I always wonder whether my offering in the plate is mean or not. Today I stayed for the Annual Meeting of the parochial council, and there was a long (and very dull) analysis of every line of the church's balance sheet. I was frustrated that there was no "so what" ideas offered, just a fairly passive hand-wringing that the outgoings outstrip the incomings by about 20%, and that's without needing to do anything major like a roof or a hall refurbishment.
I know someone who doesn't put money in the plate at all, and says she considers that she gives lots of her time and is involved in things, so doesn't feel she also needs to give money. I am not so sure - the things she does for the church are not the sort of things they would otherwise have to pay for (e.g. maybe someone professional to run the crèche), and she definitely could afford to give money. But I would never say that to her, of course it's up to her what she does with her money.
I know that in times long past the rule of thumb was as high as a tenth (tithe) of your income, or did that mean a tenth of your disposable income? How would you place a value on your time for things like helping a Sunday service go smoothly as a door person, or for more 'outreach' things like running a group that appeals to people who don't do a Sunday morning service?
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What do you give to your church in terms of money, effort, anything really?
9 replies
RakeABedOfTyneFilth · 28/04/2013 14:20
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