Greater Nashville Unitarian Universalist Congregation
374 Hicks Road
Nashville, TN 37221
Federal ID No: 62-1553891
Dear Friend,
If you’ve been around a congregation, you probably expect this to be our annual pledge letter, asking you to clearly communicate your intentions for sharing money with the congregation in the upcoming fiscal year (July 2025-May 2026). And it is that, as it must be: Our responses now to the Stewardship Team allow the Finance Team to craft, and members to approve, a responsible budget for the year ahead of us.
But this letter is also an invitation to us, individually and together, to step into being more fully what and who we are as a faith community, because we are needed now more than ever.
Now, more than ever, the world around us is changing rapidly, sometimes overwhelmingly in ways that do not serve and protect most of the beings on our planet. The people and communities around us need the same support and encouragement each of us needs. We all need to study up and practice being people who build ever-more-welcoming spaces, walk in love and truth, seek spirit-filled lives, and support each other in dreaming and building a better world.
Now, more than ever, we at GNUUC need this season of stewardship that encourages us to pause, to breathe and remember who we have been as a community, to feel how we are connected to one another and how grateful we are for that connection.
Because now, more than ever, we will be called to stretch our imaginations and capacities to become people who build community and speak truth, for ourselves and for others.
This letter is an invitation to love yourself, each other, and the communities in which our congregation is embedded, to be a part of choosing who and how we hope to be together in the future, and to make plans about how you will share your time, attention, and money with GNUUC next year. We are needed in this world at this moment. YOU are needed now, more than ever!
Yours in gratitude and generosity,
Rev. Denise Gyauch, Lead Minister
Jesse Spencer-Smith, Pledge Chair
Please make your pledge for July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026 by filling out the online form
https://www.nashvilleuu.org/pledge
Determining the amount to pledge is a personal decision that reflects your financial capacity and commitment to our congregation's mission. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) offers a Fair Share Contribution Guide to assist in this process. This guide suggests pledging between 2% and 10% of your adjusted monthly income, with specific tiers to consider:
Supporter: 2-6% of income
Sustainer: 3-7% of income
Visionary: 5-9% of income
Transformer: 10% of income
For example, if your adjusted monthly income is $3,000, a Supporter-level pledge at 2% would be $60 per month, while a Transformer-level pledge at 10% would be $300 per month.
We understand that financial situations vary. If you're currently experiencing financial hardship, please know that any contribution, regardless of the amount, is deeply appreciated. Our community values inclusivity, and no one will be turned away due to an inability to pledge at a certain level.
Your pledge not only supports the operational needs of our congregation but also fuels our collective efforts to make a meaningful impact in the wider community. We invite you to reflect on what is both meaningful and manageable for you, knowing that every contribution plays a vital role in sustaining and growing our shared mission.