What’s your why?
Thank you for considering a pledge to Rock Spring. To submit your pledge, fill out a 2023 Statement of Intent here.
“Giving to Rock Spring is important to me because it’s a place where I learn. It’s a warm and loving faith community, and a compassionate and effective community partner, and those things are incredibly important. But the most important thing to me is that Rock Spring encourages, prods, and occasionally provokes me to keep learning about myself and the opportunities that unfold by listening to a still-speaking God.”
~ Carolyn Hart
We recognize that people of all ages and in all communities have both needs and gifts. We are committed to sharing with each other, and with our neighbors in the community and around the world, the talents and gifts we have been given.
Rock Spring takes its commitment to sharing our resources with others seriously. Of every dollar that is received in pledged income at Rock Spring, 20 cents is given to Rock Spring’s Wider Mission. The wider mission funds are disbursed in two main ways: the United Church of Christ, and Community Partners.
There are many ways to give to Rock Spring. You may give online, through an ACH debit, by text, by mail, from a Donor-Advised Fund, in the form of a stock gift, or by providing altar flowers for our Sunday services. Further instructions can be found below for each.
ONLINE
Our online giving form allows you to make an unrestricted donation and make designated gifts to special offerings and projects. You may make a one-time donation or a recurring donation.
ACH DEBIT
More than 60% of Rock Spring donors give to the church through ACH debit. An ACH debit is a type of ACH transfer where funds are pulled from a bank account. That is, the donor (e.g. congregant) gives the payee (e.g. church) permission to take payment from their account whenever it becomes due. This is done by providing our financial secretary a pledge card with your giving intent as well as a canceled check to your bank account. To learn more, email financialsecretary@rockspringucc.org.
Sanctuary flowers
Sanctuary flowers will be featured on the video of our livestream services, and delivered to you after the service or taken to someone in need (whichever you prefer). Flowers can be donated to celebrate a special occasion or honor a loved one, or simply for the joy of seeing our altar decked out in beautiful flowers each week. You can bring them from your garden or order them from a florist. However you’d like to donate flowers for our sanctuary, sign up online here! If you would prefer to sign up a different way (i.e. not online), please contact our office at 703-538-4886.
TEXT
- To give via text, text the word “Give” and the amount you wish to donate to 1-703-783-2642.
- If you have donated by text before, you will receive a text in response confirming that your gift has been received successfully.
- If this is the first time you are donating by text, you will be sent a message that says, “It looks like you are a new giver,” and it will provide a link to the church’s online giving page.
- After clicking the link, you will be asked to supply a payment method (credit card, debit card, or bank account). This payment source will then be linked with your phone number so that, in the future, all you will need to do is text the amount (you will not need to re-enter your payment information each time).
Send a check to:
Attention: Financial Secretary
Rock Spring Congregational UCC
5010 Little Falls Road
Arlington, Virginia 22207
DONOR-ADVISED FUND
If you have established a donor-advised fund, you may recommend a one-time or recurring grant, which will then be electronically forwarded to the church. If your gift is for a specific purpose or fund, please include that in the memo field.
EIN: 54-0563006
Rock Spring Congregational UCC
5010 Little Falls Road
Arlington, Virginia 22207
STOCK TRANSFERS
If you would like to donate through the transfer of a stock gift, please email financialsecretary@rockspringucc.org.
PLANNED GIVING
If you would like to include Rock Spring in your will, please contact our Church Administrator and request to be connected with the chair of our Endowment Fund, Jeff Dale.
Thank you for considering a financial commitment to Rock Spring!
Your support makes all the difference, and assures that Rock Spring remains a vibrant place of worship and service. Your gift is warmly appreciated and gratefully received.
“I tithe to Rock Spring because I’m grateful for God’s love, power, grace, and hope. I’m especially grateful for how Rock Spring staff and friends supported me when I lost my wife, Mary Helen, and also for how Rock Spring strengthens and challenges me to grow in faith and service. I am blessed — by God and by this community of faith.”
~ Bob Harris
GIVING FAQ
WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER PLEDGING?
Each year our Finance Board takes all of the information we receive from pledges to shape our budget. The more information we have about what is expected, the better we are able to plan and be good stewards of the gifts we have been given. Every gift makes a difference.
What happens with the money that I pledge to the church?
Of every dollar that is received in pledged income at Rock Spring, 20 cents is given to Rock Spring’s Wider Mission. The remainder of each dollar is used to fund the operating budget that is voted upon and adopted by the congregation each year at our annual meeting.
Read our 2023 narrative budget, which outlines our vision for how we will use our donations.
Who will know how much I pledge or give to the church?
Gifts to the church are held in strict confidence. The only people who know how much you pledge or give to the church are the Financial Secretary and the Bookkeeper. Our Financial Secretary records each gift that comes in and will send you a quarterly statement reflecting what has been received.
How much should I give?
“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
~ 2 Corinthians 9:7
Giving should be out of love, not compulsion. There is no one who will tell you how much you “need” to give, because it’s your participation with our community that is most important to us. The concept of tithing, or giving away 10% of your income, was a principle, not a law or a doctrine, in the New Testament. Recognizing that there are many organizations and causes that we are called upon to support today, the concept of the “modern tithe” is helpful to some. The concept of the “modern tithe” is giving 5% of your income to the church and 5% of your income to other philanthropic efforts.
HOW DO I PLEDGE?
Each fall we hold a giving campaign and send every member of the congregation a pledge card so that they can indicate their intent for the coming year. If you would like to make a pledge outside of a giving campaign, you can submit this pledge form or contact financialsecretary@rockspringucc.org.