Stewardship
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2013 Grace Episcopal Church Stewardship Information
Why We Give Grace Episcopal Church
Dear Friends: In the Episcopal Church, members of the congregation are asked each year to make a pledge of what they plan to give to the Church for the entire coming year. For some people, especially for those new to the Episcopal Church, making a pledge may be a new experience. Why do I make a pledge each year? First, in pledging I am supporting the parish community to which I belong, and its mission. Grace Church is a self-supporting parish with virtually no endowment funds. By making a pledge, I am giving the Vestry and parish leadership the ability to plan for the ministry of the parish in the coming year. By making a financial pledge, I am also saying that I support and want to be part of the mission of the parish. In the months since I have been with you at Grace, I have realized that I truly believe in what we are doing here together to build, as our mission statements says, “a multigenerational, diverse and welcoming Christian community which values shared leadership, service to those in need and nurturing all in the love of God.” That’s something I want to be a part of. So I give. Second, pledging is a spiritual discipline. Giving is a discipline that people of faith have practiced for millennia. Spiritual disciplines are acts that we choose to do not because we always feel like it or want to, but because they are part of our commitment to God, to each other, and to ourselves. Pledging helps us to know that all that we have, both things material and spiritual, is a gift from God. By giving generously, we thank God for God's loving care for our lives, and we dedicate what we have been given to God’s purposes. Giving is a practice of thanksgiving that over time makes us even more grateful. It opens our hearts to the awareness that all life is a wondrous gift. Over the last few years, my wife Sara and I have come to learn how we can build our own family budget around our giving. This serves to remind us on a daily basis that all that we have and do is truly a gift from God. My prayer is that pledging will bring you the joy it brings my family and me. Please think and pray about how you can be part of God’s generosity in your pledging and giving to Grace Church this year. Peace, The Reverend Noah H. Evans
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