Parish Financial Support

Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church

Parish Financial Support


Our primary source for the funding of parish activities is the free will offerings and tithes of the membership. The passing of the offering baskets at Mass is a liturgical action. While it is a way of collecting the funds we need to operate, it also represents our growth in Christ and the offering sacrifice of praise that is part of every Mass. At Mass, we are becoming the self-giving love of Christ, and one way to show that is with the offering.

Our finances are watched over by skilled personnel, the Parish Council, and the Finance Committee. We are audited by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The parish budget can be viewed at any Parish Council meeting, and each meeting generally has a report on the income and expenditures since the last meeting. Parish Council meetings are open to the members and the upcoming meetings are announced in the bulletin.

Each year the parish publishes a transparent financial statement showing all income and all expenditures and assets.

At the beginning of the year, we will send you a statement reporting your annual contributions, which can be used as a tax deduction if you itemize deductions.

The first collection each Sunday is for the general support of the parish (the beige baskets). Offerings for special purposes go in the green baskets.
 

Make an Online Contribution to the Parish.                                            

You can make a one-time donation, or set up a recurring donation each month, via Faith Direct.  Faith Direct will send you cards to place in the offering plates at Mass.


Financial Pledge

Each year, on the Sunday where we give an accounting of our finances, we are invited to make a pledge of time, talents, and treasure. This is not simply a fundraising gimmick. Epiphany is a large and complex organization. We operate on a fiscal year that runs from July 1 through June 30th each year. In February, we start our annual budget process when our organizations and staff submit their proposed budgets for the coming year. It always helps our planning process if we have some idea of what we will have to work with. That's why the pledge process is so important.

Finances are only one part of the parish pledge. We are also invited to share time and talents – our knowledge and experience. The pledge form has room to write details of what you have to offer in this area.

Envelopes

When you register with the parish, you start getting our weekly envelopes in the mail. This regular packet has an envelope for each Sunday and Holy Day, plus the special collections. Using the envelopes is a great help to our bookkeeper. The envelope has a number on it which identifies you in our parish financial records. If you give a check, without an envelope, it helps if you write your number on the memo line.

The envelope or member number is in the upper right corner of the offering envelopes.

Bill Pay Service

If you make donations to the church via a bill pay service, please put your member number (a/k/a the “envelope number”). That will also make our bookkeeper's life easier. Thanks for helping with that detail. Find this info in the upper right corner of your envelopes.

Special Parish Collections

At the parish level, each month we have special collections for the following purposes.
  • Buildings and Grounds. This is not used for routine maintenance, but is for enhancements to our existing facilities. That can include remodeling, purchasing art, or adding new facilities. This offering is the first Sunday of the month.
  • St. Vincent de Paul. This organization is the primary parish organization that helps members and non-members who have difficulty paying their bills. This offering is the last Sunday of the month.
On an annual basis, we have offerings for Christmas and Easter flowers, and funeral dinners. Besides the envelopes, you can give to these collections via Faith Direct. 

Special Collections

For the Archdiocese and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, we schedule the following special offerings during the year. The dates may vary from year to year:


You can donate to these special offerings via your envelope in the collection basket, cash in the 2nd offering basket (the green basket), or via Faith Direct.