Giving money to the church is a spiritual practice. The connection between money and spiritual work, though, can be confusing and even hurtful. Society has so many mixed messages about why we should give, how much, and what the money is for. Here are some thoughts about giving at St. George’s Episcopal Church that I hope will be helpful.

Giving is just that…giving. It’s not an obligation or a contract. You can come to church your whole life and never give a cent. The church will not shame you. At some point, though, people who value the church start to realize that they want to give and that giving brings them joy.

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1. Why give? When we see the abundance of blessings in our lives, we often want to share them. If someone gave us a bunch of great food, we might through a party and invite our friends. Giving to the church is one way, among many, to share the blessings we receive. We often say in the church, “It all comes from God.” So giving back to God is a way to say, “thank you.” Giving is also a way that we express our trust in God’s generosity. We might not have a lot of extra income to share. When we share anyway, it’s a way to say, “I trust that what I need will be provided.” Many of us find that when we give, even in lean times, we still have more than enough. Giving can also be fun and joyful. It’s a great feeling to be generous.

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