PLAN A VISIT
Generosity changes us, filling us with joy and filling our lives with blessings. When we are generous with what we have, we find that unexpected blessings flow back into our lives, catching us by surprise.
We believe that generosity is a spiritual practice that recognizes that everything we have is God’s, and we are simply managing those resources while here on earth. Through the giving of our financial resources, we learn to rely less on ourselves and more on God. As our trust in God grows, we begin to see our use of money as a way to deepen our relationship with God. Our gifts demonstrate in a tangible way our love for God and our neighbor.
IT’S A SPIRITUAL MATTER
Generosity is directly linked to following Jesus. How we use our resources is a spiritual matter, not just a financial one. Our financial decisions are often a reflection of our priorities and what we value.
IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BUDGET
The temptation in the stewardship process is to approach the financial needs of the church from a fundraising perspective–to fund a budget. Our generosity perspective places more emphasis on the spiritual nature of the effort. God does not need our money; rather, we need to give it as an act of thanksgiving and trust.
IT’S IMPORTANT TO JESUS
Jesus spoke openly about the issue of money and possessions. As followers of Jesus, we should not be reluctant to talk about giving as an outward expression of our commitment to Christ.
IT’S ABOUT TRUST
As we grow in grace, we learn to depend less on ourselves and more on God: to relinquish attitudes and habits that impede our relationship with God.
Click here to download a pdf of our Generosity Sunday brochure.
CULTIVATE
a deeper sense of generosity and gratitude.
PRAY
for God to lead you to trust him more, thank God for your blessings and ask for guidance and discernment.
PREPARE
to give proportionately and systematically. Determine your current giving as a percentage of your income using the giving calculator, then set a goal. If you are not currently tithing (giving 10 percent of your income), start with a lower percentage and then plan to increase the percentage each year, growing toward the tithe. The important thing is to begin the spiritual discipline of regular, consistent giving.
ACT
discover the joy of giving by trusting God with your resources.
It’s exactly what it sounds like! An Estimate of Giving is an individual or family’s annual commitment to the church of their tithes and offerings.
A tithe is 10% of your income given specifically to your local church. (Fun fact: The word tithe literally means tenth in Hebrew.)
▶︎ DOWNLOAD THE APP
Manage and track your giving with the Shelby NEXT Giving app! Using the app you can view your giving history, manage recurring gifts and save payment method details.
• Click to here to download the app from Google Play
• Click here to download the app from the Mac App Store
▶︎ GIVE ONLINE at www.firstmethodist.org/give
One-time gifts are simple to set up using a debit or credit card or from your bank account. and have the option to give via your checking account or debit/credit card.
Recurring gifts can be set up on a schedule that works for you. By setting up a bank transfer, you will save the church approximately 3% compared to credit card fees.
▶︎ TEXT TO GIVE text “FUMCBR” to 225-25 and follow instructions.
MAIL a check to FUMC, 930 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802.
For questions or help with your financial giving, please email Destiny Muse, Contributions Coordinator at dmuse@firstmethodist.org or call her at (225) 383-4777, ext. 218.
Your Estimate of Giving is not a contract. It is a spiritual commitment. If your circumstances change and you need to decrease, or you would like to increase your pledge, you can call or email Destiny Muse, Contributions Coordinator at (225) 383-4777, ext. 218, and modify your pledge at any time. This helps ensure our records are accurate.
Dan Reed
Immeasurably More than We Imagine
Tim McGinty
Immeasurably More than We Imagine
M.E. Hart and Cliff Vannoy
Immeasurably More than We Imagine