How did you start tithing?
If we are honest, we probably did not "plan" our giving to the church until after we had both finished school and made a plan to pay off our student loans. Up until that point we just "gave what we could, when we could" because we felt so strained by our student debt. Somewhere along the way we realized our giving to the church needed to be part of the budget like everything else. If we planned ahead of time, it was actually much less stressful. "Pledging" felt uncomfortable at first - "our money was our business" - but our perspective was quite human and self-centered. All we have has been given to us, we must give back.

How has tithing changed your relationship with St. Timothy's?
We are certainly more committed to St. Timothy's than when we joined, but I am unsure if the commitment came first or tithing. As life became busier and the world became more unpredictable, St. Timothy's became what was most certain and predictable in our lives. School years change, we age, and many weeks the world seems upside down, but St. Timothy's has been unwavering. We knew where we needed (and usually wanted 🙂) to be each Sunday. As we spent more time at church, we gained an understanding about the business of church: bulletins need to be printed, lights need to be on, roofs need to be fixed, sink holes need to be filled, and staff need to be paid! How hard it must be to cover expenses if one has no idea about a budget. Our household certainly could not do it. Why would we expect the church to do it?

How has tithing impacted your family spiritually?
Giving to the church is a family conversation. It is important to share what has been given to us and this is a lesson our boys need to hear and emulate.

What practical advice do you have regarding tithing, if any?
Just start. Sign up for the automatic withdrawal - then you and the church have plan.

How did you start tithing?
Tithing was not a priority early in our marriage. We didn’t even pledge for a long time. We would give week to week, but not sacrificially. We starting seeing the example of sacrificial giving by some of our family and close friends and began learning more about the teachings of the church on how giving is a spiritual aid. And we were just so thankful for the many blessings of our life. We were inspired to make the tithe our goal. God had been faithful and blessed us even when we had not been faithful to him. We sat down and critiqued, now with an eye toward stewardship, where our money was going week in and week out. There were some adjustments that were easy to make and others (the majority) required a significant commitment. And while it was hard, it was also actually a joy. A joy to be able to give for the spread of the good news, and to rise to the challenge of not holding such a tight grasp on the money we made. What we earn isn’t ours anyway. It is God’s, and we are merely stewards of it.

How has tithing changed your relationship with St. Timothy’s?
Our relationship to our parish isn’t because of our tithe, but our commitment to tithe is in great part a result of the spiritual formation, growth, and support we have experienced over the past 20+ years at St Timothy’s. Giving sacrificially has certainly played a part in who we are today.

How has tithing impacted your family spiritually?
Certainly, giving has an effect on the family unit because money is a finite resource that we share. We may not get to do all the things that each of us want but it has taught us how fulfilling it can be to make a sacrifice for someone you love. Our hope is that our example will help to teach our children the importance of our faith and relationship with God as well as the proper place of money in our lives.

What practical advice do you have regarding tithing?
Always start with prayer and scripture. Then, budget an amount that your family can commit to and pledge that amount. This part was key for us because it meant that we were committing that portion of our income. Gradually increase the proportion. Early on in our marriage we had to finance virtually everything, so we had a fair amount of recurring bills. Student loans, for example, were a big chunk of that. However, as soon as we paid one loan off, or got even a slight raise at work, we immediately rolled a portion of whatever that payment or raise was into our giving. We didn’t wait until the next stewardship campaign to increase our gift. And over time, the amount we were giving was the tithe.

For those who are maybe just starting out in the working world, making an income for the first time, our advice would be to do what we wished we would have done- to decide to give first. Just automatically take a portion, even if it’s small, out of your pay now, while it’s new, and commit to giving that. It’s easier (not easy, but easier) to budget your life around an income that accounts for your gift to the church, than to adjust your life and spending when you later want to tithe.

How did you start tithing?
We started when we were newly married and poor. When you don’t have much, and can’t afford much, it is easier to understand that what little you have is a gift of grace and tithing just makes sense.
At the beginning of the month we just did what most folks do and wrote the tithe check first and then worked everything else out with the leftover. The leftover always seemed to be enough.
About 10 years later I became unemployed, and our first inflection point was “How in the world can we keep up our tithe when the household income just dropped by 80%?
We kept up our pledge and, just before the money ran out [down to $500 in the checking account] God provided a new job. We were faithful in a little, God provided.

How has tithing impacted your family spiritually?
Tithing for us is a natural as breathing. Why would I choose not to do it. If say that I wish to be in relationship with the God of the Universe, then my behavior should consistently reflect that whenever possible.

What practical advice do you have regarding tithing, if any?
I continually find it frustrating when folks say that they don’t have enough time to do something. We ALWAYS find time to do the things that are the most important to us. What they really mean is “I have other priorities”
It’s not dissimilar to money. Figure out what your priorities are and then make a plan to allocate accordingly. If you have to do a major reset, then take it in steps but do not look back except to confirm that you are making progress.