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Stewardship: Practice Generosity

"Gain All You Can - Save All You Can - Give All You Can"   --John Wesley

Stewardship is more than just giving money to the church. It is about caring for and managing all that has been given to us by God. Stewardship is a lifestyle that involves making choices in all aspects of our lives to do the best with what we are given. It is a way for us to generously participate in God's work with our time, talents, and assets.

When a body of believers lives out the Christ-centered ideal of generosity, the impact is undeniably positive. For when we are truly generous, we reflect the character of God "who gives generously and doesn't hold back" (James 1:5). Becoming a generous person merely reflects the liberality of God's blessing upon us.

Generosity is a habit, not happenstance. A habit is a life practice. It's something you have done so often that it becomes part of who you are. On the other hand, happenstance is random and unfixed. As followers of Christ, generosity should be so woven into our character that it shows like bright threads in the fabric of our daily lives.

To learn more about Connectional Giving programs sponsored by the United Methodist, click the icon at the beginning of this article. In addition, the Center for Christian Stewardship, which is sponsored by the United Methodist Church, provides exceptional resources, training, and consultation for congregations and individuals about the joy of generous giving. To learn more about John Wesley's views of stewardship, read the three articles posted on this Web site. 

There are always opportunities to practice being a generous steward at WUMC. Many of these opportunities are included on various pages of this Web site. Please contact the church office at (716) 634-4800 if you are interested in helping plan or organize stewarship programs.

 

Annual Stewardship Campaign 

 

Report from Finance and Stewardship
Rosemary Elliott and Dave Reichard

Our 2010 budget is complete, and we anticipate an income of $393,742. Of this amount, $338,700 is from pledges to Operations, Missions, and Building Care. The balance is from fundraisers, gifts, loose collection, Sunday school donations, use of building, and a contribution from our permanent endowment.
Projected expenses are equal to projected income, which gives us a balanced budget for 2010. Expenses are in following five major categories:
1.    Conference shared ministries
2.    Staff including salaries and benefits for clergy and lay staff
3.    Facilities including building and parsonage maintenance, utilities and insurance
4.    Programs including Christian education, music, worship, member care, missions
5.    Administration including phones, copiers, newsletter, Web site, advertising, supplies
Looking back at 2009, we find that our income was greater than our expenses by about $5,000. Total expenses were $374,267 of a budgeted $390,237 including our shared ministries, which were paid in full. Most of our savings was in reduced staff costs as we moved from three part-time pastors to one full-time pastor and one-part time pastor. We also changed from a full-time custodian to a cleaning service and the paid position of financial secretary was replaced with volunteers.
Moving from 2009 to 2010 was made easy by a cash carryover of $9,700 and prepaid giving of $13,950, for a total of about $24,000. Giving in 2010 has remained healthy, and we have paid all our bills including shared ministries. We sent $3,600 to UMCOR for Haiti relief, which will be spent primarily on food, water, and medical help for displaced Haitians.
We thank you for all your support and your trust that we are administering the church’s finances in a business-like way.

 

 

One Great Hour of Sharing Offering - March 14

Through the work of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), United Methodists help rebuild shattered lives, strengthen self-sufficiency, and encourage partnerships. Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing offering on March 14 lay the foundation of all of UMCOR’s work by covering the costs of doing business. Since the One Great Hour of Sharing offering is used to cover all administrative costs throughout the year, UMCOR can keep its promise that 100% of your designated gifts go to specific causes that rebuild lives and communities around the world.

Be There. Be Hope. Support UMCOR.
Through comprehensive programs like those listed below, UMCOR is there on our behalf to provide help to people in distress. UMCOR helps provide healing and hope for some of the world’s most vulnerable people in the following ways:
Emergency Response: In all phases of response, UMCOR works in partnership with disaster survivors to help them recover and become self-sufficient. Training in disaster response is a specialty of UMCOR.
Health: UMCOR underwrites innovative ministries in health care in Asia, Latin America, and Africa such as community-based primary health care, HIV/AIDS programs, health education scholarships, and community health care grants.
Refugees and Immigration: UMCOR’s resettlement program supports refugees within and outside the U.S. Justice for Our Neighbors works with immigrants and asylum seekers to provide free legal counsel.
World Hunger and Poverty: UMCOR seeks to alleviate poverty and hunger through sustainable development, training in innovative agriculture techniques, and partnerships with ecumenical groups.
Relief Supplies: Material resources can save lives in the days and weeks immediately following a catastrophe. The UMCOR Depot warehouse in Baldwin, Louisiana serves as a staging area for donated emergency supplies.
UMCOR Field Offices: UMCOR’s 13 field offices in Europe, Asia, and Africa revitalize communities and stimulate self-sufficiency by supporting community projects that provide housing, livelihoods, clean water, education, security, and community harmony.
Please give generously. If you are unable to be in church on March 14, you can make a donation to UMCOR’s One Great Hour of Sharing at https://donate.gcfa.org/FundDetails.aspx?ID=10000141000110006.

 
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