Ada First UMC

Dear Members and Friends of Ada First UMC,

As we enter this season of stewardship, we turn to the story of the early Church in the Book of Acts—a story of Spirit-filled people learning how to Be the Church. Acts reminds us that the Church is not a building, a program, or a Sunday morning event—it's a living, breathing community of believers empowered by the Holy Spirit to share God's love with the world.

In Acts 2:42–47, we see a beautiful picture of what happens when people are the Church: they gather for worship, break bread together, care for one another, and share generously so that no one is in need. Their faith was visible in their actions. Their witness was alive in their giving, serving, and loving. The Church wasn't something they went to—it was something they became.

This year, our theme, "Be the Church," invites us to rediscover that same calling. To be the Church means living out our faith in ways that build up the body of Christ and extend His love beyond our walls. It means listening for where God's Spirit is moving and responding with open hands and willing hearts. It means trusting that what we give, our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, matters deeply in the ongoing work of God in our world.

Through your generosity, Ada First continues to embody this vision: worshiping faithfully, welcoming new families, nurturing children and youth, serving our neighbors, and reaching out in love to those who need hope. Every act of giving and serving becomes a testimony of what God is doing through us and within us.

I want to invite you to prayerfully consider how God is calling you to "Be the Church" this year—how your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness can continue the story of Acts in our own time. Attached below you'll find the 2026 Pledge and Commitment Card, along with information about ways to give and serve through Ada First UMC. On Sunday, November 23, we will dedicate our commitments and celebrate the work God is doing in and through our congregation.

Thank you for being the Church and together may we continue to live out the Good News with joy, courage, and hope.

With gratitude and love,
Rev. Brandi Rigsby
Ada First UMC

View/Preview Our 2025 Stewardship Sermon Series:

Week 1: Oct. 19 "Be My Witnesses" Scriptures: Acts 1: 1-11	Week 2: Oct. 26 "A Picture of the Church" Scriptures: Acts 2: 42-47	Week 3: Nov. 2 "One in Heart and Mind" Scriptures: Acts 4: 32-37

Week 4: Nov. 9 "Someone To Guide Me" Scriptures: Acts 8: 4-9, 14-23, 26-40	Week 5: Nov. 16 "God on the Move" Scriptures: Acts 11: 19-30	Week 6: Nov. 23 "To Be Continued" Scriptures: Acts 28

What is Stewardship?

Stewardship is a lifestyle.
Stewardship is too frequently equated with the annual commitment campaign to underwrite the local church operations. The Biblical message is that stewardship is a lifestyle. Stewardship literally means "to manage." We are called, as followers of Christ, to "manage" all the gifts placed into our lives, including time, talents, spiritual gifts, relationships, creation, income and assets. Stewardship is how we manage and use God's gifts to us.

Does Ada First UMC have a budget? How is it created?

Yes, Ada First has an Annual Budget. This budget is similar to your household budgets.
Ada First's Budget is created by the Lead Team with our Treasurer based on budget requests from each of Ada First's working groups (i.e., Worship, Choir/Music, Discipleship, and others) in November of each year.
The budget includes:
- Salaries and Benefits for paid staff,
- Non-personnel expenses such as utility bills, taxes, insurance, and other expenses including District and Conference Apportionments.
  - Apportionments are the main way we support the ministries of the larger connected United Methodist church. Together, United Methodists do remarkable ministry in the West Ohio annual conference and around the world. We care for survivors recovering from earthquakes and storms; we invest, long term, in vulnerable communities; we implement the most effective solutions to diseases like malaria; we equip the next generation to lead the church and society. In all of this, we share the good news of Jesus Christ.
  - The majority of every dollar given to the local church - 88 cents on average - remains in the local church to support its ministries, which are the core of our connection. The other 12 cents support the apportionments. On average, 5 cents goes to benevolent giving, which supports those in need through disaster relief aid, emergency response and special needs. Another 5 cents is shared by districts, annual conferences and jurisdictions all working together to strengthen our connection and fund vital ministries such as new church starts, outreach and programming, and other ministries. The remaining 2 cents support the worldwide mission of The United Methodist Church, including education, episcopal leadership, global missions, communications, justice initiatives, and discipleship ministries.
  - Expenses for various Church Programs (i.e., Christian Education, Materials for Bible Studies and other children's/adult courses),
  - Costs for Church Outreach: Weekly Bulletins, Livestreaming, Harvest and Herb, Trunk-R-Treat, music for our adult and children's choirs, paper and printing supplies, and so much more.
- Once the Treasurer receives inputs from the various church organizations, the Lead Team develops the next year's budget based on past years' budgets and anticipated expenses while being mindful of the anticipated income for the upcoming year.
- This anticipated income comes from Ada First's congregation in the form of Pledged and Unpledged giving

What is the Difference between Pledged, Tithing and Unpledged Giving?

You can show your generosity in three ways at Ada First:

A Pledge is an estimate of giving; some call it a "statement of intent." Your pledge amount may be changed, increased or decreased during the year, at any time as your financial circumstances change.
- Pledging allows you to make intentional decisions about your financial giving. When you plan ahead for your giving, you make conscious choices about spending your money in ways that reflect your faith and values. Receiving your pledge allows the Lead Team and Treasurer to set a budget based on more accurate planned giving to the church.
Tithing is proportional giving, with a goal of 10% of your income. Ada First recognizes that many persons choose to divide their tithe among the church and other worthy organizations. A tithe may sound like an unattainable goal to begin with, but you can start with giving a lower proportion of your income and increase that percentage each year.
Unpledged giving means that you share your generosity with Ada First when you can/choose. You do not make an estimate of your giving rather you give when you choose. While unpledged giving is important to Ada First, it is somewhat less predictable than pledged giving. Think of trying to plan your home budget when you have your utilities on "budget billing," (i.e., one flat rate throughout the year like a pledge), versus trying to accurately plan your budget based on a utility bill that varies widely due to seasonal weather changes.
Supplemental Income– Ada First does get some additional income from earned revenue, (from dividends and Interest securities), and from the Stambaugh Trust fund and rental payments for use of the building. These monies usually have requirements for their use and often cannot be used for operating expense shortfalls.
The bottom-line is that Ada First depends on your faithfulness and generosity. Our ministries are supported by the commitment you make.

What are the Fruits of Your Generosity at Ada First?

Because of your generosity, Ada First has added new programs, new staff and new outreach into our Community, examples are below:

Busy Bee Pre-School and Child Care – providing loving care and a quality preschool education to children from our community ages 2-school age.
Small Groups – providing curriculum and supplies for Bible Studies, Online Small Groups, and Sunday School classes.
Family Ministry – Our children and family ministry programs provide discipleship to our youngest members through children's church, service opportunities, and faith growing activities to over 30 children under the age of 12 and their families.
Tween Group – over 15 students in 4th-8th grade meet on Sunday mornings to grow in their Biblical understanding and personal faith development.
Beatitudes and Ada Food Pantry – At a time when so many are struggling to make ends meet, our partnership with and support of Beatitudes and the Ada Food Pantry are vital.

Continued Giving to Ada First as Part of Estate Planning

Most of us are familiar with the traditional method of bequeathing money or other property to an organization in our will. This is an excellent way to support Ada First. There are other ways to contribute that you may wish to consider as well.

The making of a gift or establishment of a trust to benefit the endowment during your lifetime contributes to Ada First and may also be a prudent step in your own income or estate tax planning. The most common gifts are cash and stock or other securities. It is possible, however, to make a gift of almost anything of value that you own, including life insurance policies, annuities, and real property. An attorney or financial advisor can advise you as to how to tailor one to your particular situation and needs.
Gifts to Ada First qualify for the maximum allowable federal income tax charitable deduction. Your attorney or other advisor can explain the particular tax benefits of trust arrangements such as those described above. All gifts to Ada First are for the benefit of the church.
Those who wish for their gift principal to be retained through time so that distributions from earnings will be available in perpetuity may choose to direct their gift to the endowment.
A gift directed to Ada First's General Operating Fund provides the church with a flexible gift, one that our Lead Team and Treasurer can direct to fill special needs.
Endowments and trusts may not be on your mind currently; however, they are a way to continue to support Ada First and its mission to 'Proclaim Christ and Prepare Disciples.'

Online Giving

More info at https://www.adaumc.org/givenow

Electronic Recurring Giving/Scheduled Tithing

If you would like more information about how to set up recurring giving that automatically sends your donation to the church on a set date, please contact your bank and/or our Treasurer, Julie Hurtig.

Printable / Mailable Commitment Forms

2026 Stewardship Pledge & Commitment Form (.pdf)