Stewardship Statement Today

I’m a member of my parish’s Stewardship Team.  We are no longer just about the “annual pledge drive.”  We have a year-round mission of helping to educate, inform, and inspire the parish to contemplate and live out stewardship in all its manifestations.  We lead book and movie discussions.  We host special events.  We try to keep “stewardship” in the forefront of our parish awareness throughout the year.

But this is October – the month when most Episcopal parishes do their “pledge drive.”

In the past 3 or 4 years, we did a combined “pledge drive,” asking people to pledge their money, time, and talents.  This year, we decided to let October be about financial support of the parish.  (We’ll tackle time and talent in early 2014.)  After much discussion, we decided to talk about money this month.   You know how Christians – and Episcopalians – don’t want to talk about money.  It’s considered gauche.  Most of us were raised with the mantra that – in polite society – we do not discuss politics, sex, religion, or money.  But Jesus and the Gospel writers talked more about money than about almost any other topic. Our Stewardship Committee decided we’d dare to touch that “fourth rail”; we decided to talk quite explicitly about money this month.

Each October Sunday during the “announcements” period at the 8:00 and 10:30 services, one of us Stewardship Team members will stand up and talk about Church and money.  We are to share something from our personal experience.  Today was the first of those Sundays, and I was first up at the 10:30 service.   I went to the lectern with four small note cards with “bullet points” on them.  In case any of you want to know, I’m going to try here to write what I tried to say today from that lectern.

Hello, I’m Lisa Fox, and I’m a member of our Stewardship Team. 

As I was preparing to talk with you today, it struck me that this is a significant anniversary for me. Fifteen years ago this weekend, on Friday night, I drove my moving van to Jefferson City.  I spent Saturday unpacking as much as I could. Then Sunday, I walked into this church for the first time.  From that first Sunday, you made me feel at home. I wrote my first offering check that day. And I have never quit giving my money to this parish since then. 

There’s an old saw that “polite” people don’t talk about sex, politics, religion, or money.  But our Stewardship Team has made a very conscious decision to talk about money this year.  And so I shall.

A few moments ago, we heard the children’s choir introit.  They sang almost everything we need to hear as they sang, “I am the Church. You are the Church.  We are the Church together.” 

But I want to share a few thoughts with you anyway.

I want to tell you why I tithe to Grace.  By the way, I am a little nervous saying that I tithe.  I don’t want it to sound like I’m bragging.  But we hear others talk about their spiritual disciplines. For example, some people mention that they pray the Daily Office.  Why shouldn’t I also say that tithing is part of my spiritual discipline?

Here are three reasons why I tithe.

First, I tithe in gratitude for what God has done and is still doing in my life.  Our priest reminds us that the definition of “Eucharist” is “thanksgiving.” I tithe because God has blessed and redeemed me more than I ever deserved.

Second, I tithe in gratitude for what this parish is doing and has done for me, and in gratitude for what it’s doing for other parishioners. I expect most of you, too, have been blessed by the ministry of our members.

Third, I tithe in gratitude for and solidarity with Grace’s mission outreach to the wider community and for what that lets us share with the Diocese and the wider Episcopal Church. 

Last year, I was pleased that I finally pledged 10% of my income to this parish.  But then something happened.  As several of you know, my paid-off car was totaled while I safely at home in June. I had to buy a new-to-me car.  I had counted the cost and thought I knew what I could afford.  But the payments came up a bit higher than I expected.  When the first payment came due – God help me, I confess – I immediately thought, “I cannot afford this.  I have to make room in my budget.  I guess I’ll have to reduce my pledge to the Church.”

And then a big head-slap came out to me – maybe from the Holy Spirit, or maybe from within my own spirit. 

I was reminded of what I have so often heard: “A budget is a moral document.”  I believe that.  I have a budget.  And I thought of all the items I have in that budget, including my Internet connection, my cell phone charges, my eating-out budget, and my larger-than-it-should-be Starbucks budget.  What in the world made me think that I should look first to reduce my pledge to Grace Church and the mission of the Church?? 

Fortunately, that big ol’ head-slap quickly brought me to my senses.  I had made a promise to God and to this parish.  How dare I first think about reducing my parish pledge?  Why in the world would that strike me as the first possible cut? I realized I could cut back on other things to take up the slack. 

Everything I have – including this new-to-me 2007 car – is a gift from God.  And God has asked me to give the “first fruits” back to the church.  God “whopped me up-side o’ my head” about my priorities.  This parish is one of the things I treasure most in my life.  My treasure should be where my heart is.  And TEC and this parish matter more to me than my new-to-me car. 

I hope you will join me this month in discernment about what God has given you and what you value about this parish.  And please join me in discernment about what we should give back to God in gratitude for the gifts we have been given.

Money, Religion, and Politics

What Romney’s Money Tells Me about his Values

You know that old saw: Families and other communities tend to eschew conversation about sex, money, politics, and religion.  I’m going to violate three of those taboos here.

If you’re in the U.S. and haven’t been living under a rock, I assume you’ve seen the ongoing news reports, commentary, and harangues about Governor Romney and his tax returns.  You know that the Democrats are calling for him to release more than just last year’s returns, and you know he has refused.

You may be appalled, as I am, by this utter hypocrisy: The Romney campaign staff required that VP nominee Ryan share with them several years of tax returns, while both Romney and Ryan decline to make them public. Apparently, Romney thinks Ryan should share his tax returns with the Romney staff, but neither of them feels the public has the right to any of that information. Ironic, isn’t it?

So that’s the politics of the thing. Now let me talk about money and religion.

Money and Religion

Romney went under his invisibility cloak and looked at his tax returns from the past several years. He emerged, proudly declaring that he’s paid about 13% of his gross income in taxes, and a total of “about 20%” when including charitable contributions.

Romney’s paying a lot lower tax rate than I am. I’m a lowly 1040EZ filer – owning no home, claiming no special deductions – and my rate is generally about 18%. But, of course, that’s only fair, for I have a lot more disposable income than he has. NOT! I have a tiny margin of “disposable income." He has millions.

I earn my income through working for a living. All news media (from the left and the right) have explained that Romney’s income comes mostly from capital gains … which are taxed at a much lower rate than wages. I work for a living and pay 15-18% to the IRS. Romney plays the stock market and pays about 13% to the IRS. Does something about that strike you as just a wee bit unfair?

Romney claims to be a Christian, right? So how does he square his financial situation with Luke 12:48? It says:

"From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

In the Romney/Ryan vision of the world, those who make the most money should pay the lowest tax rate. In the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those who profit most should give most. I wonder how these oh-so-“religious” men square their policy decisions with the words of Jesus Christ. I wonder what Jesus would say to them.

But enough about politics. Let’s talk about religion and money.

Getting Personal

Explaining the tax returns that we have not seen, Romney says he paid about 13% in taxes to the IRS, but he added that charitable contributions bring the total to about 20%. He said that as if charitable contributions should count toward his “giving” or “offering” to the IRS. What do “charitable contributions” have to do with what he paid in taxes??

But never mind that. Let’s just deal with the facts he gave us.

Romney tells us he gave about 7% of his income in charitable contributions. Seven percent. Not quite the biblical standard of 10%, is it? The man reaps millions each year, and he expects us to applaud his giving 7% out of his abundance?

"From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded." Luke 12:48

Romney’s proud declaration sent me to my financial spreadsheet.

Personal revelation: A few years back, I got serious about the biblical standard of the 10% “tithe,” and I began working toward it, increasing my church pledge each year, even though I’ve had no salary increase in three [or has it been four?] years. I kept increasing my giving in all those years of no pay increases. My pledge to my church is now beyond 10% of my net income, and I’m increasing it every year, working toward a tithe on my gross income. This year, I’m at 8.7% of my gross income in giving to my parish. Governor Romney, that's 8.7% of my gross! -- while you brag about giving 7% of your millions.

This year hasn’t been different than most years in my financial life. Between my contributions to my parish, other parishes and ministries of the Episcopal Church, and other non-profits, so far this year I have given 9.1% of my gross income in charitable contributions. Governor Romney, that's 9.1% of my gross!  With an annual income just under $45k, I can manage to give over 9% of my income to the church and other benevolent causes. But Governor Romney – making millions each year – can only afford to give about 7%. What’s up with that? Is his budget a lot tighter than mine? Bless his heart. Could he afford to give more if he didn't make so much money in outsourcing jobs to China?

In my parish, we talk about “proportional giving.” So far, I can give 9% to my church and charitable organizations. Governor Romney – bless his heart – can only afford to give 7% to his church and similar causes. Maybe he could “afford” to give more money if he didn’t make so much money. Poor dear.

I wonder if Governor Romney has ever heard Jesus’ parable about the widow’s mite. I have, and it challenges me to give more sacrificially to the Kingdom of God because I am so grateful for the blessings God has showered on me.

You want to talk about "Christian values," Governor Romney? Bring it on!

Christian Stewardship

“For where your treasure is, there shall your heart be also.” 

In all the media hype and soundbytes that came out of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church this month, not one of them (as far as I saw) noted this very significant fact: The overwhelming majority of resolutions passed by overwhelming majorities.  Probably 80-90% of the resolutions passed or failed clearly on a voice vote.  We didn’t need to resort to the next steps: holding up our green (“yes”) or red (“no”) cards nor use the electronic voting machines that would tabulate each vote.  Most of our actions related to the mission and ministry of our life as the Episcopal Church and to our witness in the world, and most received overwhelming consensus.  

Of course, the media lives to report on controversy, so they reported on things like our authorization of same-sex blessings, our non-decision on the Anglican Covenant, and so on.


I serve on the Stewardship Committee in my parish. We’re not just about the “annual pledge drive,” but about year-round stewardship activities. Several of our members have attended the TENS conferences, and we are getting better about weaving stewardship themes into the daily life of our parish.


One of the resolutions that came before General Convention was #A088, “Set Expectations for Steward Leaders.”  You can find the resolution text and explanation here. The resolution was put forward by the Standing Commission and Stewardship and Development, and you can read background on their work on pages 529-530 of the Blue Book.  Resolution A088 was one of those that passed easily on a voice vote.


I will be taking this resolution to the next meeting of our parish Stewardship Committee, for it is a powerful document. It sets out expectations of those lay and ordained persons who are “steward leaders.”  It calls us to “Proclaim a Theology of Abundance and Spirituality of Money,” to “Teach Biblical and Theological Principles of Stewardship,” to “Engage and Critique Culture,” and to “Embrace the Interconnected Relationships between all Persons and Creation.” Under each of those main points, it suggests more specific ways we should commit ourselves more deeply to stewardship and lead our parishes into a deeper understanding of Christian stewardship.  It calls us to some very challenging activities – asking that we speak personally about our understanding of stewardship, “articulate the tension between the current consumer culture and following Christ,” and “speak to the impact of our lifestyles on all of God’s creation.”


If you want to help your congregation deepen its understanding of stewardship, I commend this resolution to you. Ponder it. Share it.  See what you and your congregation can do to live into it.  And please don’t rely only on my synopsis here; please read the resolution here, then think about how you and your congregation might live more deeply into Gospel stewardship. I look forward to doing that here in my parish.