The theme of this year’s stewardship campaign is to Realize Stewardship Via Pledge. A pledge is a commitment, a promise, a way of “realizing” (making real) our spiritual discipline of stewardship.
There is a plainly practical way to describe the necessity of our tithing: we have an electricity bill to pay! The infrastructure of the church operates like everything else in this world . . . with money! Like other self-funded non-profits and philanthropies, we rely on your giving to sustain the work of ministry and vision, core programming, and the maintenance of our historic property.
Hopefully this pragmatic approach is a persuasive means of giving for those who appreciate the spiritual value St. Michael’s affords them, and want to help support and sustain the Christ-centered work that is done here. If you’re one of those people, awesome! Your 2018 pledge will help enable this community to prepare and plan for budgeting the year ahead.
It is of equal importance to highlight that stewardship is a spiritual discipline, in parallel to prayer and fasting. In this sense, it is not about our ‘material’ giving, but rather our obedience to God and how He transforms our lives through these disciplines. God doesn’t need our prayers, our money, or our abstinence. However, He does desire that in our hearts and minds we trust Him, so that He can continually transform us into the people He created us to be. That is why we pray, and fast, and give alms, out of loving obedience to Him, for our salvation, and for that of the world.
Yes, paying the electric bill is important. Even more imperative is the transformation of our bodies, minds, and spirits into the “measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Tithing helps accomplish both!
Please join me! Pledge now that we might remain faithful stewards of all that God has entrusted to us.
