial Information about the Church
The annual budget is agreed to by the vestry. To learn more about St. C’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year please attend the annual business meeting in November.
Typically, about 80% of the Church’s annual budget is supported by pledges, with the remainder mostly being supported by the weekly offering, gifts outside of pledge and facility rentals, such as the nursery school. For more information on the church budget, please attend the annual business meeting.
No, St C’s makes a significant financial contribution to the Episcopal Diocese, not the other way around.
Your financial gifts support the salaries and health insurance of church staff and clergy, ministry and programmatic expenses, including our Water Ministry, Homeless Ministry, Music Ministry, Children & Youth Ministry, and many other ministries; and other expenses, such as facility and utility costs.
Check out our Ministry Guide to see all the different ministries you support with your pledge.
We are blessed to have a talented staff of both clergy and non-clergy members. We have a wide variety of ministries and programs, which are supported or led by our staff, in addition to the spiritual activities of the church. To learn more about our programs and our strategic plan which explains the focus for our staff, please see our Strategic Plan. No. Sometimes the church conducts targeted fundraising efforts for specific needs as they arise, for example to help the homeless or for emergency facility repairs. Typically, such targeted efforts are NOT part of the church’s annual budget and do NOT use pledge dollars. Therefore, please remember that any gifts you provide during targeted fundraising efforts are in addition to, not a replacement of, your pledge. Support of both efforts is needed and appreciated. If you have any questions about a specific fundraising effort, please contact Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship.
The vestry has a Finance Committee and a Treasurer with fiduciary responsibility. Further, the church hire a full time staff member to run the financial operations, as well as part-time supporting staff. Consistent with Episcopal Church guidance, the church conducts regular audits of its finances. The Annual Business Meeting serves as the best opportunity all year for the parish to review the annual budget and church finances, review progress on the strategic plan, learn about staff and operational updates, and engage in other important topics. We encourage all parishioners to attend the Annual Business Meeting.
What is the church’s budget?
What percent of the Church’s annual budget is supported by pledges?
Does the Episcopal Diocese make a contribution to St C’s?
What are my pledge dollars and other gifts used for?
Why are salary expenses such a significant share of our budget?
Are targeted fundraising efforts part of the church’s budget and/or considered fulfillment of my pledge?
How does the church manage its finances?
What and when is the Annual Business Meeting?
Different Sources and Types of Pledging
Yes. A gift of appreciated stocks you’ve held for more than a year can be a tax-efficient way of making gifts to St. Columba's. Let’s say you paid $500 for 10 shares of XYZ Corporation more than a year ago, and it is now worth $1,000. You can give that $1,000 in XYZ Corporation to St. Columba's and take a charitable deduction for the stock’s fair market value on the day you give it away. You’ll avoid capital gains taxes on the increase in value over time, which you would have had to pay if you sold the stock then gave the charity the cash. And St. Columba's can sell the stock free of tax. In short, by making a gift of appreciated securities, you get the same tax benefit you receive for paying cash, plus you avoid potential capital gains taxes. For additional information or to alert us that a gift is being made, please contact Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship,. We caution that everyone’s tax situation is unique, and your tax adviser should be consulted before making any gift of appreciated securities.
Yes. For parishioners aged 70 1/2 or older, the charitable IRA rollover is another way to give. The IRA charitable rollover allows individuals to make certain charitable contributions directly from your Individual Retirement Account. The transferred assets will not be recognized as income for tax purposes. Making a donation under this provision is simple and straightforward. If you would like to make a contribution to St. Columba’s from your IRA, please speak with your IRA administrator. Yes. A donor-advised fund is a little like a personal charitable savings account. A donor creates an account and makes a contribution of cash, stock, or other assets like real estate or artwork and can take an immediate tax deduction for the gift. Donor advised gifts can be made in order to fulfill a pledge. We recommend including specific language with your pledge, so please contact Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship, for more information. We recommend consulting the financial institution managing the DAF or financial advisor if you plan to make a donor advised gift to fulfill your pledge.
In order for you to claim a deduction on your tax return, anything mailed to St. Columba's must be postmarked by midnight Dec. 31. In order to demonstrate legal compliance, envelope postmark dates will be used to verify any contributions arriving in early January. Credit card gifts also must be posted to our vendor account by midnight on Dec. 31 which can take a few hours (or days). If you choose to provide gifts of stock or other securities to St. Columba's, it is important to initiate these transactions by mid-December to make certain they are posted to our brokerage account by close of business on Dec. 31.
Yes, we would appreciate your considering St. C’s in your estate planning for potential inclusion in your end of life wishes. This is sometimes called “Planned Giving.” For more information, visit our Planned Giving page.
Each employer or other organization defines their matching gift program rules differently; some rules allow for religious organizations to receive funds, whereas others do not. Check with your HR or other relevant department within your organization to better understand your matching gift program rules. For organizations that allow matching gifts to St. C’s, for every dollar you give to St. C’s, your employer may provide some additional dollars as well, which is a great benefit. Please contact Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship, with additional questions.
Can I make a One-Time gift of Appreciated Stocks?
Can I make a Charitable IRA Rollover to St. C’s?
Can I use money in a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) account to make a gift or pledge to St. C’s?
In addition to pledging for 2024, how can I be sure my gift for 2023 is received by the end of the year?
Can I include St. C’s in my estate planning? What is “planned giving”?
My employer or another organization with which I am affiliated offers matching gifts. Is St. C’s eligible to receive matching gifts?
The annual pledge campaign committee is a group of parishioners who volunteer under the direction of the church leadership including the rector, vestry, and Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship.
Thanks for your interest! We would love to engage your talents. Please contact Heather Beck, Director of Development and Stewardship.
Who works on the annual pledge campaign?
How can I get involved in helping with the annual pledge campaign?
What is Generosity Sunday?
Generosity Sunday falls on the last day of the annual pledge campaign. It is a day when we celebrate our financial gifts to St. C’s coupled with giving of time and talent through one or more a church-wide service activities. Stay tuned for details about this year's event.
