2x for 2 Mortgage Elimination
The purpose of this campaign is to
ELIMINATE THE EXISTING MORTGAGE OF THE CHURCH.
Our goal is to RAISE $1.2 MILLION IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
All members of the Holy Trinity community are urged
to help the church achieve this goal.
This special campaign has one clear goal:
TO FREE OUR BELOVED PARISH FROM ITS MORTGAGE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
The plan is simple yet powerful—
EACH STEWARD IS INVITED TO TAKE THEIR CURRENT ANNUAL STEWARDSHIP PLEDGE AND DOUBLE IT (“2X”) FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, with one portion continuing to support our regular stewardship needs and the other dedicated entirely to eliminating the mortgage.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO PAY OFF THE MORTGAGE?
In addition to the spiritual reason for paying off the mortgage, which is now about $12,000 per month, there is a practical reason: We can hire a second full time priest sorely needed to serve our thriving and growing community, we can build more classrooms for Sunday school which are running out of space, we can increase our charitable contributions to our parishioners and the community at large; we can offer scholarships to our students; we can support the orthodox missions, and so much more.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I PLEDGE?
This request is for those existing stewards who are able to, to double their present pledge (2X), spread out over the next two years and then revert to the original amount (1X). As an example, a family that gives $100 per year, is requested to continue to give the original $100 for the operating expenses of the church, and another $100 toward the mortgage elimination (2X). The same goes for any amount other families give at the present time.
DO I CONTINUE WITH THE PLEDGE FOR THE OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE CHURCH?
Yes. the first X continues to go toward the operating expenses and the second X goes toward the mortgage elimination. X could be any amount a family pledges now.
THEOLOGICAL AND SPIRITUAL REASONS FOR ELIMINATING THE CHURCH’S MORTGAGE USURY AND INTEREST
The Orthodox Church has a long-standing tradition of condemning usury, which is the lending of money at interest. This view is rooted in both the Old and New Testaments. While modern economies are built on lending with interest, and the application of this teaching in the contemporary world is complex, the fundamental principle remains. A mortgage is a form of debt with interest, and therefore, an Orthodox church taking on such a loan could be seen as being in conflict with this teaching.
TRUST IN GOD’S PROVIDENCE
A church building is seen as God’s house. By taking on a mortgage, a parish might be seen as relying more on a financial institution and its own ability to repay the debt rather than on God’s provision. A church that is built or acquired through donations and without a mortgage demonstrates a greater degree of faith in God’s ability to provide for His people and their spiritual needs.
FREEDOM FROM “SLAVERY”
The Bible, particularly Proverbs 22:7, states that “the borrower is servant to the lender.” A church with a mortgage is financially beholden to the bank or lending institution. This can limit the church’s freedom to use its resources for ministry, charity, and other spiritual purposes, as a significant portion of its income would be dedicated to debt repayment. Being debt-free allows the church to be more flexible and responsive to the needs of its community and the wider world.
AVOIDING WORLDLY CONCERNS
Focusing on fundraising for a mortgage can shift the church’s focus away from its primary mission of worship, evangelism, and spiritual life. Being free from the burden of debt allows the community to concentrate on its spiritual growth and service, rather than on financial obligations.