A Commitment to the Life and Work of
Saint Andrew's
Why do we give to Saint Andrew’s? We give because it is our community. We give because the work of Saint Andrew’s is our work and represents who we are and what we believe. And we give because giving back is the appropriate response to the gifts that God has given to us.
Every year at this time we are asked to prayerfully consider the gifts that God has given us and to make a financial commitment to the life and work of Saint Andrew’s. It is our pledges that allow us to maintain our facilities, pay our staff, and do the work that we are called to do in this place. Our hope is that every member or household will fill out a pledge card. No gift is too small and if you cannot make a pledge at this time fill out a card and let us know. We want everyone to participate because it is all of us, working together, which makes this community what it is!
Please call the office if you have not received your pledge packet. You may also download and print a pledge card by using the link at the bottom of this page.
Peace,
Andy+
Christian Stewardship
Christian stewardship is based on the simple fact that literally all we have – time, treasure, and talent – is a gift from an infinitely loving and generous God. From the bounty we are given, we in turn give back, recognizing that it is right and proper to give God thanks in all times and places. As we continue to mature as God’s children and heirs, our generosity reveals ever more clearly how we are made in God’s image. Stewardship is one way we share in the Spirit’s ongoing work in the world and ultimately share in the reign of God.
We give because our gifts are needed to sustain the community which itself nurtures us. It cannot prosper without our time, our treasure, and our talent. But even if this weren’t true, we give because we need to give, truly to be ourselves, to grow closer to one another, and to the God in whom we live and move and have our being. We were made to love God and one another, and we express that love by giving. None of us is surplus. Each is infinitely valuable. Every single one of us has special gifts, granted us by a loving Creator. Giving those gifts enriches the community and the individuals making it up. Hoarding them is one sure way to ensure that both our gifts and spiritual lives wither.
Let us be good stewards, then, that at the end we may hear our loving Savior welcome us with the words, “well done, good and faithful servants.”
Pledging and Stewardship
Stewardship involves giving of our time to the work of the parish and wider church. It means volunteering our special talents, to be used in conjunction with those gifts and abilities others bring to doing Christ’s work in the world. And it means giving of our material resources – our treasure.
Pledging is one key way to do this. It helps the parish leadership plan responsibly as they make decisions about how best to advance our common life. Not only is advanced planning almost always more efficient, but being able to see the parish’s financial future clearly makes for better decisions than responding in the short term.
From our individual perspective, pledging helps us be better stewards. It is a promise of continuing support to the parish that is so important in many of our lives. It represents a “standing decision” to give recognizing that our parish family is itself a gift. Through them we experience God’s loving care. With them we can more clearly discern what God would have us do than we can, thinking solely on our own.
Pledging can be an important part of proportional giving, or giving “off the top” which many have found is a spiritually healthy way of living a decision to give back a portion of what we have been given. In many ways, the fact of making a pledge, regardless of the actual amount, symbolizes our desire to belong to this family.
Our Current Budget Breakdown
Pledges cover the operating expenses of St. Andrew’s. With pledge season totals in hand, the Treasurer and Finance Committee can then move forward, responsibly planning the budget for the coming year. The chart above shows how those monies are divided, by percent, amongst the myriad ways in which we work and grow together, loving and serving the Lord, here at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.
How Much Should I Give?
Ideally, every one should respond to the pledge campaign, even if your answer must be “I simply can’t afford to make a financial commitment at this time.” But how much you should pledge is a matter for your conscience, informed by prayerful consideration. No amount is too small. Practically, the amount you pledge is kept completely confidential, and neither the Vestry nor the clergy know the specific amount any parishioner gives.
The Episcopal Church has adopted the biblical tithe (10%) as a general guideline for Christian giving. In re-affirming this tradition, we leave to the individual such considerations as whether this should include ALL giving, giving to the Church or the parish, be figured before or after taxes, or is a goal to be reached for or a target appropriate for all. The principle of “proportionate giving” is one that many find helpful, since it means giving off the top from a sense of abundance, not reluctantly parting with whatever is “left over.”
When you pledge proportionately, then you have pre-decided how to say “thank you” for any windfalls. Should your circumstances change for the worse, making it impossible to meet your pledge, you can do so with a clean conscience if the decision to give proportionately has already been made. The key is that pledging, at whatever level, reinforces our sense of gratitude for God’s many gifts, and helps maintain our part in Christ’s Body in this place.
St. Andrew’s Stewardship Committee
Do you have questions about Stewardship, or the pledging of your time, or your talent, or your treasure? We would be more than happy to discuss those questions with you. Please don’t hesitate to contact any one of us. We look forward to hearing from you!
Committee Members:
Ed Elder: ed_elder@alumni.musc.edu
Don Ferree: 824-9705 gferree@ssc.wisc.edu
Viki Pullen: v.brigham@sbcglobal.net
Wayne Vander Zanden: waynevz@norstech.com
