Join us on November 21, 2021!
One Service Sunday 10:00 AM (Streamed and In-Person)
Luncheon to Follow
Once again, the vestry has selected the New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program to teach the biblical and spiritual principles of generous giving as our stewardship education for this year. Over the next few weeks, we will receive an overview of how to approach systematic and proportionate giving. Starting this Sunday with our Senior Warden, Arden McLean, we will hear personal stories from parishioners about how NCS and the ministries of St. George have influenced their giving. We will also begin to collect RSVPs for the NCS Luncheon which occurs immediately after the NCS service. Last year’s luncheon was a wonderful celebration of fellowship and a wonderful acknowledgment of God’s gifts to us. This year we will continue to collect RSVPs both digitally and in person.
Congregations that approach financial stewardship from a biblical perspective do not view their pledges as merely a way for the church to pay its bills. Rather, those congregations see financial giving as a way to help their members grow spiritually in their relationship with God by supporting their church’s mission and ministry with a percentage of their incomes.
New Consecration Sunday is based on the biblical philosophy that spiritual development comes from the need of the giver to give, not the need of the church to receive. Instead of treating parishioners like members of a social club who should pay dues, we will treat people like followers of Jesus Christ who want to give unselfishly as an act of discipleship. New Consecration Sunday encourages people toward proportionate and systematic giving in response to the question, “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give?”
On November 21, NCS, we will all fill out an estimate of giving together. The congregation will be able to fill out this card during our streamed/in-person service electronically or in person if they are participating on campus. A guest leader will conduct a brief period of instruction and inspiration, culminating in members making their financial commitments. These commitments support the benevolent, missionary, and educational ministries in the St. George community and communities around the world.
If you choose to attend the service either in-person or virtually but do not make a financial commitment, you will not be made to feel personally embarrassed. The cards are collected in such a way as to maintain your privacy and to honor all decisions as a confidential act of worship. Even people who are strongly opposed to completing a card are encouraged to attend the service as it is still our time to worship God together.
The Consecration committee, vestry members, and ministry leadership will make every effort to inform, to inspire, and to gain commitment from everyone to attend Consecration Sunday. By choosing to attend worship on Consecration Sunday, every attendee and member who completes an Estimate of Giving Card is doing so voluntarily. We will not solicit people at home to complete their cards. However, we will contact parishioners to confirm their attendance at the virtual/in-person event.
Thanks in advance for your enthusiastic participation in Consecration Sunday events.
