Building Our Future Together

We are once again entering pledge season, and it’s time to consider the financial goals for our church in our next fiscal year and your ability to support those goals with a financial pledge. The HUUC Board of Trustees has created a proposed budget that aims to meet the needs of the congregation in the new church year with fairly compensated staff and the resources to keep everything in the church running and in good repair in an inflationary environment.

2023-2024 Budget Priorities

Our single biggest expense, as is true with nearly any organization, is our amazing staff. Our Personnel Committee, working with UUA salary guideline minimums for our region and church size, has recommended a baseline level of salary increases of 5% with 10% increases for employees who are well below UUA recommended salary currently. Here’s how the recommended salary increases apply across our staff at HUUC:

• 10% increase for Laci Adams, our Director of Lifespan Faith Development
• 5% increase for Steve McCamley, our Choir Director
• 10% increase for Kevin Palmer, our Tech Coordinator
• 5% increase for Martha Viehmann, our Church Administrator

We are also currently hiring for a new Music Director, and we have budgeted $15,000 for this open position, a significant increase in order to ensure a strong candidate pool and to be closer to the UUA guidelines for this position and the number of hours it requires per week.

Finally, our Committee on Ministry has recommended a 5.5% increase in salary for Rev. Bill Gupton, our Senior Minister, in order to stay in the mid-range for a church of our size in the upper Midwest region.

What do all of these recommendations mean for your pledge? We have a total of about $25,000 in proposed staff salary increases for the 2023-2024 church year, and we are starting from a 2022-2023 budget that is projected to create a $21,000 deficit by the end of June. In order to meet our Personnel and Committee on Ministry’s salary recommendations, which have been endorsed by our Board of Trustees, our goal is to increase total pledged income by 25%. If we hit this percentage goal, we will achieve a goal of $262,500 in pledges.

The need is clearly there, and there is no question that our congregation and its leadership support all of the services that we receive as a result of the planned expenditures in our proposed budget.

What if I am new to pledging at Heritage? Where do I start? The Fair Share Contribution Guide is a great way to determine an appropriate level of giving based on you and your family’s financial situation and your connection to HUUC. Based on the Fair Share Guide a pledging member or friend with an income of $80,000 a year (accounting for large and unusual anticipated expenses like medical expenses, educational expenses, etc. as adjustments to income), would pledge $195 per month at the Supporter level (the baseline level for giving), or $2,340 per year (3% per of income). That level of pledging is just above our average pledge at Heritage of $2,048 per year.

Here a few more statistics on pledges at HUUC:

• We currently have eight pledges for the 2022-2023 church year that are $5,000 or above. These pledges account for just under 30% of our total pledged income
• We have 25 pledges in the $2,000 to $5,000 range, accounting for 38% of our total pledged income
• We have 63 pledges under $2,000 per year, accounting for 27% of our total pledged income

It’s going to take an average pledge of about $2,300 per month from about 112 pledging members and friends (including members and friends who are new to our congregation) to fully fund our proposed budget for the 2023-2024 church year. The reality is that we will receive pledges well above and well below that average monthly pledge amount, as we do every year. Every pledge counts, no matter what its amount.

We only ask that you please consider pledging an amount that reflects a serious commitment to the place you have chosen as your spiritual home — not simply making a donation to yet another charity. Whatever amount you lovingly choose, we hope you will give until it feels good.

And now, it’s time to submit your pledge. The pledge form is right here on the HUUC website, just below on this page. Your pledge is secure and private.

Any questions? Contact Reid Hester at:

(Click on a question to go to the answer.)

What is a pledge?
When does the pledge drive begin and end?
What time period does my pledge cover?
What is the amount that I should pledge?
What is the average pledge amount at Heritage?
How many people pledge at Heritage?
What is the total membership of Heritage UU Church?
What is the cost to HUUC for each member?
How are financial record keeping and budgeting handled at HUUC?
Is pledging a requirement of membership at HUUC?
What if I need to change, or cannot fulfill, my pledge?

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What is a pledge?

A pledge is a promise to donate a certain amount of money to the church within the church fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.

When does the pledge drive begin and end?

This year’s pledge drive will formally begin on Sunday, March 26, and it will end during the first week of May. The Board of Trustees will use the final pledge total to finalize the budget for approval at our Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 4, beginning at 8:30 a.m. All members are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting to vote on the budget, and to vote on candidates for the Board of Trustees and other elected positions.

What time period does my pledge cover?

Your pledge that is submitted during this spring pledge drive will be in effect from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, in accordance with our church fiscal year. Pledges from new members are welcome at any time during the year.

What is the amount that I should pledge?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The UUA offers Fair Share Pledging guidelines, which offer different levels of pledging for different income levels, and the guidelines take certain expenses into account as well (kind of like deductions on your taxes). The guidelines are available here: UUA Fair Share Pledging Guidelines.

What is the average pledge amount at Heritage?

The current average pledge is $2,100 per year, and the median pledge is $1,500 per year (half of our pledges are higher than $1,500 and half are lower).

How many people pledge at Heritage?

For our 2022-2023 fiscal year we have 97 pledges, or pledge units. A “pledge unit” often counts for more than one member of our church, and we also receive pledges from many friends of Heritage who may not be formal members of the church.

What is the total membership of Heritage UU Church?

We currently have 164 members.

What is the cost to HUUC for each member?

We all share in the fixed operational costs of the church, costs such as staff salaries & benefits, utilities, office supplies, building maintenance, etc. In addition to these fixed costs, we currently pay a total of about $50 per member per year to the UUA, UU Justice Ohio, and the UU Council of Greater Cincinnati for membership in these important denominational organizations.

How are financial record keeping and budgeting handled at HUUC?

Please read a 2019 Heirloom column from Reid Hester for an explanation of our approach to budgeting and record keeping: Keeping a Finger on Our Financial Pulse.

Is pledging a requirement of membership at HUUC?

Yes, our church constitution stipulates that members are required to make an annual financial commitment in the form of a pledge that is consistent with your individual circumstances. The congregation depends upon your pledge and those of all other members to create a realistic annual budget for the upcoming year. We welcome pledges or donations from visitors and friends as well. Everyone is welcome to attend services at Heritage UU Church, whether formally a member or friend, or not, with no financial obligation.

What if I need to change, or cannot fulfill, my pledge?

You may change your pledge any time during the year. If you find your life is taking an unexpected turn, a call to the ministerial staff might be a good step, too. Whether you’re adjusting your pledge up or down, know that we will be grateful for the information, which helps us budget and manage the budget. Know that every gift is valued. To change your pledge, contact: