Financial giving is one part of living out our love for God and neighbor. Together, our financial gifts are needed to support the entire mission and ministry of both this local church and the United Methodist Church.
Tithing is the commitment made to regular, proportional financial giving by the members of a local congregation. The standard understanding, described in the Bible, is setting aside one-tenth of all income for God. The United Methodist Church encourages all of its members to work towards growing into the practice of tithing as part of faithful discipleship.
Offering is the act of giving a financial gift in thanksgiving to God as part of our worship life together. Offerings include gifts given by guests of the local church, tithes given by members, and any additional monetary gifts collected by the church in response to the needs of the world.
Special offerings are opportunities to give beyond tithing in order to support specific missions and ministries of the church. The United Methodist Church has designated the following Sundays as special giving opportunities: Human Relations Day, UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Sunday, Native American Ministries Sunday, Peace with Justice Sunday, World Communion Sunday, and United Methodist Student Day. There are also other opportunities offered through the church to respond financially to local, regional, national, and international appeals to support critical needs, disaster response efforts, and ongoing programs and funds that facilitate the work of the church in the world.
Grace United Methodist Church is a member of the Baltimore Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church. You can visit the Baltimore Washington Conference website at bwcumc.org. You may also visit the United Methodist Church website at umc.org.