About Stewardship

Stewardship means taking care of something that belongs to someone else.
For us in the church, stewardship is rooted in scripture, recognizing that we, as individuals, are not owners of our lives but rather are stewards of it. We recognize that everything we have and everything we are is a gift from God. Realizing that everything we are and have is a gift, each of us offers it back to God in gratitude and faith trusting that God can do infinitely more than we can imagine.

Practically, this means making gifts of financial resources as well as time and abilities to support the mission and ministry of our church. Before practicality, though, stewardship is always first and foremost a spiritual practice born of gratitude. Any spiritual practice is based on faith–faith that an act repeated regularly will increase our awareness of the presence of God and will gradually remove from our lives the walls we erect that block God’s grace.

These are just some of the numerous spiritual benefits stewardship can yield when we practice it regularly:

• Stewardship reduces our attachment to things material. We learn that giving away something we “have” really does not diminish us at all. Our needs continue to be met by God.
• Giving chips away at our belief in the concept of “mine” and “yours”. Giving helps us better experience the truth that we are indeed connected in the One Body of Christ.
• Our willingness to give impacts our willingness to receive. Many of us know the challenges of receiving gifts. We must be willing to give in order to be open to receiving. Realizing that God is giving to us every moment of the day, we acknowledge that our willingness to give enhances our ability to accept God’s gifts in return.​

A Note from Rev. Melesa McEwan Skoglund

Dear Neighbors in Christ,
 
As Christians we are story tellers. We have an ancient narrative, one that describes the love in which our world was made and the relationship between God and God creation. We see this story grow through the prophetic tradition until our story recounts the life, ministry, and miracle of Jesus. But the story doesn’t end with the resurrection just as it did not end with the cross, it continues on in each of us today as we encounter and are transformed by the Good News.
 
Luke’s Gospel begins and ends with stories of women named Mary. Early in the Gospel, Mary the mother of Jesus, tells us of her encounter with the Divine who informs her that she will bear a child who will change the world. She proclaims her joy: “Tell out my soul! The Greatness of the Lord!” Then, at the end of the Gospel, another Mary, Mary Magdalene, visits the tomb to discover it empty and receives instructions from the risen Christ to go tell the others. This Mary, the first preacher of the resurrection, carries this Good News with jubilance to the disciples.
 
What is your Good News; the idea, dream, challenge placed in your heart by God, that needs to be shared? What is the ministry to which you are called which will change the world, sharing your talents, gifts, and love with your neighbors?
 
Our stewardship campaign this year focuses on these stories – the ones inside you, the ones you are still writing, the ones we tell about those who have gone before us. We are all a part of this ongoing narrative – the Good News that continues to unfold. As you pray about how you will share your gifts with us this year, think about how God is calling you to tell out your soul, to spread the Good News far and wide. In the weeks ahead you will be invited to consider the stories God has placed in you as we map the thread of God’s Good News in our lives. I look forward to hearing your stories!
 
Tell out my soul! The Greatness of the Lord!

The Rev. Melesa McEwan Skoglund

 
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Stewardship FAQ's

WHAT IS A PLEDGE?
When we say ‘pledge’ at St. Thomas, what we mean is a financial promise. Our pledge is our promise to support the mission and ministry for the upcoming calendar year as stewards of God’s generosity. We ask every household to consider making a pledge, no matter the size. The vestry depends on pledge commitments in order to accurately prepare an operating budget that meets the needs of our ministry efforts and day-to-day operations for the year.
 
HOW IS A PLEDGE DIFFERENT FROM PUTTING MONEY IN THE OFFERING PLATE?
Any donation will benefit the ministries of St. Thomas, and we are grateful for generosity of all kinds. A pledge, however, has some added benefits to the church, and helps the parish be a good steward of its own resources. Through your pledges, the vestry has the information they need to prepare an accurate, balanced budget for 2023, and make decisions for staffing, programs, and maintenance.
 
HOW MUCH SHOULD I PLEDGE?
The amount of your pledge is a prayerful decision between you, your household, and God. You might begin reflection by looking at how your spending reflects what you value. Everyone’s circumstances are different, and as the Apostle Paul says, “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor 9:7). What amount will not be coerced through guilt or shame, but given in joy, freedom, and generosity? Some parishioners commit to the biblical model of giving, which is 10%. Others choose to grow their habit slowly, increasing their pledge each year by an incremental percentage. Some reflect on what small sacrifice they might make this year— the cost of one dinner out per month, the equivalent of streaming services— to build on their pledge. Last year, pledges at St. Thomas ranged from about $5 a week to just over $300 a week. There is no wrong answer, and no amount too small.
 
WILL MY PLEDGE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Yes! Every dollar, every hour of service, every offering of love and prayer is of infinite value to our church community. Your generosity, no matter the size, is a blessing to your church home.
 
IS MY PLEDGE TAX DEDUCTIBLE?
Absolutely! St. Thomas provides a receipt at year-end for your tax-deductible contributions for that year, but only if you pay by check, credit card, bank draft, online, stocks or use a pledge envelope for cash so that we can accurately credit your account with each gift.
 
IS MY PLEDGE CONFIDENTIAL?
For purposes of record keeping and accounting, only the parish administrator, treasurer and rector see your gift amount. For the purposes of thank you notes or follow up calls, the vestry may see the list of names of pledging families on occasion, but never the amount.