Annual Stewardship Campaign
It is time for our annual stewardship campaign. This year’s campaign will run throughout the month of October. Our finance team is hard at work building the annual budget. They do so with a keen eye on fiscal responsibility as they seek to determine the resources necessary for our church community to effectively serve the needs of our parish and proclaim the salvation of Christ to world.
We are a blessed community. With blessings comes responsibility to share the blessings bestowed by our merciful and generous Savior with our brothers and sisters near and far. The ministries of the church are our means to express our gratitude to God. We seek as Jesus Christ has commissioned us to move this world bit by bit into providing a glimpse of the kingdom here on earth.
Billy Graham once wrote “God has given us two hands- one to receive with and the other to give with… we are channels made for giving.”
We receive – We give. This principle is at the heart of stewardship.
On a recent Sunday I spoke in my sermon about the attitude of Frederick Morse. When Morse invented the telegraph which revolutionized communications, the first words he transmitted were “what hath God wrought” a quote from the Book of Numbers in the Hebrew Scriptures. What Morse readily admitted was that this marvelous invention was not born of his intellect alone. Morse had the humility and insight to know that it was God that made such a blessing to mankind possible. Without the inspiration of God, Morse could not imagine having been able to be of such service to the world. We have much to learn from Morse’s insightful attitude of gratitude.
As once written by Winston Churchill “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” Please join your fellow parishioners in making a life and showing your gratitude for God’s blessings. Please acknowledge God’s workings in all of your successes through your pledge to Holy Trinity. “Everything we have comes from Thee O Lord, And of Thy own” please give.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pledging at The Church of the Holy Trinity
How much should I pledge?
That is a matter between you and God. Theologically, we believe that everything we have is a gift from God, and that our task as baptized people is to “keep the gift moving” – to share what we have so that more can be given. “All things come of thee, O Lord, and of Thine own have we given thee.”
Is there a standard for pledging?
As you pray and plan for your pledge, please remember the concept of first fruits: a pledge becomes the first item in one’s budget. Rather than choose a fixed sum to pledge every year, prayerfully and realistically determine what proportion of income to set aside for ministry, and then pledge accordingly. The proportion will vary from person to person, and over time. We give back in gratitude to God a fair share of the gifts we have been given. Parishioners should keep in mind that should a pledger’s circumstances change, the pledge figure can be revised – up or down.
Isn’t so much focus on money unchristian?
That depends on how you define focus. If focus means a preoccupation with money for its own sake, then it is indeed unchristian. As Jesus said, you cannot worship both God and money. But it is striking how often Jesus used stories about money in a positive way to talk about the nature of Christian love. In the New Testament writings, money is sacramental. The way we use our money – whether we hoard it or take risks with it; whether we focus on it for its own sake or see it as a means to further God’s love in the world – speaks volumes about how we regard our lives, and our relationship to the God who is the source of all we have, not just our money.
How much does the average pledger at Holy Trinity contribute each year?
There were 122 pledges last year and the average was $3,177, with ten percent pledging $500 or less and ten percent were $7,000 or more.
Do I have to pledge to be a member of The Church of the Holy Trinity?
No, anyone who walks through our doors and worships with us regularly is considered a member. We hope all who consider themselves members will make a pledge.
Does the Rector pledge?
Clergy households pledge just like every other household in a parish.