Special Offerings

Starmount participates in four Presbyterian Church (USA) church-wide special offerings:

  1. One Great Hour of Sharing (Palm Sunday/Easter) shares God’s love with people experiencing need. Our gifts support ministries of disaster response, refugee assistance and resettlement, and community development that help people find safe refuge, start new lives, and work together to strengthen their families and communities. The Presbyterian Hunger Program receives 36 %while the Self-Development of People and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance each receive 32 %.
  2. The Pentecost Offering (May) provides a direct way to meet the needs of children at risk, youth, and young adults. Starmount keeps 40% of the offering to support ministry with children at risk in our community. The remaining 60% is used by the General Assembly to provide leadership development opportunities for Presbyterian youth and young adults and supports children-at-risk programs at the national level.
  3. Peacemaking Offering (October)
    is received by most congregations on World Communion Sunday, celebrated the first Sunday in October. 25 % of the offeringis retained by Starmount for local efforts, 25 % is used by synods and presbyteries, and 50 % be used by the General Assembly ministries through the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.
  4. Christmas Joy Offering (Christmas)is in its seventieth year, the Christmas Joy Offering distributes 50 % of the collected offering to Board of Pensionsfor assistance programs that provide support to retired and active church workers and their spouses and families. The other 50 % supports Presbyterian related racial ethnic education through the National Ministries Division of the General Assembly Council.
Presbytery-wide offering of Salem Presbytery

2-cents-a meal Offering - second Sunday of each month
The second Sunday of each month Starmount receives an additional offering during worship designated for the 2-cents-a-meal Offering of Salem Presbytery. Monies collected are distributed through the Presbytery to local, national and international agencies devoted to the eradication of hunger and the self-development of people