Banner shown here was contributed by an fLC member, and has some harvest / first fruits themes
Why Give?
There are no admission fees or membership dues at church! Our ministries and the gospel are given freely.
We give to fund these ministries. It’s not exactly giving TO church (as we might give to a charity we know about) because we ARE the church. Alongside the leadership, we’re the ones who bring the “treasures” but also the “time and talent” God uses to make these ministries happen.
We give as an expression of faith, in gratitude for what God has done for us and as an act of trust in what God will do with everything we offer: our gifts, our church, our lives. Giving can be like prayerful resistance against the powerful anxieties and concerns about money many of us live with.
We give treasures and time. Many of us feel stretched in both areas. Giving some money, some time can be a way to invite God’s love into every aspect of our lives.
How Much?
God’s claim on our lives is total. We might ask how all our use of money reflects our faith and how we feel God is calling us to live our lives.
As for the amount of our church giving, it’s a spiritual and practical consideration. There’s no one right answer. But here’s some traditional guidance:
One traditional principle is “first fruits” (Leviticus 23:9-14). The Israelites would give the first produce of the season, rather than waiting to see what was left over.
A related principle is “sacrificial giving.” We get personally invested in and even make sacrifices for what matters most to us.
A third principle is proportional giving. A famous tradition related to first fruits is the tithe, 10% of income. This won’t make sense for everyone, but a different percentage or connection to income might.
Finally, we consider the budget (see below under “where does our money go?”). How much is needed to sustain our ministries?
Where does the money go?
All FLC members are invited and encouraged to help decide this! Together with the treasurer, our council proposes a budget for congregational discernment and approval by vote, which usually takes place at a meeting in late January or February. By request we can share a PDF copy of this budget during the year.
The budget funds ministries such as worship, music, learning opportunities, small groups, community events and service projects along with being able to provide a facility for church and outside use, maintenance, office support. Most of this is through the efforts of the staff who organize and lead these ministries.
A portion of what we give goes to ministry and care efforts on a regional and national scale – especially through the ELCA.
How do I give?
The Financial Secretary (currently, Joyce) is your contact for giving questions.
We ask FLC people to consider an annual pledge, which can help us make plans for the year ahead. Also: to consider regular giving, which helps us stay on track with ongoing needs.
It can be meaningful to bring a check to worship (made out to First Lutheran Church) for when the offering plates are passed. Personalized envelopes can be provided for cash or check gifts, so get you a contribution statement for tax purposes.
Other ways to give include setting up automatic payments from a bank, and using paypal on the website. Please note that paypal subtracts a small fee from each gift.
Please consider giving through Benevity if your employer allows it. This way, gifts to the church can even be doubled. Benevity doesn’t allow gifts that go towards purely religious purposes,,but there are certainly other ways FLC contributes to the community, such as in providing a facility for use by nonprofits.
Finally, “Called to Care” is a way we pass along gifts to ministry partners, such as Rios de Agua Viva (our sister church), Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and Lutheran Disaster Relief. Write “Called to Care” and the name of the organization on the “For” line of a check made out to First Lutheran Church.
