What is Stewardship
Fullness Of Life
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
― Melody Beattie
If gratitude causes a shift in our thinking, and reveals to us that our lives are truly abundant, our response is to give back out of that abundance. We give back to God, in thanksgiving for the blessings we have received, and the blessings we know simply in God, by God's presence, through Christ's church, through the community of the parish.
There are different ways of giving in response to our gratitude and in confidence of our abundance: time, gifts, money. The church needs each of these in order to continue to speak the Good News of Christ in the world.
Stewardship
Why Give Money or Time To A Church?
The Episcopal Network for Stewardship reminds us that "stewardship is not a program, it is not about raising money, and it is not here today and gone tomorrow. Stewardship is a journey. It is about life – a way of life." Put simply, giving is our gracious response to what we have received. We are created in God’s image, as we read in the Book of Genesis, and God gives. God gives us life and love, forgiveness and mercy. Stewardship is our response to God’s gifts, in which we give of our time, talent, and treasure so that we the church can carry on our ministries of worship, formation, and service. Stewardship is our giving back to God, in thanksgiving, a portion of the blessings we have received.
Why give to Christ Church? Is it the same as giving to God?
Today, there are many worthy charities doing good work. They deserve your financial support. Many of our members do not limit their giving to their local congregation. However, for nearly 2000 years, this is what we know to be true: making a decision to give back to God through the ministry of the local Church is an essential way for us to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world and our local community.
What about gifts of time and talent?
The ministry of Christ Church could not survive without the countless hours of donated time and the generous sharing of talents and gifts by so many of our members. The gifts of time and talent are invaluable to our common life and are very much appreciated.
Why fill out a pledge card?
Each year the Vestry of Christ Church asks the parish members to make a financial offering in the form of a pledge of financial support for the coming year. Only when the signed pledge cards are received and totaled can the church’s leadership adequately plan for the upcoming year. The overwhelming majority of the church’s total operating budget is funded by the pledges of our members. Without a broad-based financial commitment through pledging, we would not be able to offer the kind of pastoral care, spiritual formation, support of worthy outreach ministries, and the quality worship that we have all come to appreciate.
Doesn’t the diocese help our congregation cover our expenses?
No. In this country, the church is funded from the bottom up, not the top down. It is the local congregations, through the pledges of its members, who support the work of the diocese. The diocese, the Episcopal Church in Colorado, in turn sends money to The Episcopal Church in support of our larger national and international mission.
Should one make a pledge as an individual or a couple?
There is no hard and fast rule. Most married couples sign one pledge card. Some people feel strongly about making their own individual pledge. Each young person who has been confirmed by the bishop is invited to make his or her own pledge, as well as those adults over the age of 18 living in the family home.
What if one decides not to pledge and instead puts cash into the Sunday collection?
All monies given to the church are offered to glory of God. However, the total yearly amount received from collection plate offerings accounts for a small fraction of the monies needed to fund our ministry. As Jesus said while being tempted in the wilderness, "One does not live by bread alone." Nor can this congregation flourish through collection plate offerings alone.
Is it true that each household that pledges gets a quarterly bill?
No. When a pledge is made, a number is assigned to the giver. Your offering made by either online, check or by identifiable cash (envelopes) is linked to your name. Periodic statements, not bills, are mailed out to remind members of their progress toward fulfilling their pledge. Members can also check their giving through our Christ Church Connect software. Since the church has expenses throughout the calendar year, it is important that most members stay current with their giving. Recurring online giving (automatic drafting) is an effective way to always be current in your giving. The year-end statement mailed to each giving household, or accessed online, is an essential document for those who claim their gift as a tax deduction..
Suppose your personal financial picture varies from month to month, year to year?
One of the most frequent reasons people offer for not making a pledge is that they are uncertain about their overall financial picture in the year ahead. In today’s economy, your personal financial picture may change from month-to-month, year-to-year. When you make a pledge for the upcoming year, should your income drop dramatically, please know that you may decrease your pledge by contacting the church office. On the other hand, should you experience an added bonus or dividend during the year, you are of course free to increase your pledge.
What if you were not able to pay your pledge in full in years past?
Each year the slate is wiped clean. If circumstances prevented you from fulfilling past pledges, do not allow that experience to discourage pledging for the upcoming year. Simply begin the New Year with renewed generosity and faithfulness.
How much is enough?
In truth, we can never give back to God as much as we have been given. Each one of us needs to ask the question "how much is enough" and answer it for oneself. We support the biblical direction of tithing – giving 10% of their income. Many of our parishioners have tithed for years, and they speak with great passion and joy for what the discipline has meant in their lives. You are invited and encouraged to make your pledge a proportional gift – a percentage of your household income. If pledging is new for you, determine what percentage of your income your pledge represents, perhaps 3% to 5% and plan to increase each year by 1% until you reach 10% or more.