Stewardship is a response to the work of God in our lives.  Indeed, it is by the grace of God that we are alive this day and we are bound to praise Him for our creation, preservation, and salvation.  All that we have and all that we are is a gift from the God who created the heavens and the earth.  Thus, stewardship has little to do with money but everything to do with who God is and how we respond to Him.

Each year in the fall we are given an opportunity to respond to the call of God in our lives by making a pledge to support the mission and ministry of this parish church.  Everything that St. Matthew’s does requires funding and the funds pledged and received each year are the only funds available to keep these vital ministries going.  A priest was once asked by his parishoners when it was getting cold outside when we could turn on the heat in the church.  The gentle priest looked upon his parishoner with compassion and said, “have you been faithful to your pledge this year and completed a pledge card for next year yet?”  The individual had been very faithful with his pledge this year but had not yet made a pledge for the following year.  When the priest heard this he said, “how can we possibly afford to turn on the heat without your pledge?”

Though fierce, this story does illustrate the nature of parish life.  St. Matthew’s is engaged in so many wonderful ministries that it takes all of us faithfully responding to God’s call in our lives to make these ministries possible in this place.  As you consider your pledge for this coming year do not first think of what you can afford or what you would like to give.  Rather, first consider the innumerable blessings in your life and then respond with a pledge of your time, talents, and treasure.

The pledge cards will give you an opportunity to express interest in any of our ministries; they are listed in the Parish Directory. Please consider giving some of your time and talent to a ministry which interests you. These groups offer valuable services, and they have a lot of fun working together. There will be guidelines for gifts of treasure as follows:

• The gift of a tithe
• The gift of $1 per week for each $1000 of income (5%)
  
• The gift of an increase of 1% of income, as a step towards the biblical standard of a tithe
  
• A fair share gift of $1400 ($296,000 budget/210 families)
  

Thanks for considering our Stewardship Campaign for 2012. Your participation will be the key to our success next year, as it has been in the past. Please call if you have any questions or suggestions.

Sincerely,
Doug Hubbell
Finance and Stewardship 2011
864-463-2636