Stewardship at St. George's

"The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."
– 2 Corinthians 9:6

Welcome to Stewardship at St. George's! We are a church bountifully blessed by God. And we believe in sharing those blessings: sharing the abundance of spirit that is present whenever we gather in worship or fellowship; sharing the talents God has given each of us to make the world a better place; and sharing our financial resources to sustain our parish and to help others in our community.

"I have tried to keep things in my hands but lost them all, but what I have given unto God's hands, I still possess."
– Martin Luther

How to Be a Steward
A Guide to Financial Giving at St. George's

• Give what you can, and give it cheerfully – the point isn't the amount of your annual pledge to St. George's, but the attitude with which it is made. Responsible and disciplined financial stewardship – giving back to God a portion of what God has given us – is critical to spiritual health. Give freely, bountifully to God's work through the work of our parish, and we will all reap bountifully – internally, in running the parish, and externally in our many important outreach ministries.

• Proportionate giving, in which one starts by pledging some percentage of one's annual pre-tax income and then increasing that percentage in subsequent years, makes it easy to become a "cheerful giver" and to begin to let go of the hold that the "love of money" has on all of us. An accompanying chart shows how to begin.

• St. Georgians are by tradition generous givers, clearly moved by the Spirit to help those in need and promote justice for all. In 2005, for example, parishioners pledged over $675,000 to a capital campaign, responded to natural disasters with over $13,000 in aid, and increased their regular annual pledges to the parish by 5%. Based on income demographics in Maplewood, the average pledge at St. George's represents about 2% of household income, with some families tithing – giving the Biblical 10% – and others just beginning their stewardship journey.

• Pledges can be made weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually. The pledging process is simple, with individual pledge amounts kept confidential; tax statements are issued to those who wish to deduct their pledge contributions from their taxable income.

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing."
– Malachi 3:10

"Give until it feels good!" – Hubert Pierson

A Message from Our Rector

Dear People of St. George's,

Thoughtful, prayerful stewardship is the understanding of our gifts and the use of them in a way that reflects our values and faith. As Christians we look to Jesus to guide us in our life decisions. Our Baptism into the family of Christ keeps before us the mission of the church to reach out to provide for worship and good works in the world among those who need. How we distribute our time, talents and money into the complicated structures of our lives reflect where our commitments have grown.

St. George's is one place where God's work and worship is done. To continue this work requires not only your involvement but also the financial resources that flow from each one’s stewardship decision. And beyond even that, it's our sacred duty to raise up the witness of how our giving is connected to our spiritual lives, whether that giving is here or elsewhere.

Yours in Christ,

Vestry Statement on Stewardship

As Christians living in the world and worshipping in this community of faith, St George's Vestry believes that God has blessed us with many gifts, especially Jesus Christ. With these blessings God call us to give. We believe giving is both our responsibility and essential to our spiritual health.

As individuals and vestry members we make ourselves available to God to work through us as we serve our church, our community and all those in need. We affirm that commitment by sharing our resources, giving proportionately with the tithe as our goal. We invite all to make their own personal stewardship statements.

St. George's Vestry, September 2006

Jane Cates
Aleeda Crawley
Ulysses Dietz
Bill Jaglowski
Rob McGrath
Nina Nicholson
Cheryl Notari
Deborah Purdon
Cheryl Thompson Sard
Tom Savoth
David Torres

Where Our Money Comes From, and Where It Goes

The people in the pews of St. George's Episcopal Church fund the parish budget – there is no large endowment or outside source of money. With their pledges and plate offerings, these parishioners meet ever-rising heat, light and phone bills, maintain a beautiful worship and education space, compensate the Rector and the staff, and financially support the Sunday School and other youth programs, the music program, various fellowship activities and strong outreach ministries for justice and those in need in Maplewood, the Diocese of Newark and the world. It is through the generous spirit of the people and the grace of God that St. George's fulfills this mission of Christian compassion, love, justice and service.