Supporting A2U2
This congregation runs on what its members and friends give. Year to year, it is pledges and gifts, not an endowment, that keep the lights on and the doors open; the giving is the church.
What your gift sustains
Worship and music every Sunday. Religious education for the children. A minister and staff who are paid fairly. A building kept warm, lit, and open. The justice work we take up with our Portland neighbors. All of it is carried by the people who give.
Some people give thousands a year; many give far less. Every gift is put to work, and every dollar helps.
Give now
You can give any amount, at any time, through Breeze, our online giving and member system. Members can log in; visitors and friends can give without an account.
Make your annual pledge
A pledge is your estimate of what you plan to give over the year ahead. The congregation builds its budget on those estimates, so a pledge is what lets us plan with any confidence. Our budget year runs July through June.
This year’s campaign is Love Holds Us Together, covering July 2026 through June 2027. The Treasurer estimates a program budget of about $325,000.
As Unitarian Universalists we say that we are standing on the side of Love… we want to extend that vision… with our Stewardship theme, Love Holds Us Together.
The pledge form offers three options: last year’s pledge plus an adjustment for inflation, the same as last year, or a different amount that fits your circumstances. Stewardship Sunday is March 1.
Am I required to pledge?
Pledging is a responsibility of membership. Even if you feel you can’t afford anything, you have a responsibility to respond to the campaign so we know you are still part of the congregation. And not every person gives thousands or even hundreds. Every dollar helps.
How do I get credit for what I give?
Your giving is tracked in Breeze whenever we know who it’s from. You can pay by check, card, or stock; cash goes in a labeled envelope. We send contribution statements in the spring and fall, and a tax statement in January.
What is a fiscal year?
Our budget runs on a fiscal year, July 1 through the following June 30. Contributions are normally counted against the current year; if you’ve finished this year’s pledge, you can give ahead and tell us to apply it to next year.
What is plate, and what is pledge?
When we receive a check or envelope from you, we count it toward your pledge for the current year unless you say otherwise. If you’ve finished your pledge, or you write “Plate” on the memo line or envelope, it goes instead to the plate, the shared offering split each week between A2U2 and the month’s charity. Many people pay a pledge and give to the plate as well; just note your intention so it lands where you mean it to.
What if I can’t fulfill my pledge?
There is no shame if you need to reduce your pledge. Just tell the church administrator or the minister, so our records stay right.
Share the Plate
Each week, we share one third of our Sunday offering with a local nonprofit. The Social Justice Committee chooses one recipient for the month, drawn from members’ nominations, and introduces it at each service.
This month (June): Friends of Portland Adult Education.
Friends of Portland Adult Education helps adult learners reach their educational and employment goals, bridging the gap for the largest adult-education program in the state.
To give to the plate online, choose Give to Plate in Breeze. To see who we’re supporting and the justice work behind it, visit our justice page.
Legacy giving
A legacy gift lets your support of A2U2 outlast your lifetime.
The typical person who makes a legacy gift isn’t a millionaire… most legacy givers are simply members who want to make a commitment to the future of our liberal faith.
There are several ways to do it: a bequest in your will; naming the church as a beneficiary of a retirement account or life-insurance policy; or a charitable gift annuity through the UUA’s Office of Legacy Gifts, which carries a minimum gift of $10,000 and a minimum age of 65. Bequests go to the General Endowment Fund.
For a will or beneficiary designation, our legal name is Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, Maine, and our federal tax ID (FEIN) is 01-0273147.
Sample bequest language for your will or trust
You can hand these to your attorney. An undesignated bequest goes to the General Endowment Fund, which exists in perpetuity and generates annual income for the church; to direct a gift to a particular purpose, check with the Treasurer first.
- A set amount. “I give, devise, and bequeath $______ to Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, Maine.”
- A percentage. “I give, devise, and bequeath ____% of my estate to Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, Maine.”
- What remains. “I give, devise, and bequeath the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, Maine.”
It’s worth talking through with your own attorney or financial advisor; the Treasurer can help you think it through as well, as can the UUA’s Office of Legacy Gifts.
Questions
If you have a question about giving, your statement, or your pledge, the office is glad to help. You’ll find contact details and the staff who can answer on our about page.
Related topics: donate, donation, pledge, stewardship, tithe, offering, share the plate, financial support, planned giving, ways to give.