Summer is hard for all parishes, but it is especially difficult for start-ups like St. Peters.
In the spring contributions matched expenses. We were making it month to month. Now we we won’t make it through the end of this month unless we come up with more funding.
How much does it cost to run St. Peter’s? Around $8,000 a month.
What do we need to raise? We would like to have pledges in hand for six months of operating expenses, around $50,000.
This will get us through the lean times and enable us to build a reserve.
How should I think about supporting my Church?
The Church is not a charity. It is the place where we meet Christ and are strengthened in Him. If we are serious about Christ, then we will be serious about supporting our Church.
It works from the other direction too. If we are not serious about supporting our Church, then we are not really serious about Christ.
And we support the Church in three ways: time, talent, and treasure. We must offer all three. One does not cancel out the other.
All of us give according to our ability, our circumstances in life, and other factors. Time and talent are easy to figure out. Treasure is more difficult.
According to the Bible, we must tithe. This means we must offer a certain percentage of our income to God’s work in the Church. Why does the Bible say this? Because the wealth that we have actually comes from God. We are just the stewards – the caretakers – of what rightfully belongs to Him.
What should the tithe be? The Bible says 10%. That is a high number and most people would not be able to reach it at first, especially without extensive planning. But giving in terms of the tithe is a way we need to start thinking about our obligation to God and His church.
In the next few days I will provide more information on tithing on the St. Peter website. I will also post a pledge card you can fill in and mail.
What can I do now?
St. Peter needs your immediate gift to keep operating. We need to get through the lean months. Please bring your gift to St. Peter this Sunday or mail it to us on the address given on the website.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Hans