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The Tradition of Giving at Rye Presbyterian
Church:
A guide to thoughtful generosity
It is our belief that generosity is a critical part of our
calling as the people of God. Our tradition affirms that our gifts
to the church and to charity should reflect our thankful
acknowledgment of all that God has given to us, and our high
calling as Christ’s disciples to serve others.
Our gifting then should be proportionate to what we have;
it should be graciously given and generous in nature.
What each household decides to pledge should be a
prayerfully considered decision.
With this in mind, here are some more concrete ways to
begin thinking about your pledge.
Guidelines for Giving
·
According to Presbyterian Directory of Worship, “the offering of material goods in worship
is a corporate act of self-dedication in response to God.”
We refer to it in worship as “the giving of tithes and
offerings.”
·
The Old Testament precedent is the giving of a tithe
– 10% of one’s income. While
there is ample debate as to whether this is a binding requirement
of Christians, for many it still serves as a goal, a challenge or
even a minimum level to consider.
This precedent is the root of RPC’s policy to strive each
year to give 10% of the pledge to missions.
·
In the New Testament, while tithing itself is rarely
mentioned, except in a negative light, there is a consistent call
to respond to God’s goodness with offerings that are regular and
generous.
·
At RPC, it takes an average household pledge of
$3,000 to do all that this church does in a year in terms of
mission giving, paying staff reasonable compensation, maintaining
the large and historical physical plant, and providing for all the
valuable work that goes on.
·
While an average gift of $3,000 would enable us to
maintain current levels of program and mission activity, it does
not allow for future growth.
The reality is that the church relies on the generosity of
just 32 of our 607 households to provide 44 % of the annual
budget.
Ultimately, your giving decision is a
response to the goodness of God in your life, independent of the
needs of any church or charity. As author Michael Durall put it:
“Charitable giving
should make some difference in how we as religious people
experience life from day to day.
If giving to your congregation is similar to writing a
check at the end of the month to pay the phone or electric bill,
and then forgetting about it until the end of the next month, you
are not giving enough.
Similarly, if you take spare change or a dollar or two from
your pocket or purse for the weekly collection and never notice
the difference, your giving has too little meaning either for you
or for your church. Charitable
giving should change your life in some way.
This is the standard of giving for all individuals and
households.”
The “Stewardship” Program at RPC
In the month of October we hold an annual pledge drive, at
which time the Stewardship Committee of the Trustees asks each
household in the church to consider their pledged gift for the
upcoming year. Each
household is asked to return their pledge card to the committee
stating their level of commitment for the following year.
With those numbers in mind, the budget committee then
proposes the operating budget for the upcoming year. Pledges are
paid throughout the year in whatever manner members choose.
They can be paid as a regular donation at the offering
during worship using pledge envelopes, in installments, or in one
lump sum. Given the
substantial tax advantage, we also encourage the gifting of
appreciated securities.
The business office of the church can advise you on the
procedure for doing so.
You may be wondering where the money given to RPC goes. The clearest answer can be found in two places within this
packet of information. The
Annual Report of the church, published in January of each year,
provides not only budget information but also a clear explanation
of the activities of the many facets of this church.
Information on the mission giving of the church can be
found within that report, within the green Mission and Outreach
brochure, or on the church’s website at www.ryepc.com.
Again, we welcome you to the journey of faith that we travel
together. We welcome
you to a life where we all are growing in faith, understanding,
generosity and service as disciples of Jesus Christ.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call one of
the pastors, a member of the Congregational Life and Membership
Committee, or a member of the Stewardship Committee.
[1]
Michael Durall, Creating Congregations of Generous People,
Alban Institute: 1999, p. 38.
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