Giving in St. John's

St. John's Church

An Episcopal Church
in the Diocese of Southwest Florida

giving

Modern dictionaries define a gift as 'something voluntarily bestowed without compensation.' Definitions of this kind, though adequate for the secular world, do not do justice to the church's understanding of gift.

To put it most clearly, you are gift. Each of us and every good thing that we have or enjoy is a gift. Giving, therefore, is that great Christian act whereby we participate in the wondrous story of God's reconciling of the world to himself. Reconciliation is the key to understanding what "gift" and "giving" are. A gift is not something given without compensation. A gift is something given in thanksgiving for the mighty work that God has done, is doing, and will do for each of us. To give is to participate in the reciprocity of the divine love-exchange that exists between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In St. John's we recognize all things, tithe and offerings and any good thing we have, to be first and foremost God's own. To give, then, is simply to return to God what is already his.

To pledge your tithe to God through St. John's Church, please download a Pledge Card or fill out an Online Pledge Card.