Why we give
Why should I give regularly to my church?
There are a lot of reasons, boiling down to Spiritual and Practical reasons for giving.
First, the Spiritual:
Jesus talked about the proper use of resources more than any other topic in the Gospels. The way we use our resources says a lot about our loyalty, and the depth of our discipleship. Jesus even said in Matthew 6:19-21 that "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." So why not invest in the heavenly type of treasure?!
Giving is a Spiritual Discipline just like Prayer, reading your Bible, and worship attendance. The Biblical guideline in the Old Testament is a tithe, or 10% giving of one's income back to the church, or to some other work for God in the world. Living on 90% of your income is not harmful to most people, but it's large enough so you have to give it on purpose, reminding yourself of the reason you are giving in the first place.
God owns it all in the first place.
While we talk about giving to God, God really owns it all in the first place! We're just taking care of things while we're alive. We're all just stewards for our time on earth, and we may as well take care of God's stuff by doing some good with it while we are watching over it!
Next, the Practical:
The church relies on your gifts to do ministry and operate.
OK, let's be honest here: every local church is a not-for-profit corporation that is able to operate because of the financial gifts it receives. We have church staff & ministries they lead: the money for these comes from you. We give to the larger church around the state, country, and world so we can work together to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. We support missionaries, schools, Children's Homes, the United Negro College Fund, and an untold number of good things through our UMC Connection. We have air conditioning, lights to keep on and property to maintain, and we're able to have these things because of your financial gifts to the church. First UMC has an annual budget of around $500,000; so we all have a part to play in helping our ministries thrive and our needs to be addressed. We don't get any substantial income from any other source.
If you're a member, you promised to do it when you joined.
When we joined First UMC, whether it was in 2024 or 1924, we promised to support the church in several ways, among them being with our financial offerings. We made this promise to God and to our fellow church members. We recognize everyone has different financial resources and abilities to give, but we expect everyone to give it their best shot, and grow in their giving where they can as they grow in their relationship with Jesus.
There are a lot of reasons, boiling down to Spiritual and Practical reasons for giving.
First, the Spiritual:
Jesus talked about the proper use of resources more than any other topic in the Gospels. The way we use our resources says a lot about our loyalty, and the depth of our discipleship. Jesus even said in Matthew 6:19-21 that "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." So why not invest in the heavenly type of treasure?!
Giving is a Spiritual Discipline just like Prayer, reading your Bible, and worship attendance. The Biblical guideline in the Old Testament is a tithe, or 10% giving of one's income back to the church, or to some other work for God in the world. Living on 90% of your income is not harmful to most people, but it's large enough so you have to give it on purpose, reminding yourself of the reason you are giving in the first place.
God owns it all in the first place.
While we talk about giving to God, God really owns it all in the first place! We're just taking care of things while we're alive. We're all just stewards for our time on earth, and we may as well take care of God's stuff by doing some good with it while we are watching over it!
Next, the Practical:
The church relies on your gifts to do ministry and operate.
OK, let's be honest here: every local church is a not-for-profit corporation that is able to operate because of the financial gifts it receives. We have church staff & ministries they lead: the money for these comes from you. We give to the larger church around the state, country, and world so we can work together to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. We support missionaries, schools, Children's Homes, the United Negro College Fund, and an untold number of good things through our UMC Connection. We have air conditioning, lights to keep on and property to maintain, and we're able to have these things because of your financial gifts to the church. First UMC has an annual budget of around $500,000; so we all have a part to play in helping our ministries thrive and our needs to be addressed. We don't get any substantial income from any other source.
If you're a member, you promised to do it when you joined.
When we joined First UMC, whether it was in 2024 or 1924, we promised to support the church in several ways, among them being with our financial offerings. We made this promise to God and to our fellow church members. We recognize everyone has different financial resources and abilities to give, but we expect everyone to give it their best shot, and grow in their giving where they can as they grow in their relationship with Jesus.
Ways To Give
Give Online
Give online through our website here or through our church App on your mobile device.
Have your bank send us a check from your bank account using BillPay or similar feature.
Have your bank send us a check from your bank account using BillPay or similar feature.
Give In Person
Put a check or cash gift in the offering plate during worship.
Mail A Check
Giving statements are mailed out regularly to help you keep track of your commitment to give, and to make sure we are keeping good account of your gifts.