[Magdalen] Stewardship

[Ginga Wilder]

As a pewsitter - my leadership in our parish has dwindled to me (as my gift
of time and talent) maintaining the website and also keeping up our
Facebook page.  This amounts to 10-12 hours per week.  This is, of course,
not a paid position, but it gives this old woman something creative to do.
I no longer serve on mission council or committee boards.

Over the years of our pledging, the teaching that has meant the most to
John and me is 'giving in gratitude.'  And, that is why we give and give as
generously and sacrificially as we possibly can.  Talk of tithing makes my
eyes glaze over.  We don't look at a percentage of income to set our
pledge....it simply seems to obligatory to us.  We give because we are
grateful for our wonderful mission congregation, our clergy, our
hard-working administrator, our ministries into and beyond the parish.  Our
gift has no expectation that we will have any privilege in the
congregation...gag.  We give because we are grateful that Good Shepherd is
an Episcopal Church that is formed as the body of Christ in the Summerville
community.  We love God and we love Good Shepherd, so we support God's work
through our giving to our church.

Y'all, teach your folks about gratitude.  Emphasize also that a gift of
time and talent is important for the lay ministries of the congregation and
are no substitute for pledging money to the work of the church.  Jumping
off the soap box now.

Love,
Ginga

On Wed, Oct 7, 2020 at 11:41 AM Ann Markle <ann.markle at aya.yale.edu> wrote:

> Just saw a diocesan clergy presentation  (via Zoom) on stewardship this
> year.  If anyone's interested, TENS (as usual) has some excellent resources
> for stewardship in plague days. And if other clergy are like me, there is a
> little more time and energy than in other years for thinking about this.
>
> Ann
>
> The Rev. Ann Markle
> Buffalo, NY
> ann.markle at aya.yale.edu
>