Stewardship
"I am the vine, you are the branches.
Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit."
John 15: 4-5b
"Strengthening our worship, increasing our knowledge of Christ, and growing in service through generosity."
Please think and pray about your pledge to the general budget for 2010. Please also note that the pledge report for 2009 and the tremendous witness it gives of the powerful work of the Holy Spirit in the generally invisible and unknown ministry of financial giving at St. James's will be available on the vestry bulletin board in the Parish Hall. The progress of stewardship will also be reported there. Numerous opportunities to pledge for 2010 will become available over the next few weeks, including free form by email to thomastufts@comcast.net. Forms (yellow for 2010) will be available from the ushers and also in the Coffee Hours during the fall.
Thanks. - Tom Tufts, Stewardship Committee.
Please consider the following points as you think and pray about your pledge.
- We seek to cultivate two Christian qualities, among others, in our spiritual life at St. James's: gratitude and generosity. Discover and engage the extraordinary resources for transformation and spiritual growth available at St. James's and through St. James's.
- Stewardship can take many forms. Let us know how you are committed to serving the well-being of God's creation in all respects, not only the financial.
- Financial stewardship allows us to view our personal finances as a witness to our relationship with God and with others. Viewed this way, our pledge is a commitment leavened with joy and gratitude. Consider your pledge to the general fund in terms of a percentage of your income. This method allows you to track your growth in stewardship consistently over time in spite of the vagaries of income level. Promptly submitted pledges are extremely helpful to the Finance Committee and Vestry in the budgeting and planning process.
- Remember Jesus' parable of how the tiny mustard seed, usually the smallest in the garden, can grow into a mighty plant in which birds shelter themselves. Every pledge is important. Let God decide how he will use your generosity, no matter how small the pledge, to further his work. If you are just pledging for the first time, how about $1 per month or week? Remember participation level is as important as total amount in attracting new contributors and encouraging those who already give! Let's increase our participation rate!
- Add a short comment or personal story to illustrate why you pledge and support the church. These will be collected and distributed back to all of you anonymously as a way of encouraging and uplifting each other before the Lord.