Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
What Is Stewardship?
In all that we do, we aim to be faithful stewards of the blessings that God has granted to us. Christian stewardship is the grateful and responsible use of God’s gifts in the light of God's purposes as revealed in Jesus Christ. Christian stewards, empowered by the Holy Spirit, commit themselves to conscious, purposeful decisions regarding their use of time, talent and money. If St. Luke’s will be your Church home or if you wish to support the ministries of this church, we invite you to consider giving financially to the ministries that make St. Luke’s a vibrant community.
As St. Paul so eloquently states in 1 Corinthians 12:20, “there are many parts, yet one body.” Each of us has a purpose, a talent, a use, and function in the Body of Christ. So we need you, not because we need warm bodies, but because we are enriched by having you as an active member of our community. We want you to be involved in volunteering in our programs and ministries. You might feel a calling to teach our young people, to visit the sick, to serve on the Buildings and Grounds Committee, to help with Sunday worship, or to sing in the choir. We are confident that you will be blessed through your service to God.
What Is Pledging?
It is easy to be confused by words such as "pledging," "giving," or "tithing." A pledge is a means of giving to the Church in a way that enables both commitment on the part of the giver, and proper planning on the part of the parish. You might think of a pledge as a declaration of intent about your giving for the year.
Your pledge is not written in stone, and can, of course, be adjusted should your financial situation change throughout the year. If you are unable to meet your pledge, please do not feel any guilt or remorse about it, but rather know that your church community is here to support you in those difficult times. In the same way, you may also exceed your pledge if you find that you are being called to giving at a higher level than anticipated.
The tithe is often referred to as giving 10%. But the question always comes up- "is this pre or post taxes? There is no answer to that question. Nor is there consensus around whether or not this 10% refers to all charitable giving or just to the church. These are decisions that you and your family will need to make on your own. In fact, the idea of giving 10% is not even close to being "enough." The standard that Jesus taught is to give ALL of our life to God; to give all that we have for the furthering of God's Kingdom. This sort of giving is a sacrifice. We are not asking you to sacrifice your well-being or ability to have food and clothing. However, a pledge should signify a responsible and significant response to all that God has given us, remembering especially that it all belongs to God.
We remember the Biblical idea of giving the first fruits to God, trusting that with sound budgeting and planning, we, like the lilies of the field, will be taken care of by God.
Pledges greatly help the church to know its anticipated income and plan accordingly. In the same way that it is helpful for you to know your annual salary in making a budget, the church needs to know what resources it will have.