Tithing
Talking about money is sometimes a sensitive subject for members of churches. Many of us have been "guilted" into giving in the past or unsure of why a churches sometimes put so much emphasis on money. Unity Church of Austin endeavors to be open about money and finances.
We teach that what tithing is as taught by the scriptures: ten percent of our increase given to support the operation of the church. We don't guilt anyone who doesn't tithe or gives less than ten percent. Jesus taught us that those who are hard pressed to give are blessed, too. (Mark 12:41 - 44.) We also teach that we are greatly rewarded for our gifts to our church. (Malachi 3:10.)
Unity Church of Austin is solely funded by the contributions of its congregation. The use of these funds is guided by our Finance Committee which includes members of the congregation, the Board of Trustees, and the Minister. Contributions pay the salaries of minister and our staff, programs, office supplies, and building maintenance.
One other thing that your donations to the church do... Unity Church of Austin is a tithing church. We pay a tithe of ten percent of what we receive to those who give us support and spiritual substance. We regularly give to the Association of Unity Churches, the Unity School of Christianity, the South Central Association of Unity Churches, and to local non-profit groups who do good works in our community.
You can talk to the minister, a member of the Board of Trustees or a member of the Finance Committee any time you have a question about church financial operations. They'll be happy to help you.
Some Thoughts On An Easy Way To Start Tithing
One of the central concepts of tithing is that when we give freely and joyously we get back what we give and more. Our minds may tell us, "no don't give... you'll need that money before you know it for food, car payments, and the like." We can rationalize all the reasons why the church shouldn't need it, or ask for it. We can go through all this drama and still the God given principle is there, and our church could not exist without it.
One of the best ways to overcome the apprehension of tithing is to start small and ease your way into a full tithe. Take a moment and relax. Say a little prayer to God to help you feel that its safe to test the waters of giving to your church. Decide how much you can give on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, etc.) and feel safe about it. Commit to yourself to try it for at least a month if you'll be giving weekly, or three months if you'll be giving monthly.
Each time you give, say to yourself, "Thank you God for the blessings I have in my life and for my opportunity to share with my church community." Also, ask yourself, "how is my life going. Do I feel safe giving this amount and do I see how God is giving to me in return?"
Our belief is you'll find that you do feel safe and that God is giving to you in return. Once you have demonstrated this principle to yourself, increase you contribution in the same way. Take the time to create a prayerful environment and ask yourself to be guided. Then decide how much you would like to increase you contribution. Again, try it for 3 or 4 times and re-evaluate again.
Its okay if you find that the answer is "no, I can't increase the amount right now." If you set the prayerful moment and ask for guidance it may well be that you are receiving guidance when the answer is "no." We all have times of economic stress with unexpected medical bills, the needs to buy new clothes and supplies for school, the loss of a job or other events.
You might be thinking, "Wow! How can they be so trusting that I'll find that its okay... even comfortable for me to tithe; and that I'll feel that God is giving to me in return." Here's the answer: it is not a the goal of tithing to make you stressed out over money and to make the church wealthy. What matters is that you are giving yourself a chance to work with God in a way that will bless you and at the same time bless others through your support of the church. And while this is not the only way, any way that demonstrates that the principles of God work teaches us that God is. When that happens, your faith is strengthened and tithing becomes a demonstration of your faith.
More Ways to Give...
Here's some simple ways you can help your church financially without having to take any cash out of your pocket!
Randall's Remarkable Card
You can make a contribution to our church when you shop at Randall's supermarkets. Simply sign up for the Randall's Remarkable Card. When you check out you'll receive discounts on many store purchases and our church will receive a donation proportional to the amount of your purchases. When you sign up, indicate you want your contributions to go to Unity Church of Austin.
Our Remarkable Card account number is 3093.
Support the Church through Amazon.com
Are you passionate about books? Do you love buying books? Many of you might buy books on-line through Amazon.com. Now you can do that and Unity Church of Austin will receive 2.5% to 15% of your purchase.
All you have to do is to go to our website, pull down the Bookstore menu and select Amazon Associate, and then click on the Amazon.com icon. As long as you access Amazon.com through our website, we get a finders fee for your purchase. . .It’s that easy! So next time you shop for books, tapes, CDs or anything at Amazon.com, remember to go to the Unity Church of Austin website first!