Statement of Faith and Gratitude

A Statement of Faith.. and Gratitude

We are at war. The economy is in turmoil.  We still mourn the loss of lives and the loss of our sense of security on September 11. Bleak news pummels us from the media each day. So much has changed. What can we count on?

Anyone reading this already knows the answer, though perhaps the volume of the dark news occasionally drowns out The Good News. God is unchanged. As always, we can count on Him. The more we demonstrate our faith in that truth, the more we will experience it.

Faith has that interesting dimension to it; the more that we live our faith in our daily actions, the more that we experience the fruits of our faith. In living out our belief in God’s gracious giving, the more we open ourselves to receive His blessings.

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.  (Mal. 3:10)

Tithing demonstrates both our faith and our gratitude. In dedicating 10 percent of our income to God’s work, we thankfully acknowledge that every single good thing that we have and experience comes from Him. We clearly state our belief that God will provide all that we need. The 10 percent given from the top is God’s for us to pass along to those people and organizations, like Christ Church, that needs it to cover the expenses of doing His work.

Why doesn’t God just provide for His work directly? Because we would then be deprived of the privilege of proclaiming our love and gratitude to God by accepting our responsibility to use His part of our affluence to accomplish

His work. And it would deprive us of the opportunity to experience the blessing that comes from giving to God first.

In 1997 the General Convention of the Episcopal Church affirmed the tithe as the minimum standard of individual giving for Episcopalians. If you are not currently tithing, prayerfully consider increasing your pledge by a percentage each of the next three years that will result in your tithing by the end of that time. As a start, the Covenant Committee requests that you consider a 20 percent increase in your pledge for next year. Such an affirmation of your faith is truly a gift to yourself, freeing your spirit from doubt about God’s generous provision.