Dear Hancock Church Community,
As we all face new challenges and adapt to changing conditions, Hancock Church is doing the same. In the past year we have worshiped virtually, outdoors, and socially distanced in-person with masks. We have joined together in book discussions, prayer meetings, annual meeting, and committee meetings. We give weekly offerings directly to our mission partners, and that generosity has not wavered. Through digital ministry, we continue to reach hearts and minds with our inclusive Christian worship. Generous donations have allowed TV studio improvements and choir room ventilation to continue our music ministry.
If you would like to provide support to Hancock Church, please click the Give button.
Foward in Faith, Creating Change Together
Your Gift, Your Choice
Families and individuals give to support the ministries of Hancock Church because we cannot imagine our lives with the Good News that happens at Hancock Church.
Why Should I Give?
When asked why they give, most Hancock members respond with one or more of these answers:
- Out of thankfulness to God
- To support the staff and programs that minister to our families, our neighbors and friends
- To support the good works of Hancock helping those in need
- To feel the joy of actively giving toward the work God is doing in the world through our local church
What should I Commit to Give?
The UCC suggests the following:
Leadership Support: 5-10% of income. For an individual or family deeply committed to the support of the Church’s religious initiatives and program, who views the Church as a central focus of their spiritual life and who values their leadership role in our community of faith.
Participatory Support: 3-4% of income. For an individual or family who is actively involved, attends services regularly, makes use of the church school, adult education or youth programs and views the Church as a channel for the expression of their social, spiritual and family values.
Basic Support: 1-2% of income. For an individual or family who considers the church its religious home, participates in some church activities, attends services occasionally or uses basic services.
Hancock needs every member to give. Giving is important for two reasons, one profound and one practical. Through our gifts we declare our mutual covenant to build a strong church together, one that has the resources to minister faithfully to our community. Practically speaking, our gifts also provide us with the only means to estimate income accurately and thereby construct a thoughtful budget for the year.
We don’t ask anyone to give more than they can afford, and only you can decide what is an appropriate gift. But we do ask every member to make a commitment towards sustaining this church we share.
For Questions on giving, please read our FAQs.
Ways to Give
Click. To make a gift online, click the “Donate to Hancock” button below.
Signup. Click ‘Create an Account’ in upper right (first time).
Login. Login to the online portal using your username and password.
Select. Indicate whether your gift will be a one-time or recurring gift. For recurring gifts select frequency and start date for your gift.
Decide. Your gift will go to the annual fund by default or use the drop-down menu to select the fund you wish to support. Then enter a gift amount.
Give. Your gift can be made using a debit card, credit card, or any bank account. Simply enter your payment details and your contact information including a mobile number.
Recurring. Your gift can be designated as recurring or one time.
Cash is acceptable in any form. Checks shall be made payable to “Hancock United Church of Christ”.
Offering. Your Gift can be through the weekly offering, at the office or via mail.
Designate. Use memo line of your check to declare the appropriation of your gift.
Send. Checks can be sent to: Hancock Church, Attention: Finance
Marketable securities may be transferred to the Congregation’s brokerage account which is managed by the Trustees. Contact the website or the Office Manager for specific instructions. All marketable securities for the operating budget or specific campaigns shall be sold upon receipt. Hancock will send the donor an acknowledgment of the gift valued on the day the securities are received within 2 weeks of receipt.
Securities for which there is no active market, which include not only debt and equity positions in non-publicly traded companies but also interests in LLPs and LLCs or other ownership forms, can be accepted subject to the approval of the Parish Committee, or by the Trustees for gifts to the endowment. Gifts must be reviewed prior to acceptance to determine that:
- There are no restrictions on the security that would prevent Hancock from ultimately converting those assets to cash
- The security is marketable
- The security will not generate any undesirable tax or other financial consequences for the Congregation
- The gift transaction does not involve tax or other financial planning in which Hancock would not wish to participate
Contact. Contact the church finance administrator to setup your gift, 781.862.4220 ext. 60 or financial.administrator@hancockchurch.org.
Other more complicated and esoteric gifts – such as remainder interests in property;
- Oil
- Gas
- Mineral interests
- Bargain sales
The above may be accepted by Hancock, but only with the approval of the Standing Committee (or by the Endowment Team for gifts to the endowment). Consideration will be given to the time and costs involved in assessing and structuring the gift before accepting it.
Learn More. Contact the church finance administrator to setup your gift, 781.862.4220 ext. 60 or financial.administrator@hancockchurch.org.
Types of Gifts
Gift. Your gifts represent the primary financial support for all Hancock Church ministries. They help create life-changing worship experiences, an amazing music program, critically needed congregational care and life-giving community outreach programs. Your gifts are helping us change the world together.
Pledge. You may choose to notify the church of your intentions of an annual gift through a pledge. A pledge can be submitted through the online giving page, by contacting a minister or the financial administrator or via an email to the church.
Gift. A gift can be designated to a specific church program such as the music program, Christian Education, Hancock Historic Building.
Contact. A minister or the finance administrator if you are interested in making a gift to a Church Program
Sunday Offering. Each week the undesignated contents of the offering will be donated to the designated mission partner. This is above and beyond the budget for supporting our mission partners.
Estate Plans. Consider including Hancock in your planned giving through wills and trusts.
Learn More. Contact the church finance administrator to setup your gift, 781.862.4220 ext. 60 or financial.administrator@hancockchurch.org.
Hancock encourages its donors to make unrestricted endowment gifts to the Congregation. Unrestricted endowment gifts provide Hancock the greatest flexibility to direct resources where they are most needed at any particular time. For that reason, unrestricted endowment gifts are always preferred. There is no minimum amount for unrestricted endowment gifts.
Purpose restricted endowment gifts are also welcome by Hancock but minimum amounts may apply depending on the purpose specified by the gift.
- There is no minimum amount for gifts which add to existing endowment funds
- The minimum amount for purpose restricted gifts is $25,000 for gifts which establish a new purpose not covered by existing endowment funds. Proposals for gifts with the purpose of creating a new endowment fund, will be accepted by the Endowment Team upon approval of the Standing Committee. If such a gift is to be pledged through a will, pre-approval is recommended
Unrestricted or restricted endowments gifts, intended to be spent over a duration of a longer, or an indefinite period, shall be accepted and distributed under the direction of the Endowment Committee. Permanent gifts for the endowment will be invested with the Congregation’s other endowment funds and overseen by the Endowment Committee.
Learn More. Contact the church finance administrator to setup your gift, 781.862.4220 ext. 60 or financial.administrator@hancockchurch.org.
