Stewardship is our response to God’s goodness and grace in the ways we use our time, our talents, and our financial resources. It begins with the foundational principle that “the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1) Although stewardship is not limited to finances, how we use our money is an important way of expressing our faith. Nearly a third of Jesus’ teachings have to do with this topic.

The Church Budget

The church develops and adopts an operating budget each calendar year, based on projected offerings and the ministry plans of the various church councils and committees. This detailed budget is reviewed monthly by Church Trustees. A committee interprets the ministry of the church through four broad categories: celebrating through worship, growing in faith, caring for our members, and serving in the local community and beyond. Beyond the budget amounts, the church always gives a considerable amount in special mission offerings.

Principles of Financial Stewardship

An annual stewardship campaign is conducted every fall. Several important biblical principles underlie our effort:

1. Giving should be systematic and regular. Paul urges us to put aside a gift “on the first day of every week,” your gift may be weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly. Regularity is the principle.
2. Scripture says that “the choicest of our first fruits we shall bring into the house of the Lord,” (Exodus 23:19) Offering the “first fruits” of our resources is a way of declaring God comes first in our priority. We encourage people to make a yearly pledge (or declaration of intended giving) not only as a way of helping the Session determine its budget but also as a way of offering to God our first fruits, and not what is left over.
3. Giving should be done freely, “not reluctantly nor under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) We do not “take a collection,” but rather “receive an offering.”
4. Giving proportionally, perhaps working our way toward the biblical model of a tithe (“bring the full tithe into the storehouse…and see if I will not pour down for you an overflowing blessing” Malachi 3:10), is an important goal in giving systematically.