Stewardship is also about our treasure. This is why Jesus says: “Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:33-34 

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The disciplines of first fruit, proportionate, and growth giving are gifts of the Holy Spirit that empower us in our faithful giving.  These are gifts that help us grow in faith. They are not mandates, or shoulds, or oughts, rather they are gifts that empower.

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First Fruit Giving: This stewardship term stems from the biblical tradition of making our offering to God the very first of our expenditures.  It is an affirmation in the faith that God is a God of abundance and not of scarcity.   First-fruit giving works!  When we give back to God first, we learn to live on the remainder.

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Some Biblical Reference Points for First Fruit Giving:
Proverbs 3:9-10          Ezekiel 44:30          Deuteronomy 26:2,10
Exodus 23:16            Matthew 6:25-33         1 Corinthians 8:1-6

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Proportionate Giving: Stewardship as a spiritual discipline begins with proportionate giving. When we set aside
the first certain proportion of our resources for God’s work in the world, we make God’s work our first
priority—even as we only give back a fraction of what we have been given.

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Some Biblical Reference Points for Proportionate Giving:
Luke 6:38                 Malachi 3: 8-12               2 Corinthians 8:3
                               2 Corinthians 9:6-8

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Growth Giving: This is the practice of growing in our discipline of giving.  Faith is a journey. We all start somewhere, but that is not necessarily where we end up. Some see growth giving as a charism that allows them to begin giving where they are and grow to where they desire to be.

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Some Biblical Reference Points for Growth Giving:
Mark 4:8                     Ephesians 4:15-16                   Galatians 6:9

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These gifts of first fruit, proportionate. and growth giving allow us to begin where we are, without guilt, and celebrate the joy of giving and the liberating freedom from the cares of this world.

 

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.   Matthew 13:22

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Look on the upper left of this page to find links that will help you determine your 2023 gift of your time and abilities, and your treasure.