Tips to Complete the Pledge Form

The form you are completing is the 2025–2026 Pledge Form. The following notes will help you navigate and complete the pledge form. Please use the sequential number on the pledge form to locate the instruction for each item included in the form.

Do you have questions about pledging? During the pledge drive, you may contact our Support Team for assistance. Please leave a message at 847-864-1330, Ext. 111, or send an email note to pledgeinfo@ucevanston.org with your questions. A team member will get back to you shortly.

The Pledge Drive Letter you recently received via e-mail from the UCE office contains the information you need to complete this form. You can enter the required information manually. However, if you use a computer to view the letter and fill out this form, you can enter the information by cutting and pasting.

Pledge submission deadline
The pledge drive will take place from February 9 to February 28, 2025. The Pledge Drive Committee kindly asks that you submit your pledge by February 28, 2025. In doing so, you will help the Board of Trustees finalize the budget in April and present it to the congregation by May.

Contact information
The information captured in your pledge form provides the UCE administrative office with an opportunity to update your contact information.

1. Name or Names
Please include the full name of the head of household. If you make your annual pledge with your partner or spouse, please enter their name.

2. Street Address, 3. City, 4. State, 5. Zip Code
Please enter the number and street name, unit number, city, state, and zip code.

6. Phone number, 7. Email address
Please enter your preferred telephone number and email address.

Annual pledge
8. Please enter your pledge amount for the 2025–2026 fiscal year.
Please enter the total pledge amount for the fiscal year, not the amount of your monthly contributions. You can select how you like to make your contribution and specify the amount and frequency of your contribution in the next question.

Selecting the mode of making contributions
9. Select your preferred method for making your pledge contribution throughout the year.
You may select a mode of making your contributions, amount, and frequency that works best for you. If circumstances change, you can change your choices. The following list ranks the payment options from the lowest to the highest cost incurred by UCE per transaction.

Check: If you make your contribution by check, it involves a few steps for you and the UCE administrative office, but it does not incur a transaction fee. Compared to the other modes, using checks to make your contributions is the least expensive to UCE.

If you select this mode of making your contribution, please write PLEDGE in the memo line of your check. You may mail the check to the UCE office, or you can drop the check off at the collection basket during the Sunday services.

Automatic Bank Account Withdrawal: If you make your contributions by automatic bank account withdrawal, it involves fewer steps for you and the UCE administrative office, but it does incur a transaction fee. However, the fee is lower than making your contribution by credit or debit card.

If you select this mode of payment, you need to set up automatic bank account withdrawal. For instructions, go to the UCE webpage, select “Ways to Give,” and “Pledge.” You can also contact the UCE office at finance@ucevanston.org.

Automatic Credit or Debit Card Payment
If you make your contributions by credit or debit card, it involves fewer steps for you and UCE, but it incurs a transaction fee. Using your credit or debit card to make your contribution incurs a higher fee than the other modes of payment.

If you select this mode of payment, you need to set up credit and debit card payments. For instructions, go to the UCE webpage, select “Ways to Give,” and “Pledge.” You can also contact the UCE administrative office at finance@ucevanston.org.

Text-to-Give
If you make your contributions via Text-To-Give, it involves additional steps for you and a few for the UCE office, but it incurs transaction fees. You cannot set up a recurring payment, and the transaction fees are similar to those of credit and debit cards.

If you select this mode of payment, please text a message at 844-730-6645. Enter the dollar amount of your contribution in your message and the note PLEDGE. Adding the notation helps the UCE office to allocate your contribution as part of your pledge.

Affirming or discontinuing membership.
If you are unable to make a financial pledge at this time, you are still a valued member of our congregation. Please affirm your membership or let us know if you no longer wish to be a member.

10a. I or we wish to affirm my or our UCE membership
Check the box if you, your spouse or partners, or family wish to remain UCE members

10b. I or we no longer wish to be a UCE member or members
Check the box if you, your spouse or partners, or family do not wish to remain UCE members

11. Options for making annual pledge contributions
Please, consider the following two options for making your annual pledge contribution. Unlike the previous options, setting up these options requires additional steps for you and UCE. If you are interested in exploring these options, please contact the office at finance@ucevanston.org.

Gift of Common Stock
Please consider making your pledge contribution by donating shares of common stock to UCE. This option might have tax advantages for you over making cash donations. This is a relatively simple process, which your broker and the UCE office can handle.

Employer Matching Contributions
You may increase the value of your donation to UCE at no additional cost to you. Some employers have programs to match employees’ charitable contributions. Contact the UCE office for more information about the employer matching contribution program.

Other forms of contributing
You may have other financial means to make charitable contribution, which often provides benefits to you, such as in taxation. If you like to explore using other forms of making your pledge contributions, please contact the UCE office.

Signing your pledge
12. Your signature and date
Please sign your name and enter the date you are submitting your pledge.

13. Partner’s Signature and date
If you submit your pledge with your partner or spouse, please have them sign their name and enter the date you submit the pledge.

Your pledge receipt
The UCE office will send a receipt to your email box within two business days after submitting your pledge. If you do not receive a confirmation note, do not hesitate to contact the UCE administrative office at finance@ucevanston.org.

Thank you for submitting your 2025–2026 pledge!