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The Bucket Brigate is Coming!

This fall the Stewardship Committee is bringing back the Bucket Brigade. For those of you who do not know, the bucket brigade is a method of fund-raising used in the past to collect pledges toward the church annual budget. The committee has already divided the congregation into smaller groups based on proximity to one another. A bucket containing pledge packets for each family will then be passed from family to family, until all the pledges are collected.

While we on the Stewardship Committee are putting together the packets and the buckets, each of you can begin to think about what the church means to you and how you would like to support its mission with your pledge. This year we are asking the congregation to consider a Pledge Plus Ten, increasing your pledge by 10% over last year.

The Stewardship theme for 2011 is Affirming Our Connections, and it will be quite literally realized as the buckets are moved from family to family along the routes. We have plotted the routes and 14 teams have been determined. Each brigade will get started with a neighborhood gathering. We will be looking for team captains - some one person along each route who can track the bucket and make sure it keeps moving along. Since we will be broken into teams, why not add a little competition? Which team will be the first finish? Which team has the most Pledge Plus Tens? Kick off of the Bucket Brigade will be Sunday, October 31st.

Stewardship FAQ

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What is stewardship?

Stewardship shows that you care for or ”steward“ the things you value. It is the way we financially demonstrate our connection to what we cherish and our commitment to our vision of the future.

What is our stewardship goal this year?

Our goal for this year is $190,000. Every pledge is put immediately to use supporting our church.

What is the Annual Stewardship Campaign?

The Annual Stewardship Campaign is a yearly initiative that raises the funds to cover 76% of our operating budget, which pays for everything from electricity to special educational programs. Every year we ask you to pledge an amount toward this operating budget, to be paid over the course of the year.

How much of an annual contribution should I make?

We ask you to take a thoughtful approach to deciding what you will give to the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church this year. Take a moment to calculate what you give based upon your family budget and the value of the work of the church in your life and in the world.

Below is the UUA Suggested Giving Table to help you with your decision

Annual Family Net Income	% of Income	Suggested Annual Pledge
$10,000 - $49,000	2-5%	$200 - $2,450
$50,000 - $74,000	3-5%	$1,500 - $3,700
$75,000 - $99,000	3-6%	$2,250 – $5,940
$100,000 – $199,00	3.5-6.5%	$3,350 – $9,605
$200,000 or more	4-9%	$8,000 and above

What are some things pledges pay for?

Each year your annual pledge goes toward:

new initiatives voted on at the annual meeting
UUA and District dues totalling $80 per member
staff compensation
electric bills, telephone bills, postage and paper

How are plate collections used?

This year the budget allows us to give 80% of the weekly plate collection to social justice programs such as Loaves and Fishes, Urban Ministry and Growing Places. The Sharing Our Plate program is made possible through the generosity of the annual stewardship campaign and is another way that we as a church are committed to serve the needs of others.

What are the annual expenses for the church?

Ministry 40%; Administration 17%; Building and grounds 10%; Education 14%; Committees and other programs 10%; Music 9%

Total Expenses: $249,200

What are the sources of income for the church?

Annual Stewardship Campaign 76%; Projects/auction 10%; Gifts 8%; Building use/other (includes building use, investment income, cash plate collections, and music fundraisers) 6%

Total Income: $249,200