Giving

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give thanks to all of those who have generously supported our beloved parish throughout the previous two centuries, and we are particularly grateful to everyone who continues to do so today. Moving forward, we pray that you and others will be inspired to give Bethesda new life and energy through an offering of your time, talent, and treasure.

The vestry of Bethesda endorses the scriptural concept of a tithe and asks that parishioners endeavor to give back to God a portion of their income as a means of expressing gratitude to God and furthering his work among us. We invite you to pledge annually, and encourage you to consider the many ways you can support the mission of Bethesda Church. We have listed some of those ways on this page. You will also notice we’ve included a short news feed that highlights some of the more recent opportunities to participate in giving.

Annual Pledges

Bethesda Church cannot be sustained without the generosity of parishioners who pledge annually. This is the primary way we ask parishioners (and friends of the parish!) to give, not only because it allows the parish leadership to plan for the coming year, but also because it gives parishioners an opportunity to recommit themselves to their parish for the coming year.

The annual ritual of pledging, then, is similar (in basic structure) to our weekly approach to the altar rail for Holy Communion. God gave us the ability and raw materials to make ordinary bread and wine. We present and give those elements back to him, he consecrates them, then gives them back to us that we may be renewed and drawn ever closer to him. We then go back out into the world, giving and forgiving others, as he has given and forgiven us. In all of this, at the altar rail and also through our annual pledge, we participate by showing up — humbly receiving, humbly giving — alongside everyone else who calls Bethesda home.

Please, if you have not done so already, pledge to Bethesda Church using the form below, or by contacting us.

2024 Pledge Form (PDF)

You may also find it helpful to read or listen to a stewardship homily by Bob Bullock, given at Bethesda in October 2020.

One-Time Gifts

Give via PayPal or a Credit Card

Parishioners can also make monthly payments on their annual pledge by using the button above.

Thomas T. Parke Music Fund

The Rev. Canon Thomas T. Parke was Rector of Bethesda Episcopal Church from Epiphany 1968 through Epiphany 2012. In recognition of the music program he helped build, a fund was established in his name to help further the growth of the Schola Cantorum, Concert Series and other music in the church. If you wish to donate to this fund, please contact the parish office.

Remembering Bethesda in your Will

One excellent way to make a lasting contribution to Bethesda is to generously remember the parish in your will. This helps to ensure that our mission may carry on at this street corner, God willing, for generations to come. If you would like to discuss how to remember Bethesda in your estate plans, please contact the parish office.

Gifts for Other Specific Intentions

While Bethesda needs significant gifts each year to help us with operating expenses and general maintenance, we also welcome gifts for the following particular purposes:

Seasonal Gifts

At Christmas, Easter, and other times throughout the year, there may be special short-term fundraisers related to the season. When that occurs, you will see a special page dedicated for that purpose in the drop-down menu under Giving. (If there is no drop-down menu under Giving, it means there currently are no such opportunities.)

Altar Flowers

Usually given either as a memorial or a thank offering, flowers may be placed on the altar at any time except during Lent and Advent Sunday. Saratoga Floral Design is the official florist of Bethesda Church.  The cost for two vases at the High Altar is $100.00; requests for special flowers may increase your offering.  Two donors may share the expense.  The deadline for requesting Sunday or Holy Day arrangements is 11am on Wednesday. Flowers may be arranged by using this online form or by contacting the parish office.

Eucharistic Elements

Memorial or thank offerings for bread and altar wine are usually given on a monthly basis and cover those  expenses for Holy Communion at both Bethesda Church as well as the Homes of the Good Shepherd in Saratoga Springs and Wilton.  A gift of $40.00 is requested.  Please contact the parish office no later than one week before the end of each month, or use this online form.

Candles and Wreaths

One way to remember a loved one near the anniversary of his or her death is to purchase the aumbry candle in memory of the deceased. The aumbry candle burns continuously in the sanctuary of the church near the place which houses the reserved Sacrament. Another way is to purchase the flowers that surround the pascal candle during the Easter season, or Advent wreaths that hang in the church through most of the month of December. Contact the parish office if you wish to make these kinds of gifts in memory of a loved one. To purchase aumbry candles, use this online form.

Gifts of Time and Talent

Bethesda cannot fulfill its mission without regular and generous gifts of treasure. So please consider supporting Bethesda financially. Yet, we all instinctively know that the life of any parish gets closer to reaching its full potential when parishioners and friends give of their time and talent, also. To that end, we encourage you to live out your life as a Christian serving others as opportunities present themselves in your daily encounters. If we each attend to helping a neighbor, or a fellow parishioner, or an occasional stranger, the lives of untold thousands will be improved quietly and wonderfully, and only God will know what has transpired!

That said, there are indeed many ways we give of our time and talent within our parish in planned, well-organized ways through participation in small groups of like-minded parishioners. We’ve put parish ministries and parish outreach lists in the Parish Life section of this website to help you think about some of those ways. Perhaps you would like to visit the sick and home-bound? Assist in some way during worship services or during coffee hour? Help with various worker-bee tasks? Whatever might be appealing, we encourage you to use your time and your talents to the benefit of others, in and out of church.