Giving to First Church

PayPal

Give through PayPal:

Click to give through PayPal.
Realm
Give through Realm:
Click to give through realm

Giving is an act of faith. Neuroscience has proven that practicing generosity, including habitual giving, makes us happier than keeping all of our money for ourselves. Sounds a bit cheeky coming from a church—but we believe it, because we have seen generosity’s soul-magic work wonders in our lives. We “plant” our treasure in a community garden (so to speak), and watch it yield more than it ever would in our private plot. What Jesus said is true: “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” [Matthew 6:21] 

Your financial giving to First Church Berkeley is what provides the vital revenue needed for the operation and maintenance of our buildings, paying our staff, and funding the important work of our ministries. Your gifts help further the mission and values of First Church Berkeley. And if you’d like to learn more about how we spend our money, and understand more about our sources of giving and financial health, read through our Annual Report. All of our budget information is publicly available. Your support of First Church Berkeley, whether through your financial support, participating in worship, volunteering, being active in our ministries, and keeping the congregation and wider community in your prayers – is deeply needed and appreciated. Thank you!

Ways to Give

There are many ways to make a financial gift to First Church Berkeley! Please consider becoming a Sustaining Giver to First Church Berkeley to help with the church’s ongoing operations and ministries, as well as remembering First Church Berkeley in your estate planning, through Planned Giving to the First Church Berkeley Legacy Circle. 

Sustaining Giving is our language for what other churches might call "pledging" or just regular giving.  Many of the members, friends, and regular attenders of First Church commit to giving regularly so we have a steady, predictable income to use for our mission and ministry.  Sustaining Givers keep the lights on, the bills paid, salaries paid to our wonderful staff, and the building maintained.

Become a Sustaining Giver to First Church Berkeley

Your sustaining (on-going) giving to First Church Berkeley provides vital revenue to support the church’s annual operating budget. Sustaining gifts large and small are always welcome! Learn more about Sustaining Giving at First Church Berkeley here. You can make a sustaining gift to First Church Berkeley at any time in the year through a number of ways:

Set up Automatic Giving through Realm Database

Requires signup – contact [email protected] for help

please note that the instructions still ask you to contact our former Business Manager, Kit Dunbar.  We are currently hiring a new Director of Operations--in the meantime, please contact Louise Halsey with Realm questions!

First Church Berkeley
2330 Durant Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704

Or simply email [email protected] and we will help you get set up as a Sustaining Giver.

Join the Build. Gather. Grow. Capital Campaign!
In Spring 2023 we held the commitment phase of our capital campaign, which was needed to pay the remaining costs and make significant improvements to our new Community Building.  We're pleased to say that commitments in Spring 2023 surpassed our Build and Gather goals and brought us close to our final goal of $2 million.  But more is needed to get us over the finish line!  Find more information about the campaign here, or make a gift to that campaign here.

Make a one-time gift to First Church Berkeley

If you’d like to give a one-time gift to support our work on behalf of the Kin-dom of God, please use the links on this page to give through Realm or PayPal. You can also mail checks or money orders to First Church Berkeley, 2330 Durant Avenue, Berkeley CA 94704. We appreciate your support!

Make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)

Looking to save on your taxes while making your sustained giving commitment to First Church? If you are 70½ or older and have a traditional Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you are eligible to make a tax-free gift from your IRA or Roth IRA to a qualified organization of your choice, such as First Church Berkeley! These gifts, called Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) can be made whether or not you itemize your deductions on your tax return. QCDs may be excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes and can be used to satisfy your required withdrawal. Call your financial advisor/tax accountant for advice.

Donate Stock or other Securities

Donating securities is a wonderful way to make a charitable gift to First Church Berkeley. The process is simple with the following information:

BrokerMorgan Stanley
AttnEgan Brown
Email Address[email protected]
Account NameFirst Congregational Church of Berkeley
Account Number: 030-129580-047 
DTC#: 0015
Phone510-891-5215

Please contact First Church staff by email at [email protected]g to notify the church about what stock(s) you are donating (name and number of shares), and how the stocks should be applied, and so we may credit and thank you for your contribution! Your securities will be transferred to Egan Brown, First Church Berkeley’s designated broker. We will sell the stocks upon receipt. You will receive a letter from First Church Berkeley detailing your gift for tax purposes. 

Please note that the stock gift instructions also reference our previous business manager, Kit Dunbar.  The information within is still correct and updated information will be made available once our hiring process is complete for a new Director of Operations who will fulfill the same duties.

Become a Member of First Church Berkeley’s Legacy Circle through your Planned Giving

You can make a planned gift (sometimes called a “deferred gift”) to First Church Berkeley through your will or trust, retirement funds, life income gifts (e.g. gift annuities that provide the donor with income during their life and after their death provide remaining principal of the gift to the church), and certain life insurance policy arrangements. Read the Legacy Giving FAQ. Download a Planned Giving Presentation. Download the Legacy Circle Form. Download the Legacy Circle Lunch May 2022 Presentation. And take a deep dive to learn more about the church's Endowment and the Legacy Circle here!

Stewardship Educational Resources

Just as we don’t view stewardship as a “once a year” thing, like only thinking about “annual pledging to the operating budget,” First Church Berkeley considers stewardship a year-round faith-inspired activity which will ensure the long-term sustainability of this important faith institution in Berkeley and the broader community. Likewise, our church’s stewardship program includes an emphasis on continual congregational engagement and education. We try to hold 2-3 workshops per year on a variety of topics, including financial management, wills and bequests, and planned giving. Previous workshop materials and upcoming opportunities are shown below.