Father Jeffrey on tithing
On August 25, 2024, Fr. Jeffrey spoke about percentage giving and the challenge of moving toward becoming a tithing parish.
Here’s how it works. First, calculate the percentage of your income that you will give to St. George in 2024. For example, if it’s 3 percent, then next year we ask you to commit to round up to the next percentage, in this case 4 percent. If that’s comfortable for you to live on, then the following year go to 5 percent. In this way, you will gradually get to 10 percent.
Money and Salvation
- Introduction
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2 and 3 (this is one video, so will you need to pause it and start it at the appropriate time.)
- Chapter 4 and 5 (this is one video, so will you need to pause it and start it at the appropriate time.)
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
Orthodox Christian Stewardship
His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”
– Matthew 25:23
Through the parable of the good and faithful servant, God illustrates the use of gifts that have been bestowed upon him. He illustrates through the servant that our actions reveal what we truly believe. That is why we must always bear in mind that everything we have is because of Him and each of us has been appointed to be a good and faithful steward, not only to our community, but to this great world, to not only take care of it, but to also improve it. We must give ourselves to Christ just like He gave Himself completely, on the cross, to us. When we willingly give of ourselves with love and joy, we will be blessed with more. Holding back sends the message that the gifts bestowed on us are better served elsewhere.
So then, what is stewardship? Stewardship is working out of faith through giving in order to carry on God’s work. Orthodox Christians are called to be good stewards of the gifts God has entrusted to us — including time, talents, and treasures. Our actions, our lives, and our giving are the most accurate measure of our faith. The material things in our lives speak so clearly about what’s most important to us, they mold and shape who we are and how we live. So we must ask ourselves how God impacts our thinking in our choices? Are we giving all that we can or are we holding back? Stewardship is faith in action.
By completing a Stewardship Commitment Form, you are pledging to support St. George with time, talent and treasure, and most importantly you are becoming part of the St. George family. You can pledge online here:
Stewardship at St. George
If you have additional questions about stewardship, please contact Dori Panagis.
What Is Stewardship
Stewardship is the meaningful use of our God-given time, talents, and treasures. Christian stewards serve God out of love and gratitude, acknowledging that everything we have belongs to Him. We come into this world with nothing, and we leave with nothing. God gives us temporary custody of material wealth and talents, which we must use responsibly, always remembering the words we hear repeatedly during the Liturgy:
“Let us commit our whole life to Christ our God.”
God does not ask for ten percent, but for our whole life. We are required to commit ourselves, not just make a financial commitment.
“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord, your God which He has given you” (Deuteronomy 16:17).
Every believer has a Christian right to return to God in faith a portion of what the Lord has bestowed. Only you can determine how you can best serve God and your brothers and sisters in Christ. Stewardship should be a priority-returning to God our first fruits, not what is left over. It should entail personal sacrifice. We should consider stewardship a privilege, not an obligation to be fulfilled grudgingly.
He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
Each family and all single adults are requested to prayerfully reflect upon their financial resources and to complete a stewardship commitment form indicating their intended giving for the year. Completed forms should be returned to the church by the end of the year.
New church members complete a commitment form when they join St. George. Payments may be made weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually. You may use a credit card for payment. Stewards in good standing are eligible to participate in the governance of the parish by voting at General Assemblies and serving on the Parish Council.
You can give of your time and talents by participating in parish ministries and activities.
Each of us as Orthodox Christians is called by God to share in the ministry of the Church. Conscientious giving of our time, talents and treasures through faithful stewardship is our means of following the teaching of Christ to love one another and of supporting our parish, archdiocesan ministries, and international missionary and charitable activities.
Every Christian has an obligation to support the work of the Body of Christ. At St. George parish, our expectation is to exceed the Old Testament requirement—that is, to tithe, +1!