The person making such a pledge will then receive information regularly about that issue and notices about how to act in a timely, responsible, and useful way. The cost of mailing the information will be borne by those who make such a commitment, not by the congregation's budget. Both the Old and New Testaments teach that all we have is a gift from God. As God's stewards and people of faith, we are taught to bring to God the first fruits. For many Christians, money is symbolic of the first fruits, and the faithful use of it is a source of great blessing.
Money is important.
It is the medium we use to accomplish many of the church's goals, and it is through money that we participate in aspects of the church's mission that would otherwise be closed to us. Our generous financial support enables the church's ministries of proclamation and justice-seeking, of service and compassion, locally, nationally, and internationally. Thus, a commitment of money as a spiritual discipline is at the heart of our Christian responsibility. While the tithe is encouraged in the Covenants of Stewardship program, some people can give more than ten percent while others are not in a position to reach that mark. Proportionate giving is stressed as a disciplined way to express our most thoughtful reflection about the magnitude of God's gifts and our responsibilities in family, church, community, and world.