Biblical Basis for Giving
We have come to associate the term “stewardship” with the term “fundraising.” However, these two terms are not the same. Stewards are not fundraisers – stewards are caretakers. Stewardship is about faith and discipleship. It is not saying, “God has blessed me so much that I should give the church a little something as a token of gratitude.”
Each of us is responsible for maintaining and wisely using the gifts that God has bestowed. We recognize that what we have belongs to God – our possessions, our secrets, hopes, fears, dreams, accomplishments, the environment…they all belong to God. And God made us stewards, the caretakers of creation. We have an obligation to use what God has given us in talent, time and treasure to serve God with love and gratitude.
We have all received many gifts. And we can all give thanks for Trinity — for the parish itself and its rich history; for the wonderful people who do the Lord’s work in so many large and small ways; and for inspired and inspiring leadership. Let us continue to move forward as a people of Christ’s own, zealous for good deeds (Titus 2:14).
We all are stewards, not only of our parish and its programs, but also of each other. We are called to help each other in serving God in this place, following Christ’s own example (Philippians 2:1-5), and upholding each others’ ministries.
Each of us grows spiritually by making a commitment to proportionate giving — that is, setting aside a percentage of income for the Lord’s work. The Biblical standard of giving, and the standard endorsed by the Church, is the tithe, 10% of income (Malachi 3:10). If you are already tithing, please accept our heartfelt thanks.