Stewardship of Treasure

Saint Michael is a Stewardship Parish, based on the understanding that all that we have and all that we are is a gift from God – our time, our talent, our money and even the gift of life itself. We show our gratitude for these gifts by returning a portion of them back to God.

When we consider our participation in stewardship, we need to include our time and talent, as well as our treasure. As with our Sacrificial Giving, giving time and talent express our gratitude to the God who has given us these gifts. Our gifts of time and talent do not substitute for the gifts of our financial resources (Sacrificial Giving). Nor do our gifts of treasure substitute for our gifts of time and talent. All are gifts from God. Consider the guideline of committing five hours per week to Saint Michael Parish or other church ministries and activities, community work and/or other kinds of social service. We can give more or less than this guide depending on our situation.

Sacrificial Giving is:

Planned

A careful, intentional response to God's generosity.

The decision to give is just that—a decision. It requires thought and time, so that it is integrated with other financial decisions as part of a careful, intentional response to God’s generosity.

Proportionate

Ensuring that we give the First Fruits—given first, not after other obligations have been satisfied.

Our proportionate gift becomes sacrificial when it comes from our substance rather than our abundance. When we give out of our substance, we are changed in the process. We have given away something we thought we needed for ourselves, thus changing our lifestyle. We have acted on our belief that our security lies not in our material resources but in God.

Sacrificial

Coming from our substance rather than our abundance--acting on our belief that our security lies in God.
Our proportionate gift becomes sacrificial when it comes from our substance rather than our abundance. When we give out of our substance, we are changed in the process. We have given away something we thought we needed for ourselves, thus changing our lifestyle. We have acted on our belief that our security lies not in our material resources but in God.
The Heart of Stewardship

The Heart of Stewardship

We recognize that everything we have is a gift from God and that we are called to return a portion of those gifts back to God. As disciples, we give of our time, our talent, and our treasure.

At Saint Michael Parish, our goal is for all members to commit to M.A.S.S. – Making All Sundays Sacred. The weekly sacrifice of the Mass and the Eucharist are the source and summit of our faith and we hope all parishioners honor that time. We should also return the gift of time to God is through prayer. Prayer must under-gird all of our efforts as disciples of Christ. Father Jim has long advocated a “five & five” approach to prayer: give God at least five minutes in the morning and at least five minutes at night. For us as Christians, nothing is more important than the relationship we have with God, and nothing strengthens that relationship like consistent, faithful, and thankful prayer.

We all have unique God-given gifts, ways in which we can work to build the Kingdom like no one else. But, we must also remember that our gifts are given to us by God to be used not for ourselves, but for others! There are so many ways in which we can do that, and so many ministry opportunities here at Saint Michael Parish. It is our expectation that every member will find at least one ministry each year to which they commit their service. Some churches just want to get people into the pews, but we’d rather get everyone out of the pews and into service!

Treasure. At Saint Michael Parish, we don’t do fund raisers. We don’t do second collections. We don’t nickel and dime our members throughout the year. No bake sales. No car washes. Once a year in the fall, we ask every registered family or member to pledge a dollar amount that they will give to support the parish and its ministries for the coming year. We ask our members to prayerfully consider working toward the Biblical tithe of 10% of their income – 6% to Saint Michael Parish and 4% to other charities and worthwhile causes. We also encourage Online Giving, as it ensures on-time delivery of your pledged amount and reduces postage and printing costs. As a new member, we also ask you to fill out a pledge form and commit to financial support of the parish. We can only do the things we do and offer the programs we offer because our members support the parish.