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A Yearlong Study of Responsible Stewardship
Church of the Annunciation:
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch that does not bear fruit He takes away;
and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit…
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. He
who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing…
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire,
and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified,
that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples…”
(John 15:1-2;
4-5; 7-8)
HOW DO I UNDERSTAND MY STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT?
WE ARE CALLED TO BEAR FRUIT:
At the Last Supper, as we read in Chapter 15 of the Gospel of John, Jesus instructed His disciples, “I Am the Vine; you are the branches.” He was telling us that the purpose of our abiding in Him is that we may bear fruit for God in the world. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit…” (John 15:8). Just as the vine bears fruit only through its branches, so Jesus has chosen to work in the world through us. We are the members of His body – the branches through which the Vine must bear fruit. We bear fruit when we serve and support God and His Church.
CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP IS...
v …learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ’s
Church; it is learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church
work, for in Her dwells the fullness of the Spirit of God.
v …our active commitment to use all our Time, Talent and Treasure for the
benefit of mankind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ’s redeeming
love.
v …caring for the needs of others.
v …offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us.
v …what a person does after saying “I believe…”, as proof of that belief.
v …devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as
parish, as a Metropolis, as a National Church and as THE Church
universal!
It is important to understand that our Stewardship obligations determine a family (husband, wife, & children) or an individual as stewards of our Parish. Young adults (18 years and older) that have completed their schooling and/or find themselves in the workplace are expected to become stewards of the Parish. These individuals are not included in one’s “Family Stewardship” obligation. Please remember Jesus’ words: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing…”
If you have any questions regarding your offering please contact Fr. Jon.
Pledge Guidelines
Income | $25,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 | $100,000 | $150,000 | $200,000 | 2.5% | $625 | $1,250 | $1,875 | $2,500 | $3,750 | $5,000 | 3% | $750 | $1,500 | $2,250 | $3,000 | $4,500 | $6,000 | 4% | $1,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,000 | $6,000 | $8,000 | 5.0% | $1,250 | $2,500 | $3,750 | $5,000 | $7,500 | $10,000 | 10.0% | $2,500 | $5,000 | $7,500 | $10,000 | $15,000 | $20,000 |
The above guideline is meant to assist you in realizing the percentage in which you find yourself in contributing to the sacred work of our Church. When offering your 2012 Stewardship Ministry to our Parish, prayerfully evaluate your budget when making your commitment in recognizing that you are called to “Abide” in Christ. Please remember, the first $175.00 offered per steward supports the ministry of our national Church.
Our efforts as responsible stewards never ends! To the best of our ability, as faithful stewards, let us continue to share our Time, Talents, and Treasure to the glory of God and His Church. May the Lord strengthen us, bless us, and inspire us in these efforts!
Have you made your commitment to Christ and His Church this year?
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