Christ the King 2019 Stewardship Q & A
Q: What is a pledge?
A: A pledge is a financial commitment to donate a certain amount of money to the parish in 2019.
Q Can I change my pledge during the year?
A: Christ the King realizes that financial situations change during the year and you may not be able to meet your initial pledge amount. If this is the case, you can change your pledge at any time by simply calling the parish office.
Q: Do I need to pledge? What if I already donate to Christ the King?
A: Yes, in order to be a member of Christ the King, you must submit an annual pledge form. Christ the King uses pledge information to help determine our parishioner population, to develop programs and ministries, and to plan our budget.
Q: How much does Christ the King need to raise? What will my donation be used for?
A: Our total budget for 2019 is $1.1 million: an operating budget of $1,000,000 and a building repair budget of $100,000. Parishioner contributions fund 90% of the operating budget and are used to pay for staff salaries and to operate our ministries, including Carondelet Catholic School. Your contributions also pay for building expenses, including air conditioner repairs, water incursion issues, and tuckpointing. Please review our stewardship brochure for more detailed information.
Q: How much should I give?
A: We have approximately 900 registered households. If each household were to pledge $1,225 per year, we would meet our stewardship goal. However, we know that some households cannot pledge that amount, so we count on others who are able to pledge more to do so to make up the shortfall. We ask that you give generously to ensure we can continue to support all of our ministries.
Q: If my family has children enrolled at Carondelet, how much are we expected to pledge?
A: Christ the King is asking your family to pledge a minimum of $600 per child by December 15 in order to continue receiving the parishioner tuition discount after January 1, 2019. If pledging $600 per child poses a financial hardship, please meet with Father Bill to discuss a level of contribution appropriate for your circumstances.
Q: My family has some stocks that have gained in value. Can we give stock instead of cash as our pledge?
A: Yes, under the IRS rules, by giving stock directly to Christ the King, you are allowed an itemized deduction for the market value of the stock on the date of your gift. Further, you will not have to pay any capital gains taxes. This is a great way to fund your pledge.
Q: Why do you want me to use automatic withdrawal?
A: Automatic withdrawal provides us with a consistent flow of income and reduces our administrative costs. Additionally, this year an anonymous parishioner has generously offered to match a portion of every pledge made by December 15th. And the donor will double the match for every household pledging to donate via automatic withdrawal.
Q: Are my gifts to Christ the King Church tax deductible?
A: Yes, your contributions are tax-deductible. You will receive a statement at the end of the year detailing your contributions.
Q: Is the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis asking CTK to raise more money given the 2015 bankruptcy filing?
A: No. Our stewardship campaign is completely independent of the Archdiocese. While all parishes make annual assessment payments to the archdiocese based on their prior year’s revenue, our revenue challenges and campaign are not influenced by the Archdiocese.
Q: What portion of my pledge is given to the Archdiocese?
A: The archdiocese assesses parishes 8% annually, based on total revenues.
Q: What if I would like to discuss my pledge with someone or have additional questions?
A: Please contact Paul Zdechlik at ext.15 if you have specific questions regarding your pledge.