Why Do We Give?

Of all the sermon, Sunday school, Bible study topics, there is one that tends to cause most people to become uneasy. That topic is money. More specifically, it is the talk about how much of our money and of ourselves we give back to God. You have probably heard some of the comments when the subject of money comes up — “The church is always talking about money,” or “All this place is about is money.” The sad part is that since the mere   mention of money and giving often evokes such  responses, we too often avoid raising the subject in church. Studies show that when churches talk about stewardship and money on a regular basis, people tend to be more generous, cheerful givers.

 

Many of us can list several reasons why we don’t give, - “I give of my time, I give to other charities, I can’t afford to give.” How often do we take the time to prayerfully look at why we should give through the Church at all?

 

There are two main reasons that we give a portion of our time, talents and treasure through the Church. We give to show God our appreciation for all he has given to us, and we give so that this church can do ministry as God has called us.

 

 

Why Pledge?

Pledging to the Church is a spiritual discipline. No matter the   specific amount you choose to give back to God through the Church, going through the process of determining your pledge is very important. By taking the time to earnestly reflect on and  pray about your giving, you will be challenging yourself and your assumptions about own theology of giving. By preparing and  submitting a pledge card, you will help the Vestry establish a more realistic budget, one based on real numbers, and not on   estimates of what we think people might give. In 2007, the average pledge was $2,118, as compared to the average of $626  given annually by parish members who did not pledge.