Gifts at FUMC

Gifts and Stewardship can take many many forms.  Learn about the opportunities you have to serve God, your Church and your family.  

Stewardship of the Church

We use the word “stewardship” in the church as a way of talking about our responsibility for the faithful use of all the gifts that God has given us: our time and our abilities, our money and possessions, the environment, and our relationships.

We believe that everything we have is a gift from God, and God wants us to use it to make our world a more just and compassionate place for all God’s people.

There are many ways to contribute financially to the church, here are some ways that you may, or may not considered.

Pledging  & Tithing

Make a commitment to contribute financially each week(month/year).  As your commitment to Christ and his church continues to grow, pledge to Grow One Step in your giving.   This year, we are challenging ourselves to Grow Towards Tithing. To do this, you can consider raising your giving by 1 percent of your income (or growing a step in a dollar amount that makes sense to your situation)

What is tithing?    In the Bible, a tithe is a gift returned to God as a way of giving thanks and expressing our faith that God will continue to provide for our needs.  The Hebrew people gave God their “first-fruits” – the best and most choice of their crops and herds. We are invited to give a tithe  (10%) of what we have received to our local church or church related programs.  Some give the literal tithe, others give a certain percentage of their income, others have a plan for increasing their giving by a percentage until they reach the full tithe.

Tithing Calculator:  This calculator can help you figure out what you are currently giving, and to help you think about what you would like to give.  check it out HERE

Stewardship of your Personal Finances

The first two rules of John Wesley’s successful stewardship have, on the surface, nothing to do with contributing to the church…they focus on one’s personal finances.  To paraphrase;  Gain all you can, Save all you can.  Now of course there are guidelines for each of these rules !  In an effort to apply 18th century teachings to the 21st century, here are some resources to help you with your personal finances

Family Finance Tips:  The Wall Street Journal website is home to loads of articles on all aspects of family finances.  Check out their Personal Finance section.

Savings Calculator:   Ever sit down with a pencil and paper and try and figure out how much you’ll have in 20 years at $5 a week??  Click HERE for an easy to use savings calculator and get that money out of your sock drawer!

Money and Kids:  Looking for ways to start talking to your kids about money?  HERE are some tips for raising money savvy kids

 Podcast Fan?:  Planet Money by NPR is an informative program whose tagline is:  “The economy explained”  Check out Planet Money for an overall view on money matters.

More Overall Money Articles:  The Personal Finance section of CNNs website is another overall personal finance website with sections on all aspects of finance from mortgages to investing as well as a section of calculators.