Stewardship

Make a Pledge

Stewardship at First UU Church of Nashville

Guided by Love, Transformed by Our Gifts

Welcome to the Stewardship page of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville.  You’re here because you feel that FUUN is a special place.  You’re here because you find meaning in our mission and our shared covenant and because you want to make a difference.

The stewardship campaign for 2024-25 kicks off on Sunday, March 24.  On this page, you’ll find many resources to help you make your financial commitment to the church for the coming year.

Because of your financial support, this congregation can continue its influence and good works in our community.

Testimonials

Our church and its mission would not be possible without the generosity of so many members and friends over the last 60 years.  The stories of “Why I Give” are beautiful and inspiring.  View how FUUN makes these individuals whole.

How to Pledge

Everyone will receive a letter in the mail. It will include a QR code for the online pledge form. The online form is also available HERE.

If you would like to have a blank form sent to you by mail, please call the office at 615-383-5760.

Hear from Our Board President & Minister

Take Advantage of the Transformation Trust!

Thanks to the enthusiastic and generous support of several long-time members, we have set up a “Transformation Trust” of $20,000. This fund will be used to match new and increased pledges:

 If you increase your pledge from last year by 20% or more, the amount of the increase will be matched.

 If you are pledging for the first time, your entire pledge will be matched.

Please make your pledge today!

There are many ways to pay your pledge:

  • To pay securely online through our membership program called Breeze.
  • Mail a check to the church or drop it in the offering bowl on Sundays.
  • Request an automatic draft by emailing our Treasurer.

Your financial commitment makes it possible for us to continue gathering in community to nurture our spiritual growth, recognize our interdependence, and celebrate our differences together.  See below for how your gifts support the mission and vision of FUUN:

FUUN Programs- 22%

Worship & Music- 35%

Social Justice- 6%

Lifespan Religious Education- 22%

Denominational Activities- 10%

Income Generation- 5%

Ours is a shared ministry, so there are many opportunities for us to nurture, support, and grow with one another through lay ministry, teaching religious programs, and more within our walls. 

Beyond our walls, we are involved in a variety of social action efforts:

  • We raise financial support and provide physical labor for Habitat for Humanity
  • We participate in Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH), an interfaith, multiracial coalition of congregations and community organizations working to build social and economic justice in Nashville. NOAH’s members address issues affecting our community, such as homelessness, to shape the future of our city for the benefit of all.
  • We have a dedicated group of people who share our UU values by offering religious services in prisons.
  • We feed and house homeless individuals and families through our involvement with Room in the Inn and Safe Haven Family Shelter.
  • We support the LGBTQ community through educational programs at church, social events, and participation in community-wide events.
  • We offer the annual Palmer Human Rights Lecture with the mission to present speakers of recognized stature that appeal to a wide audience in the Nashville area. Recent speakers have included: Dr. Elías Ortega who is an interdisciplinary scholar working at the intersection of the sociological study of religion and religious ethics in 2022, Lindsey Krinks who serves as Co-Founder and Director of  Education for Open Table Nashville in 2021, noted social activist Rasheedat Fetuga in 2020, Mary Katherine Morn on what the UU Service Committee does in 2019, Bill Carey on the history of slavery in Tennessee in 2018, Jim Cooper on health care reform in 2017, Tim Wise on anti-racism in 2016, and Lisa Guenther on prison reform in 2015.

F.A.Q.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our annual budget makes manifest our mission and shared values.  It provides the opportunities to grow, give back and reach out.  More than 90% of our budget comes from annual commitments made by FUUN members and friends.  That’s why the annual stewardship campaign is so vital to ensuring we continue to serve our members, our friends, and our community.

What priorities has the Board set for the 2024-25 Stewardship Year?

The proposed budget for next year is relatively flat and includes no new items.  Staffing has been streamlined and more of our staff are now full-time.  Our priority is to fully fund the budget so we can continue serving our mission and provide programming and community to our congregation. 

What is the stewardship fundraising goal?

The goal is $625,00.

625,000 sounds like a lot of money? Where does it go?

Salaries and expenses related to our amazing staff make up 72% of our budget.  That sounds like a lot until you realize how many hard-working staff members we have: Rev. Diane (Lead Minister), Wesley (Music Ministry Director), Marguerite (Director of Lifespan Religious Education), Caleb (RE/Worship Arts Tech Coordinator), Brandi (Communication & Membership Manager),  Holling (Pianist), Tony (Custodian), and Marina (Childcare Coordinator).

Building and grounds maintenance accounts for another 10%, as do other general and administrative expenses (office equipment and supplies, postage, telephone and internet, and consultants for tech support and bookkeeping).

Can you break down how these expenses support the mission and vision of FUUN?

Our “Program Budget” is broken down in several categories, as mentioned above in the “Where the Money Goes” section.  It rearranges the expenses discussed earlier into all of the various programs of the church.  For example, expenses associated with Worship and Music make up about 35% of our budget.  Funds to support Programs, such as Pastoral Care, Lay Ministry, Covenant Groups, and New Member Classes, comprise about 22% of the budget.  Another 22% supports the Lifespan Religious Education offerings, like Children’s RE, Adult RE classes, and Our Whole Lives (OWL).

How do I find out what my current year pledge is?

You can log into Breeze, the web-based system used by FUUN to manage the members and friends database, at https://fuun.breezechms.com/login.

On your PC:

  • Access your Breeze account on your computer by clicking on Breeze link at the very top of this page or signing in at https://fuun.breezechms.com/login.
  • From the menu across the top of the page, click “My Profile”.
  • Click “Giving” on the left.
  • You’ll see two gray buttons in the middle of the page under your contact info: one says “Giving”, the other says “Pledges”. Click the Pledges button to see your history of pledges.
  • You can see your giving history by clicking on the “Giving” button. Change the dates to see contributions prior to January 1.

On your mobile device:

  • Sign in to the Breeze app.
  • Tap on My Profile.
  • Tap on the dollar bill icon at the top and tap on Pledges under your contact info. (Note: You may have to scroll down on your phone to see all of the information.

If you’ve never registered for the site, please do. Email the Stewardship Team if you need assistance.

Is there a way to know if the amount I have been giving or plan to give is reasonable?

Any amount that you are able to give is truly appreciated. There is a FUUN Generous Giving Guide that provides a range of practical gift levels for individuals or households to consider when making a pledge. It serves as a social justice tool, in that it recognizes people have varying capacities to give, based on their resources and other financial responsibilities, while providing recognition for giving at various levels.

Each of us has to make our own decisions about the right level of financial commitment to make; the Guide is an excellent first step in making that decision, every time we make it.