Bloor Street United Church: Stewards

Stewardship

Committee

Christians are called to participate in God's mission - the mission reflected in Jesus' life and ministry. We carry out this mission as individuals and faith communities in the way we use our time, talent and material resources in our life's journey, as "stewards" of all that God has given us.

Our shared responsibility for Bloor Street United Church's life, financial and otherwise, is called "stewardship".

The mandate of the Stewardship Committee is to provide leadership and education in the area of stewardship and to encourage individuals to make wise, generous, even sacrificial, decisions about donations of time and energy, talents and money to support the work of Bloor Street United Church and the work of the United Church of Canada.

The prime activities of the Stewardship Committee are:

to conduct an annual fall Pledge Campaign.
to provide an estimate of projected givings to the Finance & Administration Committee.
to generate stewardship awareness throughout the year.
to assist in other Special Appeals projects.

Members and adherents are asked to support the church financially to the extent that they are able as well as with their time, energy and talents in volunteer positions. Stewardship is a personal decision for each us.

Your gifts support the ongoing work of Bloor Street United Church through a wide variety of programs and services within the community. These include:

Inspirational and transformative weekly worship services.
Social justice activities, including education, advocacy, the weekly Community Cafe and especially the Refugee Outreach Program.
Book studies, lectionary groups (Bible study), film nights and other adult education opportunities.
Sunday School for children and youth, and retreats for all age groups.
Pastoral Care team providing fellowship, support and guidance to the BSUC community.
Full music program, including senior & junior choirs, Gospel choir and special concert events.
Good News on Bloor, our newsletter, published 4 times per year.

People who wish to offer their time and talent as volunteers should contact Mary Sanderson or Pat McPhee.

People who wish to provide financial support the work of Bloor Street United Church are invited to make a gift in any amount. Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR) is a safe, secure and confidential way to have your givings automatically deducted monthly from your bank account. Using offering envelopes also ensures that we can identify your givings and issue you a tax receipt. To request offering envelopes or for more information about PAR please contact Susan Jennings in the church office at 416-924-7439, ext 21.

To contact us, please send an email to Co-Chairs of Stewardship, Don Cooper or Jim Hunter. You can email them stewardship@bloorstreetunited.org.

Supported Activities

Local Church

This financial support for our local church provides the fuel for the ongoing work of Bloor Street United Church. Gifts to this area support the annual Operating Budget which covers all salaries and benefits plus utilities and repairs plus general supplies. Gifts to Local Givings allow us to engage a wonderful staff and to maintain our ageing building so that we can do all that we do. Local Givings provide about $250,000 or 36% of the Operating Budget. There are currently 150 donors who give more than $50 annually and with a median gift of $600 per year.

Restoration Fund

Our building is over 120 years old. (To read more about our history click here). This means that there are times when repair and maintenance projects turn into quite major “restoration” projects which are well beyond the scope of our Operating Budget. The Restoration Fund was established to fund these major projects such as roof replacement and furnace repairs.

Mission and Service

Donations to the “M&S” Fund is the primary vehicle to support the work of The United Church of Canada‘s Mission and Service Fund. This national fund puts our “faith in action” in supporting our overseas partners as well as in Canadian outreach in hospital or university chaplaincies, in supporting small congregations, community ministries (such as the Christian Resource Centre), and assisting intern ministers. It is not really possible to compare the M&S Fund to other charities as it is faith-based and more encompassing than any of these. It is the church. For more information see http://www.united-church.ca/funding/msfund/about

Endowment Fund

Your planned gifts to the Endowment Fund are carefully invested and a portion of the Fund is allocated to support the annual budget each year. This way, your original gift supports the life and work of the community long into the future. More details on our Endowment Fund can be found here. To find out more about making a planned gift (bequest in your will, an insurance policy, gift of securities, charitable gift annuity among other choices).Please contact the Co-Chairs of Planned Giving, Don Cooper or Jim Hunter. You can email them stewardship@bloorstreetunited.org.

How to Give

Time & Talents

Giving is a way we embody the spirit of generosity that God inspires in us, it's not only about giving financial resources. The gifts of word, song, listening, and friendship we offer to each other have created at Bloor Street a strong, passionate and joyful community. The volunteering of time and talent is the life blood of our community. If you have gifts and skills you would like to share please contact our volunteer coordinators Mary Sanderson or Pat McPhee.

Monthly Pre-Authorized Remittance

PAR is a safe, secure and confidential way to have your givings deducted monthly from your bank account. Save the hassle of cheques or carrying cash and help the church know what income to count on each month. The flexibility is always there to change or cancel your PAR. To sign up please contact Susan Jennings in the church office at 416-924-7439 ext 21.

Offering Envelopes

Placing an offering envelope on the collection plate is a wonderful opportunity to embody generosity in our weekly worship. Using offering envelopes also ensures that we can identify your givings and issue you a tax receipt. To request offering envelopes or for more information, please contact Susan Jennings in the church office at (416) 924-7439 ext. 21.

Give On Line

You can use CanadaHelps to make donations directly to Bloor Street United Church and you can indicate how you want your gift to be directed. .

Click here to make a donation through CanadaHelps

Planned Giving

Your planned gifts to the Endowment Fund are carefully invested and a portion of the Fund is allocated to support the annual budget each year. This way, your original gift supports the life and work of the community year after year. To find out more about making a planned gift (bequest in your will, an insurance policy, gift of securities, charitable gift annuity among other choices), please contact the Co-Chairs of Planned Giving, Don Cooper or Jim Hunter. You can email them stewardship@bloorstreetunited.org.