information on stewardship at Trinity.

For where your treasure
is there your heart will
be also.
Mt. 6:21
Stewardship is about loving God with
heart, soul, and mind and loving our
neighbor as ourselves. It is about
who we are (self),
whom we love
(neighbor), and
who loves us (God). It is in the context of a loving relationship that we,
as people of faith, prayerfully reflect
on how we direct our time, treasure,
and talent.
This may be the most important stewardship drive we have ever attempted.
We are spending down our
endowment at a
rate that is outside the limits
of good nonprofit financial
practice. Without an increase
in giving from
the members of
the parish,
Trinity’s long-term future will be uncertain. Our forebears looked to the future
and saw to it that Trinity is here for us.
Can we do less?
Why do I pledge to Trinity?
“Will you continue in the apostle's teaching and fellowship?”
We have promised to support the
sacramental ministry at Trinity
with our presence at worship and
with our daily prayers.
“Will you persevere in resisting
evil, and, whenever you fall into
sin, repent and return to the
Lord?” In Baptism we are called
to regular reflection on our lives.
Walk in love
as Christ
loved us...
“Will you proclaim by word
and example the Good
News…” By making a commitment to Trinity, we help
spread the Gospel to the next
generation and the next.
“Will you seek and serve Christ
in all person’s loving your
neighbor as yourself?” Trinity
has served up hot meals for the
past twenty plus years. Commitment to service is at the heart of
Christian life.
“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?” In
times past regular church attendance and tithing were the
cultural norms—not so now. Bur Jesus leads us into the
knowledge that God knows our every need and will provide for us abundantly. When we make a commitment to
support the church, it is more than a financial promise.
Cultural apathy toward church attendance is widespread,
but those who commit to regular church attendance are
enriched by the relationships in the community and nurtured and sustained in the Eucharist. If you have been
away, come back and see. You’ll be surprised and amazed.
Thoughts On
Stewardship
Trinity Episcopal Church
26 White Street
Haverhill, MA 01830
“Ascribe to the Lord the honor due His name; bring offerings and come into His courts.” Psalm 96:8
Our mission is to serve the risen
Christ by promoting spiritual energy
through regular participation in
Holy Communion, Bible Study,
Prayer, and Service .
We have been blessed with much generosity from
those who have shared of their wealth with Trinity
at their passing. And we have been blessed with
skilled and dedicated investment managers. The
people of Trinity can continue to sustain our ministries by making a commitment now to support
Trinity in attendance and by making a pledge..
Income
We fund our ministry through:
grants
fundraisers
 pledge and plate offerings
Int & Div
22%
Rent
1%
How do we pay for all that we do?
 and our endowment
Plate and
Pledge
7%
Endowm
ent
70%
All that we do and all that we have is given to
God’s glory and in service. Sometimes it is helpful to see how we fund our ministries.
Operations
Christian22%
Education
1%
Outreach
19%
Expense
Building
9%
Worship
3%
Clergy
24%
Staff
22%
(Percentages based on FY 2009 YTD and are approximate Some categories cover several ministry areas.)
YOUR
PLEDGE!
What is a pledge?
A pledge is a commitment to give a set amount of
money to the church in the coming year. It is an
expression of gratitude to God for all that God
has given us. As such it is not just another
charitable donation nor a bill from the church.
Pledges allow the Vestry to create an accurate
ministry budget because we know our income
from pledges and from the endowment.
Since we cannot always predict our finances and
since life situations can change, pledges may be
adjusted up or down during the year with a call
or note to the treasurer.
How much should I pledge?
Pledges are based on
giving the church a
percentage of your
earnings. The enclosed card provides
a guide to help calculate pledge commitments. It is based
on different levels of income and shows what
percentage of
income our
weekly gift represents. Consider
prayerfully, but
know that every
gift is important regardless of the
amount.
What does it mean to tithe?
The tithe is the Biblical standard of giving set by
Jacob. As Episcopalians we work toward giving
the Biblical tithe of 10% or more. For some of
us, increasing
our pledge in
annual steps
is a
responsible
way to work
toward the
goal. But we
can all
approach our
decision
prayerfully and faithfully, and in appreciation of
the many blessings of our lives.
"Of all that you give me I will surely give one
tenth to you." Gen 28:22