What is Stewardship Giving?
Stewardship is a gift of your time, talent, and treasure for building up God’s Kingdom here on Earth. It is an act of faith and an expression of gratitude. It is what you do when you realize that your life, work, abilities, skills, and the people and places you love are ALL gifts from the God who created you.
Stewardship is more than just giving. It encompasses the broad concept of assuming the responsibility of caring for the gifts that God has given us. In our congregation at St. James, we believe this can take the form of getting to know and look after each other, being actively involved in the community, and reaching beyond our walls.
If you attend regularly, you are already giving some of your time and talents in service to God, but are you giving a portion of your income? It’s never easy to promise a piece of your living for God’s purposes, to let go of control of what you earn. But that difficulty points to the importance of “stewardship” on the faith journey. It’s an opportunity to grow, to learn to give as God has given, freely and generously.
We have a traditional annual pledge campaign in the fall when St. James members are asked to pledge to support our work for the coming year. However, you may pledge at any time. The pledge dollars you give will help support the work of St. James Episcopal Church, which relies solely on the gifts of individuals for its life and ministry.
Click the card to make a pledge for 2024
How will my gifts be used?
Gifts support St. James’s operating fund, which is used in all areas of St. James’s life, including worship and music, outreach, education, global justice ministries, and community life.
How much should I give?
Christian stewardship is not about fundraising. It is about expressing thanksgiving to God and growing in generosity. It is about a growing realization that ALL we have is a gift from God.
The biblical tithe is ten percent (10%). A tithe is a portion (10%) of your income given as an offering to your local church. The word “tithe” literally means tenth in Hebrew. Because the custom of tithing is biblical, Christians practice it as part of our faith. (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:25–28; Deuteronomy 14:22–24; 2 Chronicles 31:5–6)
Scripture guides us to give of our first fruits. (Proverbs 3:9-10) Sharing our first fruits means giving our best to God. It means sacrificing something that costs us a little. It means putting God first, even before ourselves or our family. Making a first fruit offering opens us up to allowing God to work in our lives. We encourage you to consider what proportion of gifts you have been given prayerfully will give to building up the Kingdom of God. We ask that you give an amount that reflects the role St. James plays in your spiritual journey.
How should I make my gift?
You may write checks to “St. James Episcopal Church” and place them in the collection at a worship service. Please note ‘Pledged Giving’ on the memo line for your check to be credited toward your pledge. If the check is not designated to a specified purpose in the memo portion, it will go into the general offering. Pledge envelopes are not required, but they are available on request by contacting the Parish Administrator, Kathy McCrary, at (423) 638-6583. For gifts of stock and securities, please contact Pete Hodges or Patti Lane, co-treasurers, via the parish office.
If you want to give to St. James through your bank, you can set us up as a bill-pay vendor for regular payments. Make sure you use the correct address.
St. James Episcopal Church
107 West Church Street
Greeneville, TN 37745
Account Number = Your Last Name and Pledge Number
Will I receive an acknowledgment of my gift?
You will receive an acknowledgment letter within a few weeks of your initial gift or pledge. However, you will not get individual acknowledgments for weekly plate gifts or pledge payments. We try to send out quarterly statements to assist you with honoring your commitment to support St. James. In January, you will receive a summary of all gifts you made between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year for your tax purposes. All donations made to St. James are tax-deductible.
“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
~ 2 Corinthians 9:7
Estate Planning
You can help the ministries of St. James by remembering us in your will. You may do so by using the following wording:
“I hereby give, devise, and bequeath to St. James Episcopal Church, a not-for-profit corporation, with the present address of 107 West Church Street, Greeneville, TN 37745-3803, and its successor, the greater of $__________, or __________ percentage of my gross estate, to be used in such manner as determined by its trustees.”
See more here About Death & Dying and planning for the end of life.
A Prayer for the proper use of God’s Gifts
O Lord, you have taught us that you will require much from those to whom much is given: Grant that we whom you have called to so goodly a heritage at St. James Episcopal Church may share more abundantly with others what we so richly enjoy and in serving them may know the glory of serving you. Amen.
