Stewardship at St. Alban's begins from the understanding that all that we have and all that we are is from God. Our God is the loving and caring God who has created us and entrusted us with everything God has created. We don’t own the world, but we are stewards of what God has entrusted to us. As stewards of all that God has entrusted us with, we are obliged to give God an accounting of our lives, in terms of love for God and righteousness toward our neighbors, and a return to God of the fruits from all that God has given us, in terms of our time, talent, and treasure.
We are reminded again and again of all that God has done for us, and how, out of thankfulness for all that God has given us and done for us, we will want to give back to God a portion of what God has given us. Consider how God has blessed you and how you want to return thanks to God for those blessings. Think of what God has entrusted to you. Think of what God means to you. Think of what St. Alban's means to you. And then prepare to give back to God through St. Alban's the first fruits of your blessings by supporting Christ’s mission and ministry in and through this parish.
Some people ask, “How much should I give?” Only you can answer that. Only you know how much God has blessed you. Only you know of your other commitments. You are encouraged, however, to give back to God from all that God has entrusted to you. The Biblical minimum standard for giving is the tithe – or 10%. Some, however, find it helpful to consider a system of proportional giving – a percentage of one’s income or time that one increases each year. However you want to define income – gross income, net income after taxes, net disposable income – or time – waking hours, non-work hours, charitable time - is immaterial. The important thing is that you establish a level of giving that is helpful to you and your spiritual health and well-being.