The Facts


Where do the Resources Go?

Myths and Facts

Myth: I don’t need to give to Fourth Church or Chicago Lights because they already receive large gifts from very wealthy members and friends.
Fact: Nearly half of the gifts received in 2010 were between $1 and $100 per week. The average pledge is $2,200 per year or about $42 per week. If you don’t give, who will?

Myth: The church and Chicago Lights must have all the money they need because their programs and activities are expanding yearly.
Fact: The potential growth opportunities for Fourth Church and Chicago Lights ministries and programs have been constrained by lack of additional funds. While the church gains about 300 additional members each year, our resources have not kept pace with our membership growth.

Myth: As the congregation grows, so do the number of members who give and pledge.
Fact: While membership has significantly increased in the past ten years, the number of giving and pledging households has remained virtually the same, losing some and gaining some each year.

Myth: Fourth Church and Chicago Lights can pay for its staff and programs indefinitely because of their large endowment.
Fact: Fourth Church and Chicago Lights do have invested funds that are treated as endowment. However, being vigilant stewards of this resource demands that we only draw a percentage of the income generated. Because of our own discipline to reduce the percentage we take each year, and the market’s decline, the draw that we depend on for roughly 20 percent of our annual budget continues to shrink.

Questions Frequently Asked about the Annual Appeal

2012 Annual Appeal for Fourth Presbyterian Church and Chicago Lights