The Heart of Giving: Stories from Our Pledge Drive Past

Each fall, our church comes together to support the people and programs that help us thrive. Our annual pledge drive not only sets the budget for the year ahead—staff, programming, Religious Education, and more—but also reflects how we care for one another and our shared future. This year, as we embrace the theme Cultivating Belonging, I’m looking back at pledge drives from our past to remind us how generosity and community have always gone hand in hand at UU Lansing.

1987 Pledge Drive: “Let’s Be Right on the Money”

Frank Pinner was the Canvas Coordinator in 1987 and added a section to the church October 12 newsletter titled P.D.News - All About the Pledge Drive — A Sometime Weekly Publication.

Page from the October 12, 1987 Liberal Express newsletter.

He continued with an article titled “Be Right On The Money or How Much To Give.”

In a creative and thoughtful 1987 letter to the congregation, Canvass Coordinator Frank Pinner used a parable to frame the annual pledge appeal, asking members to reflect on what it truly means to support their church.

Pinner begins with a fictional story about Robin and Sidney, a couple trying to decide how to pay for a new bike for their child, Kim. When Robin suggests Sidney should pay more because they "love Kim more," it feels wrong. Pinner uses this to draw a parallel:

“To make the monetary shares in the purchase of the child’s bike depend on relative amount of paternal love… it just doesn’t feel right.”

The parable sets the stage for a deeper reflection on how members support their church—not based on fluctuating feelings of love or commitment, but based on a sense of responsibility and fairness. He likens the church to a child we’ve chosen to raise:

“When we join this church... the only thing we could possibly be saying is: ‘This is my church, and I’m going to take care of this baby.’”

He distinguishes between a “fair share” and a “caring contribution”:

“Every contribution can be divided—conceptually at least—into two parts: fair share and the ‘caring’ contribution.”

Pinner then walks readers through a practical guide to calculating a fair pledge. Based on the church’s goal of $122,000 and 245 pledging units, the average pledge needed was $500. With a median household income estimated at $30,000 to $35,000, he suggests:

• Households with more dependents might pledge $300–$400

• Smaller households, perhaps $600–$700

• Those earning $60,000 might give $1,500–$1,800, showing “some progressivity”

While he admits the numbers are rough, he calls on members to assess their own circumstances and to err on the side of generosity:

“Let’s be fair. Let us care. Let’s be right on the money.”

Dorothy Carlock and Frank Pinner, 1993.

Pledge Drive ‘95

In October 1994, Harry and Liz Schwarzweller were the co-chairs of the pledge drive. In the October 17 newsletter, they wrote that congregants would be “contacted by a friendly canvasser -- at a circle event (if you are participating), at church, at home, or by phone. Your pledge is important. Think about it now and be prepared to respond -- to pledge your share to the future of our church. We're at the beginning of a new era. Things are coming together and we're moving ahead into a brighter tomorrow.

Liz and Harry Schwarzweller, 1993.

Pledge Drive:  Keep the light on

Back in 2008, Cheryl Bartz (Stewardship Committee member) wrote in our October newsletter, :

 Yes, that’s not a typo:  light singular.  People sometimes think of the pledge drive as what we do to keep the lights on at church.  Personally, I think of it was what we do to keep THE light on.  That is, the beacon we often refer to during the chalice lighting.

 The Unitarian Universalist church offers a haven for those who strive for a free and independent search for truth and meaning.  That is the light we offer to the world, and that’s the light we keep on when we contribute to the church.

 Each fall, we give you a pledge form and request that you tell us how much you plan to contribute to the church. Why don’t we just have you toss some money in the basket each week? Because then the board wouldn’t be able to plan for the coming year. 

Besides, like a gift to a loved one, giving to the church merits a little more reflection, not just a spur-of-the-moment run to the nearest drugstore. So you will be receiving a packet of information with giving guidelines from the Unitarian Universalist Association to help you in your deliberations about how much you will pledge for 2009.

In 2008, they kicked off the pledge drive on October 11 with a sing-along led by Stuart Campbell, a melodrama directed by Brad Rutledge which starred many congregation members, and desserts coordinated by Jenny Head. The melodrama can be viewed at https://youtu.be/w4NBqxemheo .

📬 Have questions or memories to share? I’d love to hear from you! I also like hearing that people are enjoying my posts. Contact the church archives at: uucgl.archives@gmail.com .

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About the Author
Hi, I’m Ed Busch, the writer behind these blog posts exploring the history of UU Lansing. After retiring in 2023 from a 15-year career as an Electronic Records Archivist at Michigan State University’s Archives & Historical Collections, I’m thrilled to dedicate my time to sharing our church’s rich history.

I hold a Master’s in Library and Information Science, specializing in archival administration, and my academic background also includes a degree in Fisheries and coursework in Computer Science. Before shifting to a career in archives, I worked across diverse fields, including fisheries, aerospace, and IT.

My wife, Leigh White, and I have been part of the UU Lansing community since the early 2000s and became members in 2006. I’ve been actively involved with the church archives since 2007, and both of our daughters enjoyed growing up in UU Lansing’s Religious Education (RE) program.

I look forward to connecting with you through these blog posts as we delve into the stories that have shaped UU Lansing over the years.