"We all have different gifts, according to the grace given us . . . if a person's gift is contributing to the needs of others, let them give generously" ~ Romans 12:6-8
What opportunities does Conley's provide for
giving to the
work of the Lord?
TITHE – tithing is an act of worship; an offering of thanks to God for his provision, and an act of faith in support of God's work through God's people, the church.
TIME – While funds and material resources are the focus of this particular page, good spiritual stewardship includes using whatever gifts God gives us to promote peace and healing in our world . . . check out the other pages under "opportunities" to see just a few of the ways you can use your time and talents for the Lord through Conley's Church.
CAPITAL RESERVE FUND – support the upkeep of the beautiful facilities that have been passed down to us.
FOOD MINISTRIES – these ministries makes an immediate, tangible difference in the lives of the most vulnerable in our community. Donations of food may be made at any time, but we emphasize the first weekend of the month (look for the grocery basket in the narthex).
THRIFT SHOP ITEMS – donate new and gently-used items to the thrift shop; in addition to providing items at affordable prices, Conley's Thrift Shop distributes necessities to those in need.
YOUTH MINISTRIES – CYC offers support, education, and Christian love not only to the young people in our own congregation, but to disadvantaged youth in our community.
SPECIAL OFFERINGS – contribute to UMCOR to help provide to relief in times of crisis, missions to help spread the gospel around the world, and other special appeals throughout the year.
Giving to the church is not merely a practical necessity, it is an opportunity to answer God's call to make a real, tangible difference in our homes, our communities, and our world. The principles are the same whenever we give of our resources to God, whether those resources be our time, talents, finances, or goods. In the Old Testament, God’s people were required by the law to tithe--that is, give ten percent of their income--to support the ministries of the temple. In the New Testament, we are not under the law and there is no such requirement for members of the New Testament church. Instead, we are told: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your own heart. Do not give reluctantly or because you feel pressured to do so, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). There is no membership fee to join the church, there are no annual dues, there is no need to purchase a ticket to have a seat in our sanctuary, you do not need to feed a meter to participate in our services or ministries. But we do believe and teach that tithing to support the ministry of God’s people is a sound biblical principle--a God-honored practice stretching from ancient to modern times. We acknowledge that God calls us to support the church, and recognize that God gave the tithe to God’s people as a rudimentary guideline. We know that all we have comes from God, so the question we ask ourselves is not “How much of my resources am I going to give to God?” but “How much of what God has given me am I going to keep for myself?” Giving to the ministries of the body of Christ is an act of worship--an expression of praise and thanksgiving for all the blessings we have received, an act of faith that God will continue to provide all that we need, and an affirmation of our desire to see God's will be done on earth.
