From the Rector: Our Family's Giving Practice

Dear friends,

Back when I served in the Seattle area, my then-Bishop Greg Rickel used to encourage priests to openly disclose their own pledges to their congregations. I've always felt that was a good idea. As one of the people whose salary depends on your pledges, this is your contributions I'm earning, and giving back. Plus, it's a way of encouraging all of us to discern our pledges with care and generosity.

This year, in 2023, my salary from Incarnation was $102,867. Julia and I have a practice of totaling both her and my pre-tax salaries and giving away 10% of that total amount. Of that 10%, we devote the largest portion to Incarnation and the rest to a set of additional causes we believe advance God's mission. For 2024, we are pledging $18,662 to Incarnation.

Many of us will rightly give much less or more than our family does. We know that as a two-professional-household (one of whom is a physician), we're able to make a larger than average pledge in terms of total dollars. This way of planning our giving--10% total; the largest part to our parish, the rest to other causes--has felt right for our family for several years. We started with a smaller percentage when we got married and were able to grow it to 10% over time. But there is no one best way to discern how much you're called to give away.

Every gift, from one cent upwards, is precious to God. What's crucial is your spiritual practice. How is God calling you toward generosity and gratitude? What part of your income is right for you to give, as you prayerfully consider your ministry as a member of the Body of Christ in this place? If you haven't yet been in the practice of choosing an intentional percent of your income to give away, this might be the year to start. Perhaps you might start at 6%, or 4%, or 2%, and work to grow the percentage a bit year by year.

I'm so grateful for the fellowship, worship, and service we share at Incarnation, our spiritual home. Together, by pooling our resources, we are serving God's mission here in the heart of Sonoma County.

In Christ's love,

Stephen