• Youth lighting altar candles

Using the gifts God has given us,
to do the work God is calling us to do.

“There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people. The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all.”

1 Corinthians 12: 4-7

As Christians and as members of Grace Church, we are called to give generously and sacrificially, not because God needs anything, but because it is one of the ways that we show our love for God and for others. Giving is an expression of not only obedience to God’s word, but also an expression of gratitude, trust, and increasing joy.

At Grace there are many ways to give. The scripture from Corinthians tells us that every member of the Body of Christ has spiritual gifts intended to serve and strengthen the Church. God has already blessed each of us with gifts, talents, skills, passions, and possessions, and we have the opportunity every day to use our gifts to help people know and love Jesus.

At Grace there are a wide variety of ministries and opportunities to give. Some ministries serve within the church while others reach out to individuals and communities beyond the walls of the church. We are called to use our talents and gifts, along with a portion of our time in support of the mission of our church as well as a means of living into our personal faith. Now more than ever, people need to see and feel the love of God through His people. What better way to do this than through using your gifts.

Giving and Stewardship

The Episcopal Church defines stewardship as: What I do, with all that I have, after I say, “I believe.” 

At Grace, we believe that stewardship is a comprehensive lifestyle of managing all resources for God’s glory. Embracing stewardship transforms how we live and interact with the world.  A steward is a manager, a person who has charge of the household or possessions of another. In our case, we are the stewards of God’s household, God’s possessions, whether nature, children, buildings, time, talent, or money. If we realize that all the stuff of our world belongs to God, and we see ourselves as stewards of it, then we hear a call to mindfully use it as God would have us use it. All of it.

General Pledging InformationANNUAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN 2026PLEDGE FORMDONATE

GIVE and the Annual Pledge Campaign

Every fall, all members of Grace Church are invited to make a financial pledge in support of the mission and ministries of our church.  This appeal is known as the Annual Pledge Campaign.  While Grace is thankful for all financial gifts, it is especially helpful to pledge.  A financial pledge enables the leadership of Grace to thoughtfully plan out an annual Operating Budget, which provides the funding for all activities of the church including salary and benefits, utilities, maintenance, and administrative costs for the upkeep of our physical plant, as well as the work of all ministries.

Your pledge can be paid on your schedule: weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, and there are numerous ways to pay your pledge including checks, online banking, credit cards, stock transfers. When you pledge, you will receive a quarterly statement for your tax records.

Two ministries specifically support Stewardship and the Annual Pledge Campaign:

  • Stewardship Committee – the ministry of caring for the gifts we have been given to use. Responsible for overseeing the Annual Pledge Campaign.
  • Budget & Finance Committee – the group responsible for developing the annual operating budget for approval by the Vestry. This committee also oversees the financial status of the church. 

Simply put, our desire to nourish an inclusive community as we walk with Jesus in love, justice, and faith, calls us to GIVE as generously as we can. It is our gifts that will help make this desire a reality.

Annual Pledge Campaign 2026

What Happens When You Give to Grace

This year, as we enter our Annual Pledge Campaign, we are asking a simple but powerful question:  What happens when you give to Grace?

  • When you give to Grace, worship thrives.  Sunday after Sunday, we gather to pray, sing, and break bread together.
  • When you give to Grace, faith grows. Our children and youth learn the stories of God’s love, and adults find space for spiritual exploration.
  • When you give to Grace, lives are changed.  You extend Christ’s compassion – through outreach, service, and hospitality – and lives are touched within and beyond 

A pledge is more than a financial commitment; it is a declaration of faith, hope, and love. Each gift sustains the ministries that shape Grace and equip the community to share God’s love and abundance with our neighbors near and far.  

Together, our giving tells a story of generosity and hope. May we continue to discover what happens when we give ourselves fully to God’s work at Grace Church.  When asking a few people, “What happens when you give to Grace?” we heard:

  • When I give to Grace, I see an altar of people reflecting the people of Grace.
  • When I give to Grace, I have a chance to let my finances reflect my values in life.
  • When I give to Grace, I know I’m supporting our choral program and the magnificent music that is an integral and essential element of our worship.
  • When I give to Grace, the Undercroft is filled with the Grace community after services, enjoying food, beverages, and conversation.
  • When I give to Grace, I see an altar of people reflecting the people of Grace.
  • When I give to Grace, I see an altar of people reflecting the people of Grace.

This year, we all members of the Grace Church community to prayerfully consider their pledge for 2026. Every contribution, no matter the amount, strengthens our ability to live into the mission God has entrusted to us here at Grace.  Last year, nearly two-thirds of the pledges we received included an increase. Pledge revenue grew by $60,000!  Pledge revenue must continue to grow just to maintain ministries that enable Grace to minister to those both inside and outside the walls of the church building, such as Beans & Rice and Chimers & Choristers. 

Optimism and hope may seem like scarce commodities, but they are abundant at Grace Church. What will happen when you give to Grace?

We hope you will help to answer that question by completing the online Pledge Form for 2026!

PLEDGE FORM

Please fill out your 2026 pledge information here!

2026 Annual Pledge Campaign Form
FAQ

A pledge is your promise to provide a certain amount of financial support to Grace Church.

Pledging is about your relationship with God and Grace Church.Pledging to Grace Church is different from financial contributions you might make to your alma mater or charitable organizations. A pledge acknowledges that everything we have comes from God. It allows you to share your many blessings while simultaneously furthering God’s mission of love and compassion in the world. Pledging gives you an opportunity to put your faith in action and deepen your connection with God.

Practically speaking, a pledge lets you plan your charitable giving for the year and makes tax accounting easier. A pledge also makes you feel good, like any gift you give from the heart.

In addition, pledging benefits Grace Church. The church depends upon your financial contributions, in addition to your commitment and participation in other parish activities, to do its work and ministry. Making a pledge enables our Vestry to better plan how to use our resources. The Vestry establishes an annual budget based upon the total amount pledged to the church. While regular non-pledged giving is important, a pledge helps the Vestry plan more accurately and better enables our ministries to thrive and grow.

Returning your pledge card represents your promise to make a financial contribution to Grace Church.

Any check with your name printed on it that you place in the offering plate on Sunday or send to the Church office will be credited to your pledge. You may also satisfy your pledge with the transfer of stocks, bonds or other marketable securities. Appreciated securities are often excellent for this use, as you receive an income tax deduction for the full market value of the security and incur no tax on the capital gain. For more information on fulfilling your pledge, please contact our Parish Administrator, James Sullivan at communications@graceepiscopalchurch.org

Because pledging is about your relationship with God and Grace Church, your pledge should be made thoughtfully and deliberately.

Historically, Christians have shown their gratitude to God by tithing, that is giving one-tenth (10 percent) of their gross income to the church and other charities. We see this throughout the Bible, and so the Episcopal Church and Grace Church Vestry affirm the tithe, encouraging members to tithe or be working toward the tithe.

Of course, we realize that tithing may seem daunting, and at this time in life, you may not be in a position to tithe. One suggestion, then, would be that you commit a certain percentage of your income to the church, say 5 percent or even 2 percent. By committing to proportional giving like this, you actually return to God a portion of what God has given you

All pledges are accepted with deep gratitude and recognition of the sacrifices each of us makes in our lives. If you have not pledged before, please give serious thought to making a pledge this year. If you are among the many generous-hearted people who have pledged before, please consider the possibility of raising your pledge as a way to further support the good works of Grace Church.

If you have any questions about Stewardship or making a pledge, please feel free to speak with a Pastor or the chair of our Stewardship Committee (301-586-8244). They would be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you might have.

MAKE AN ONLINE GIFT TO GRACE

Click the link below to make an online contribution towards your annual pledge, to support a particular ministry within Grace Church, or to make a generous gift to support our church. You will be directed to Realm, our online platform, where you will have the option to give once or to set up a recurring contribution. Please select “2025 Pledge” from the drop-down menu labeled “Fund” for contributions toward your annual pledge.

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