Stewardship at St. John's:
A Welcome and Message from your Stewardship Committee
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“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” ~ Proverbs 11:25. |
Stewardship, in its simplest form, is the practice of generosity as well as accountability and responsibility. It is essential to the daily expression of our faith. We are a church that shares a living in the confidence of God’s grace. Congregational stewardship begins with a healthy understanding of both gratitude and generosity as we have first received and therefore we give.
Therefore, we need to develop a culture of gratitude and generosity which is the focus for growing stewards within the congregation. Through the study of Scripture, we develop a trust in God’s abundance and strive to be faithful disciples and stewards. Becoming a steward is a “lifelong journey”, our faith journey, in which we accompany each other. Stewardship is about so much more than money ... stewardship is about love. Gratitude knows no season. Generosity is a year-round practice for Christians. Discipleship and Stewardship are two sides of the same coin. Stewardship is all about discipleship and it defines how we should live as a disciple of Christ in everyday life. Stewardship IS discipleship in that it is a complete reorientation of our lives toward God.
Let us then commit to coming year(s) together as a St. John’s Family who will be full of prayer and generosity, in the expectation that God will take our gifts of time, talent and treasure to do something wonderful within our parish and in our community.
Therefore, we need to develop a culture of gratitude and generosity which is the focus for growing stewards within the congregation. Through the study of Scripture, we develop a trust in God’s abundance and strive to be faithful disciples and stewards. Becoming a steward is a “lifelong journey”, our faith journey, in which we accompany each other. Stewardship is about so much more than money ... stewardship is about love. Gratitude knows no season. Generosity is a year-round practice for Christians. Discipleship and Stewardship are two sides of the same coin. Stewardship is all about discipleship and it defines how we should live as a disciple of Christ in everyday life. Stewardship IS discipleship in that it is a complete reorientation of our lives toward God.
- Discipleship is a lifestyle of a person who accepts and assists in the spreading of the Good News of Jesus Christ (evangelizing);
- Stewardship is a way of living in which a person chooses service over self-interest.
Let us then commit to coming year(s) together as a St. John’s Family who will be full of prayer and generosity, in the expectation that God will take our gifts of time, talent and treasure to do something wonderful within our parish and in our community.
Pledging and Tithing |
“Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.” ~ 1 Peter 4:10
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Pledging is the act of informing the church of your intention to give over a period of time. Pledging is a commitment, made now and paid over the next calendar year, in installments or all at once. Pledges help us as a church to plan worship, fellowship and outreach activities throughout the year. Annual Giving, through your pledge, supports the yearly operating budget which covers the church's daily expenses of worship each week, providing programming for education for adults and children, providing pastoral care and helping to support our ministry partners through outreach. Each family is asked to make a pledge so that we may be good stewards, planning our yearly expenses and expenditures.
Contact the church office to get a 2023 Pledge Card.
The biblical tithe of the Old Testament was an obligatory offering from the law of Moses requiring 10 percent of an Israelite's first fruits. In the New Testament, scripture doesn’t command Christians to give a tenth but believers are told to give generously and freely. The main principle behind tithing and giving is the fact that what we do with our money shows where our heart is. In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.” This passage brings out four points on tithing: (1) we should give individually, (2) regularly, (3) methodically and (4) proportionately.
The matter of your giving is between you and God, and He always takes into account our circumstances. The important thing is that we see giving as a privilege and not a burden. How you tithe (10% or Proportionately) has never been as important as understanding that a tithe is part of one’s grateful response to a generous God. The tithe was not given based on the needs of the priests of the Temple, or the poor it was given in recognition of but rather your gratitude for the blessings God has bestowed upon you.
After you have decided your pledge, please mail your Giving Card to St. John's Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 81493, Austin, TX 78708-1493. Other options for returning your Giving Card are listed on the Stewardship FAQ page.
Contact the church office to get a 2023 Pledge Card.
The biblical tithe of the Old Testament was an obligatory offering from the law of Moses requiring 10 percent of an Israelite's first fruits. In the New Testament, scripture doesn’t command Christians to give a tenth but believers are told to give generously and freely. The main principle behind tithing and giving is the fact that what we do with our money shows where our heart is. In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income.” This passage brings out four points on tithing: (1) we should give individually, (2) regularly, (3) methodically and (4) proportionately.
The matter of your giving is between you and God, and He always takes into account our circumstances. The important thing is that we see giving as a privilege and not a burden. How you tithe (10% or Proportionately) has never been as important as understanding that a tithe is part of one’s grateful response to a generous God. The tithe was not given based on the needs of the priests of the Temple, or the poor it was given in recognition of but rather your gratitude for the blessings God has bestowed upon you.
After you have decided your pledge, please mail your Giving Card to St. John's Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 81493, Austin, TX 78708-1493. Other options for returning your Giving Card are listed on the Stewardship FAQ page.
Giving Your Time, Talent, and Treasure |
“The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.” ~ Psalm 24:1
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We are all called by God to serve one another. One primary place we can live out this calling is in the local church. All that we have, our time and our talents, come from God, and we are designed to use them in helping one another. In light of this, St. John’s provides an array of Volunteer Opportunities. We’re certain there’s a place for you with us as we, together, serve God and this church. (Please ask for a copy of our Ministries Booklet for St. John’s Episcopal Church.)
Financial generosity is a spiritual exercise. Where are you on the path? We all go through periods of challenge and abundance. The key to financial generosity is to be thoughtful and prayerful as you walk along your own journey. There are a number of ways to express financial generosity at St. John's:
Financial generosity is a spiritual exercise. Where are you on the path? We all go through periods of challenge and abundance. The key to financial generosity is to be thoughtful and prayerful as you walk along your own journey. There are a number of ways to express financial generosity at St. John's:
- Place cash or a check in the collection plates that are circulated during the Offertory phase of our worship services. Envelopes for such donations are available in the book racks on the back of each pew or in the entry.
- Mail a check to St. John's Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 81493, Austin, TX 78708-1493
- Use your bank's "Online Bill Payment" or "Electronic Funds Transfer" function. Click here for more information.
- Use our Online Giving Portal. Click here for more information.
Flowers, Memorials, & Honoraria
Please also consider making a onetime or recurring donation for altar flowers. The gift of flowers beautifies our sanctuary. Your Flower Donation can be made in honor or in memory of a family member, friend, neighbor, or co-worker. A Memorial Donation to St. John’s is a generous way to express sympathy for the loss of a special person. Your Memorial Donation can be made in honor of a family member, friend, neighbor, or co-worker. Advise us “In Memory Of” by listing the name or names as you wish them to appear in the bulletin.
You Shop, We Earn
We have partnered with Randall's Supermarkets through their Good Neighbor Program. This means that you can link your Randall's Remarkable Card to St. John’s as your chosen charity, and Randall's will send us a donation several times a year based on how much has been spent at Randall's by all our linked members. St. John’s number is 7751. By linking this number to your Remarkable Card, Randall’s will send St. John’s a quarterly check for 1% of your purchases.
You can also go to Amazon Smile (https://smile.amazon.com/). When you create your Amazon Account on Amazon Smile you choose Saint John’s as your chosen charity, and Amazon will send us a donation several times a year based on how much has been spent at Amazon.
Your personal shopping history will NOT be shared with us. Also, this has no additional costs for you, but it can generate a significant amount of money per year in donations through yours and others purchases.
You can also go to Amazon Smile (https://smile.amazon.com/). When you create your Amazon Account on Amazon Smile you choose Saint John’s as your chosen charity, and Amazon will send us a donation several times a year based on how much has been spent at Amazon.
Your personal shopping history will NOT be shared with us. Also, this has no additional costs for you, but it can generate a significant amount of money per year in donations through yours and others purchases.
