There’s no way around it, the work the Church-building up the Kingdom of God-depends on the people of God investing their time, talent, and treasure in that work.

When it comes to the monetary part of this investment, we are faced with a spiritual challenge: money can come to mean security, so we cling to it out of fear. We are encouraged by so many voices around us (e.g., product ads) to live in fear, that we can lose site of what it means to live trusting God.

A Spirituality of stewardship means caring well for what has been entrusted to us by God. This is a spirituality of love and trust, not of fear.

Contributing financially to the work of church, then, is not just another hole in our wallets, but instead is a spiritual opportunity to grow in faith and trust and to grow the church. This is the economy of the church that makes the kingdom a reality: God entrusts to us a great deal, we nurture it and make it grow, and we return it to God.

What is asked of you

First and foremost you are asked to pray about your stewardship of all that God has given you. The guidelines below express and hold up the STM community value regarding the financial aspect of stewardship for your prayerful consideration.

Each parishioner is asked to pledge 10% of their income. While Saint Thomas More only tracks the 5% pledge to the parish, each household is also asked to pledge 1% to our Diocese, and 4% to charities of your choice. (These percentages are calculated on gross income.) The 4% (at donor’s discretion) may include special collections presented in the parish envelopes, Capital Campaign contributions, other charitable causes the family has particular interest in supporting, or an additional contribution above a regular 5% tithe to the parish. The Biblical call of stewardship indicates a 10% tithe in appreciation to God for all that God has given to us.