Letter from the Rector Sermon from Rev. R. Stan Runnels Sermons Music
Stewardship History of St. Paul's Church Our Church Windows

 

Stewardship

You are Important to Us

The Psalmist wrote, "God has done great things for us and we are filled with gladness and joy." (Psalm 126:4) How do we respond to the grace, peace, and blessings that God has given each of us? This question is at the heart of Christian Stewardship. We are all stewards of what God has given us: our time, our talents, our spiritual gifts, our resources, and our world. Stewardship is not just about how much we give to God, it is about HOW we use the resources that God has given to us.

Stewardship is an emotional and spiritual commitment that helps us define our relationship with God over the course of our lives. Stewardship should make some difference in how we, as religious people, experience life from day to day. Do we live our lives any differently from our unchurched friends, neighbors, and co-workers? God wants us to return the FIRST and BEST of our resources to God.

If you have any questions about what you have read here or want some more information about stewardship, please call Father Stan Runnels at 816.931.2850 or e-mail me at srunnels@stpauls-kcmo.org.

Stewardship is…

  • Organizing your life so God can give you away.
  • The summing up of a Christian life.
  • A reflection of the strength your faith & your relationship with God.
  • Putting your assets at risk for the sake of God and the Gospel.
  • About how you spend all your money and your resources, not just how much you give to church.
  • Generous, charitable giving to God.
  • Returning to God a proportional share of God's blessings that you receive.
  • Giving our strengths, gifts, talents, and competencies in the service of God's kingdom here on earth.
  • Living your life in the presence of Christ, surrounded by God's grace and peace.
  • Equal Compassion, Community, Commitment, and Sacrifice not equal giving.
  • Putting your money where your heart and your mouth are.

Statements on Stewardship

I believe . . .

  • The more I give, the more I receive in return.
  • Where I spend my resources is a reflection of what is important to me.
  • Giving to God's work is part of a religious life.
  • I should not wait until it's convenient or easy to give to God's work (no more excuses).

I commit . . . 

  • To give a proportional share of God's blessings that I receive to St. Paul's.
  • To pledge each year to St. Paul's.
  • To work toward increasing my pledge and my giving every year to St. Paul's.
  • To work toward at least tithing (giving 10% of your income) to St. Paul's.

You are invited!

  • To sit down and analyze where and how you spend your resources. Then decide what portion you will give to God through St. Paul's.
  • To experience the feelings of belonging that go with a pledge of any size to St. Paul's.
  • To faithfully be a part of the St. Paul's community by giving of your time, your talents, your gifts, and your service.

Bible passages

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes…But seek first God's kingdom and God's righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Matthew 6:25 & 33

"Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.'"
Mathew 25:19-21

"Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
2 Corinthians 9:7-8

"Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasures for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
1 Timothy 6:18-19