St. Mary’s is a church bountifully blessed by God. We believe in sharing those blessings: sharing the abundance of spirit that is present whenever we gather in worship or fellowship; sharing the talents God has given each of us to make the world a better place; and sharing our financial resources to sustain our parish and to help others in our community.
“All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee”.
Sacred stewardship is… ‘Using the gifts God has given us, to do the work God is calling us to do.’ It includes the careful and responsible management of the resources entrusted to our care, whether those gifts are our own time and talents, or the talents and treasures offered in the spirit of generosity by others.
Stewardship is… a foundational aspect of the Christian life. We are stewards of the mysteries of God, stewards of one another, stewards of the world in which we live, stewards of our time and treasure and talents.
Stewardship is not a program.
Stewardship is not about raising money.
Stewardship is not here today and gone tomorrow.
Instead…
Stewardship is a journey.
Stewardship is about life.
Stewardship is a way of life.
At St. Mary’s, we are blessed with a church and other buildings to care for, and a mission to be God’s hands and voice to each other and the community. Being God’s people and accepting these blessings, we are called to respond with every aspect of our lives: our faith, time, energy, passion, skills—and our money.
However you practice stewardship at St. Mary’s, please know that it is recognized and appreciated by all who are affected by it. But, mostly, God loves you for it!
Thank you for the generosity of the time, skills and financial support that you bring to the mission of St. Mary’s.
Thank you, God, for the inspiring clergy, the talented musicians, the dedicated teachers, and the selflessness of the Vestry and lay ministries who serve our parish family, the disadvantaged and those in distress. Your generosity enables all of us to live more fully in Christ’s mission on earth.
THANK YOU: We are grateful to past generations of parishioners whose pledges, bequests and gifts supported St. Mary’s Church for its first 300 years. We are grateful to the “Greatest Generation” upon whose financial shoulders 20th Century St. Mary’s prospered and grew. Likewise, members today bear responsibility to future generations of our faith community. We are grateful to today’s parishioners who sustain us daily, and who will carry St. Mary’s mission long into the new century. These benefactors, by their acts of Christian charity, demonstrated their faith and hope that St. Mary’s Church would continue beyond their own lifetimes.
How to Be a Steward
There are many ministries at St. Mary’s that can use your time and talents (see Connections) … there’s a ministry for everyone! Become involved in parish life and reap the rewards of selfless giving. Contact the church office, the rector, or one of the church leaders. Your skills will be put to good use, and others will benefit from your involvement.
- Annual Pledge – “Give until it feels good!” – Hubert Pierson
Responsible and disciplined financial stewardship – giving back to God a portion of what God has given us – is critical to spiritual health. Give freely, bountifully to God’s work through the work of our parish, and we will all reap bountifully – internally, in running the parish and serving our Church family; and externally, in our in/outreach ministries. There is a tradition of generosity at St. Mary’s from members who are clearly moved by the Spirit to help sustain St. Mary’s mission. Whether the pledge is the Biblical 10% or another amount, the financial support of the church family sustains St. Mary’s mission.
Pledges are made annually; and contributed weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually. The pledging process is simple, with individual pledge amounts kept confidential. Quarterly statements are sent for easy tracking and tax declaration. Look for your Pledge Card in the mail, in church, or make your pledge and give it via our Online Giving link.
- Planned Giving… a ‘FOREVER’ contribution to St. Mary’s
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
Thoughtful, prayerful stewardship is the understanding of our gifts, and the use of them in a way that reflects our values and faith. As Christians, we look to Jesus to guide us in our life decisions. Our Baptism into the family of Christ keeps before us the mission of the church to reach out to provide for worship and good works in the world among those who need.
St. Mary’s is one place where God’s work and worship is done. We have benefited from the resources left by those who came before us, including our beautiful building and our rich history. Our planned giving program ensures that resources will be available to fund important ministries in the future.
Most of us are familiar with the traditional method of bequeathing money or other property to an organization in our will. This is an excellent way to sustain St. Mary’s for many years to come. Please consider adding St. Mary’s to your will… or establish a trust to benefit the endowment during your life [which may benefit your own income and estate planning]. The most common gifts are cash and stock [or other securities]. It is possible, however, to make a gift of almost anything of value that you own, including life insurance policies, annuities, and real property. [Consult your attorney and accountant for details.]
“I think of leaving St. Mary’s 10% of my estate upon my death as a way for me to finally be able to tithe. It’s a ‘forever’ gift.” – St. Mary’s Vestry Member, 2009
Gifts to any of the following funds at St. Mary’s qualify for the maximum allowable federal & state income tax charitable deduction. Your attorney or other advisor can explain the particular tax benefits. All gifts are for the benefit of the parish. For those who prefer to make an unrestricted gift, this gift can be used at the discretion of the Fund to assist in the ministries of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.
Those who wish for their gift principal to be retained through time so that distributions from earnings will be available in perpetuity may chose to direct their gift to one or more of these funds:
- The Endowment Fund – which supports general expenses
- The Churchyard Fund – for the perpetual maintenance of the cemetery.
- The Chancel Guild – which maintains the chancel & sanctuary
- The Capital Fund – which maintains New and Old St. Mary’s and the Guild House.
“In planning your funeral, you tell the story of your life. In writing your will, you express the values of your life.” – a member of the Episcopal Church Consortium
The information provided herein in no way constitutes legal advice. Donors are urged to consult their attorney, accountant, financial and/or tax advisor about their gift plans.