WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP?
We offer ourselves and all creation to the Lord at every Divine Liturgy with the words, "We offer to You Yours of Your own." We acknowledge that everything we offer to God is a gift from Him. We take what God has given to us and we return it to Him as an act of our thanksgiving and praise.

As stewards of God's gifts, we return to Him a portion of our time, talents and treasures for Christ's work on earth through His Church.

Christian Stewardship is an opportunity to respond to Christ's love by perpetuating His ministry through the Church. Stewardship places the responsibility to support the Church exactly where it belongs, on us.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
King David said, "all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You." (Chronicles 29:14)

A Steward, according to the Bible, is one who manages and uses the gifts entrusted to him by God for his personal welfare and for the perpetuation of the Lord's work.
Our money and possessions are not ours, but on loan. When we give to the Church, we return to God, the Owner, His rightful portion. The more we are given, the more is expected of us.

WHY IS MONEY NEEDED?
Money is a necessary tool for ministry. To fulfill the Church's mission, we are called upon to commit ourselves to bear our fair share in the financial support of our Church's expenses on a parish, eparchy and archeparchy level.

WHAT GUIDE CAN I USE TO DETERMINE MY GIVING?
Proportionate giving involves two things. Firstly, that our level of giving rises out of our level of income. Secondly, that giving out of thanks will involve sharing a portion of that income for God's work. We should ask ourselves "what is a worthy level to determine my Stewardship?" The Bible gives much guidance by teaching us that direct giving to God and His work should be proportionate to our income, wealth and possessions. Each person is to give according to his or her own ability.

The Old Testament laid down the standard of the tithe or 10% of one's income. This provides us with the principle that giving should be a proportion of our income. Each Steward should determine what percentage of his or her income will be committed to Christ and the Church.

We should consider what we spend on cable television, holidays, pets, dining out, sports events, vacations and so on. How do these compare with our giving for God's work?We should ask ourselves if our Stewardship Commitment is serious and responsible before God. Is our gift a genuine response to the Lord: "We offer to You Yours of Your own."