Stewardship and Giving
Giving Donations
Would you like to give a monetary donation to St. John’s in support of our mission? It’s easy! Simply click here to go to our PayPal page.
You can offer a one-time or a recurring donation.
We are grateful for your support! If you have any questions, contact the St. John’s Treasurer: treasurer.stjohnskingston@gmail.com
Stewardship
Let’s be honest, it costs money to have a church. We have a budget that covers things like building maintenance, staff salaries, utilities, and supplies for programs. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the ways in which we are called to help others in our community through outreach efforts. All of this means, we have to raise money.
And when it comes to stewardship, the bigger questions are: WHY do we have a church? What is important about this community? Why are we here? Of what value is St. John’s to me? When we consider these questions, we start to realize that a church isn’t just another club with a set of bills to be paid. There is something else here for us.
Essentially, Stewardship is the practice of gratitude. When we stop and think about it – just how much we do have – we become grateful and a desire wells up within us to nurture, care for, and develop what we have.
Stewardship is a spiritual practice—one that awakens our responsibility to care for one another, our common life, and for all of God’s creation. Through this lens, we become more mindful of the resources we have and how we use them. We learn to use them in a way that truly reflects our deepest values, values we cultivate through our faith as disciples of Jesus. As members of a church community, we grow together in our relationships. We also grow in faith, gratitude, and in our desire to share our gifts. And when we give of our financial resources, no matter the size of the gift, we come to realize just how much we have and, as Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount, we learn more deeply what it means to worry less about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.
The Yearly Stewardship Campaign
Every fall, as the Vestry prepares our budget for the coming year, the Stewardship Team leads the Stewardship Campaign. During this time, members of St. John’s are asked to make a financial pledge to the community.
What is a pledge?
A pledge is a financial commitment that indicates what an individual, couple, or family intends to share in support of the ministry of St. John’s Episcopal Church in the coming year.
Why should I pledge?
As a part of the spiritual practice of stewardship, pledging is an immediate and tangible reminder of our interdependence on one another. In a culture so focused on materialism, we often fail to see just how much we have. Pledging helps us to be mindful of the abundance in our lives, even if we don’t believe we have much to offer.
Pledging is also vital for the ongoing life of the parish because pledges enable our leadership to plan responsibly and to continue working towards a sustainable operating budget for St. John’s. Every pledge is important.
Finally, by filling out a pledge card, you are creating a legal document that allows St. John’s to list you as a member (affecting things like grants and other support) and enables you to report St. John’s to the IRS as a recipient of your charitable donation.
What should my pledge be?
First, know that your pledge is confidential, known only to the Rector, the Treasurer, and the Stewardship Chairperson.
The Episcopal Church’s ideal for pledging is the Biblical tithe of 10%. Some people at St. John’s tithe fully, while others are working towards that goal. Pledging works best if approached as proportional giving. The chart below can help. If 10% is too high for you, choose the percentage of your income that is right for you. Then, commit to reviewing this every year alongside your siblings at St. John’s and join the community in growing together in our faithfulness to Christ.
