Christian Stewardship
Tithing - UCC Style
Written by Kate Huey
About eighteen months ago, I joined a woman’s
exercise club, one of those reasonably-priced,
three-day-a-weeks, thirty-minute-workout
women’s exercise clubs that presented a golden
opportunity to get in better shape so I would feel
better and improve my health. What a great
idea! There was only one catch, of course – I
would actually have to show up and do the
workout, because paying my monthly fee,
carrying the ID card, and saying that I belonged
to an exercise club wouldn’t take a single ounce
off my weight or improve my endurance one bit.
What I did notice, however, when I set a rhythm
to my life that included regular trips to the
exercise club, was a definite “lift” to the way I
felt, not just physically but mentally, too.
Clearly, as we all know, exercise is good for us.
It may not be easy, and it may take discipline,
but it’s definitely good for us.
During the past two years, I’ve been making a
similar discovery about generosity, and
specifically about tithing. We live in a world
that offers many “helps” to get our lives in
order, to find a sense of proportion and balance
and health, from exercise clubs and weight-loss
plans to closet organizers and electronic
calendars, from self-help books and Dr. Phil to
financial advisors and “lifestyle coaches.” But I
am convinced that these supports fall far short
of the power of the gospel to transform our
lives.
I’ve experienced this firsthand. As a member of
the Stewardship and Church Finances Ministry
Team of the United Church of Christ, I serve the
region of the church that stretches from Virginia
to Texas. Two summers ago, on a beautiful
June morning, I was about to lead a workshop
on stewardship at a meeting in a church in
Lanett, Alabama. We were sitting on those little
folding chairs in one of the church school
classrooms, waiting to begin, and just visiting
and getting to know one another. When I asked
the folks for their own thoughts about giving, two women, one on either side of me, told me
that they had tithed – that they had given a tenth
of their income to God – all of their lives, and
that they both had found it to be a blessing in
their lives. One said, “When we bought a
house, we thought we’d better back off from
tithing for awhile to make sure we could afford
it, but then we thought, ‘No, we’ll just keep
tithing,’ and we’ve never missed a house
payment.”
So there I was, the “expert on stewardship from
Cleveland,” about to teach them about
generosity and faithfulness. I don’t think so.
The day I returned home from that trip, I stood
by my kitchen counter (I can still see it now),
and I opened my pay envelope. I looked at my
pay stub. I thought about all the blessings in my
life, and I felt so profoundly grateful. I thought,
what was I waiting for? Until I could “afford”
to tithe? Until I wouldn’t feel it if I did? I took
out my checkbook and wrote a check to Pilgrim
Church (my home congregation) for one-tenth
of my paycheck. And it was the best feeling
I’ve ever had when I wrote a check. I’ve been
doing that ever since, each time I receive my
paycheck, stopping to think about my blessings
and give thanks, writing a check of the “first
fruits,” and then living on the rest. Along with
the other money I give to the special mission
offerings (Neighbors in Need, One Great Hour
of Sharing, Strengthen the Church, and the
Christmas Fund) and to other ministries of the
wider church, and to charities I support, and the
money I give to my children…all of those are
the happiest checks I write.
But then I discovered two more things. First, I
feel calmer about money in general. I have a
better sense of priorities in my life; things feel
like they’re in better order. For me, the gift of
tithing is like the gift of the Sabbath – both of
them establish a kind of balance and proportion
in our lives – they are, quite simply, good for
us. Didn’t Jesus say, “The Sabbath was made
for humankind, not humankind for the
Sabbath”?
(Mark 2:27)
Second, I discovered something that can best be
related with a story about my two-year-old
granddaughter, Allyson. Last spring, Ally
stayed with us for eight days. Of course, I’ve
loved playing grandma, giving her lots of
affection and attention, and enjoying how cute
and loveable she is. But for those eight days, I
had to be aware of her at all times, to provide
everything she needed, to think about where she
was and whether she was safe, feed her, bathe
her, clothe her…I had to invest a lot of my time
and my self in her. When the time came to hand
her back to her parents, though, I thought my
heart would break. I had bonded with her in a
very special and powerful way.
That was what I discovered when I decided to
increase my giving dramatically, all at once, to
the church. I found that I love my church even
more. I know I loved it before, but the more I
give, the more I care about Pilgrim Church.
And, mysteriously, at the same time, the more I
trust that the leadership of the church will use
my gifts well. Generosity, I have come to
understand, is a discipline to be practiced and
yet, mysteriously, at the same time, it frees our
spirit. This experience, which transformed my
life – this movement into a spiritual, everyday
practice – would not have happened if two
women of faith had not quietly trusted that
group with their own stories of giving that
summer morning over a year ago. They showed
me by their example and their calm faith what it
means not just to say “I believe” but to really
follow Jesus, not just on Sunday morning, but
seven days a week.
Questions:
In your life, how have you thought of the tithe?
How rules and laws rather than freedom are
often connected with tithing, and how would
exercising the tithe in freedom be a new and
liberating “discipline” in your life?
What steps might you take to increase your
giving, a little bit at a time, to reach a tithe in the
future?
When have you experienced freedom and a
“lift” because you exercised generosity?
Is generosity – like health – something that
happens without effort on our part?
Planning That's Stewardship! Managing a household is a complicated business these days. Trying to make ends meet in a time of heavy taxes, high prices and inflation is a challenge to the wisest of household heads. How do you divide up your income? Which jars get filed first? Usually the first jar is claimed by Uncle Sam and the rest of the jars are filled as the money holds out. But God challenges us to try a different plan. He asks us to set aside a first portion as a “bank” to be used for concerns he himself lays upon our hearts. Certainly support of the church’s work and mission is one of these major concerns. Others will be in the form of emergency needs that arise in the world with painful regularity. Others will come in the form of new opportunities for investing in peace, brotherhood, and justice. By putting a first portion of our income into such a reservoir, we guarantee ourselves; and God, a responsible answer to such needs.
Another name for “steward” is “manager”. Good stewardship is good management, good planning, and good jar-arranging! Good stewardship is putting God first. The God who loved the world so much that he gave his only son deserves nothing less.
IF a man does not know how to manage his household how can he care for God’s church?
1 TIMOTHY 3:5