Please fill out the form below to make your annual pledge. If you have difficulty with the online form, you can print a FY2026-2027 Pledge Card.

“Community Resilience” Stewardship Sunday (YouTube)

UU Congregations don’t tell you how much to give, but we do find that our members and friends appreciate a guide to giving.

Our congregation depends heavily on our staff to help provide a caring and inclusive community. Since we are fully member-supported, giving levels are in a different category than, say, NPR or the Sierra Club. It is not unusual for a household’s annual pledge to be equal to the sum of all other charitable giving.

Because we all have different resources and responsibilities, we offer this guide that takes into account several aspects of your household’s circumstances and responsibilities:

My Financial Cup Runneth Over

• I am employed or retired with income and wealth that more than meets all my basic needs (food, housing, transportation, health)
• I may have some debt but it doesn’t impact my financial choices in any way.
• I may own more than one property and/or I have other investments.
• My household can afford several vehicles. And I often fly business or first class.
• I never have to avoid medical care due to finances.
• I often eat meals out at good restaurants and subscribe to theater, the symphony, the ballet and/or the opera.
• I can buy clothes whenever I choose.
• I can afford vacations to exotic places and take time off when I need it (if I’m employed).

My Financial Cup Full

• I am employed or retired with enough income to always meet all my basic needs (food, housing, transportation, health)
• I may have some debt but it doesn’t impact my financial choices.
• I own my own home OR I rent a higher end property by choice. I may own more than one property.
• My household owns or leases at least one car.
• I have adequate access to health care, and do not avoid medical care due to finances.
• I have enough extra income to afford meals out, the movies or a concert, new clothes, etc. when I choose.
• I can afford vacations and take time off when I want it (if I’m employed).

My Financial Cup is Adequate

• I am employed or retired with enough income to usually meet all my basic needs (food, housing, transportation, health)
• I may have some debt but it doesn’t impact obtaining my basic needs.
• I own or lease a car.
• I have adequate access to health care, and do not avoid routine medical care due to finances.
• I have some financial savings (am not living paycheck to paycheck).
• I have enough extra income to occasionally afford meals out, a concert or a movie, new clothes, etc. without going further into debt.
• I can take a vacation annually or every few years without going further into debt.

My Financial Cup is Low

• I struggle to meet my basic needs (food, housing, transportation)
• I have enough debt that it impacts my capacity to meet my basic needs.
• I pay below median rent, live in subsidized housing or have unstable housing.
• I can not afford a car.
• I am unemployed or under-employed.
• I qualify for government assistance for my basic needs.
• I have no savings.
• I am unable to afford meals out, a concert or a movie, new clothes, etc.
  I can not afford vacations or to take time off from work without a financial burden.

Our congregation’s ministries need practical resources. We have a lot of volunteer skills and energy, but we also need staff and facilities to serve our congregation and the wider community.

Facilities and program costs—about a quarter of our budget—include:

• utility bills, insurance, licensing fees for music,  processing fees, and other overhead costs
• a modest mortgage payment on Hobbs Hall
• partially funding our outreach ministries such as the monthly Community Meal
• upkeep and repair costs, especially on our historic brick church building and the Eldredge Annex.
• office costs, such as printing and software (such as Zoom and Breeze)

Staff costs make up the rest of our budget (as it does for most UU congregations), which makes sense because ministry is about people and relationship. The video presentation below talks about how our staff support our ministries.

Learn More About Our Staff:

• What is a pledge? – A promise to contribute a specific amount of money to the annual operating budget of our church. Our operating budget is mainly funded by pledges made by members and friends.
• Why do we have an annual pledge drive? – Our church is entirely self-supporting. We do not receive any financial assistance from a national organization. Our budget for the upcoming year dependent upon the successful outcome of our pledge campaign. Our staff, programming, facilities and outreach programs are supported solely by the contributions of members and friends. Your pledge of support sustains our church community.
• When is the pledge campaign? – The campaign runs in March. This gives our Finance Team and Board of Trustees one month to generate a recommended budget. This budget is then available to the church at large for a 30 day review period before it is voted upon during our annual meeting in May.
• Are church members expected to make pledge? – Yes! In addition to calling on members to participate in the life of our church, our bylaws also call for members to contribute financially toward the operation of our church.
• Can friends make a pledge? – Absolutely! We have many Pledging Friends who participate regularly in church life and supports the church financially but do not want to become a member.
• What if I miss the March pledge campaign? – We welcome pledges any time during the church year. Use the online form or contact [email protected] for a paper pledge card.
• How much do KentUU members and friends actually pledge? – Individual pledge amounts are held in confidence by our treasurer, church administrator, and stewardship chair. However, we do share overall information. This graphic that shows how many households we have in each giving range, supporting X% of the program fund budget.