Stewardship

"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21

How do we respond in thanks to God for the great gifts we have received? That is an individual decision. At Good Shepherd, the basic principle of stewardship is to give generously out of thanksgiving and according to one's means.

As Christians, we are called to return to God a portion of what we have been given. By giving a proportion of what we have, our giving will always be within our means. The Old Testament standard is the tithe or 10% of our income or possessions. Some of us at Good Shepherd are tithers. Others of us see the 10% tithe as a minimum goal toward which we continue to work. While it's not realistic to expect every member to become an instant tither, we can each grow year by year in our individual stewardship of God's gifts to us.

One of the best ways to achieve this growth -- and more fully experience the joy of giving -- is to commit to a long-term plan based on proportional giving. What you give is entirely up to you or your family. However, here are three suggestions:

Determine the percentage of your income that you gave last year and commit to increasing your pledge by 1% per year until you reach the tithe. For example, if you gave 4% of your income last year, give 5% this year, 6% next year and so on.

Establish a set percentage increase over the prior year's gift - for example, 20% - and increase your gift by that percentage each year until you achieve the tithe.

If you have not given before, a simple place to start your plan of giving is to establish a set percentage - and begin.

The most important thing is to respond in a way appropriate for you. Good Shepherd needs our involvement and our contributions in order to carry on God's work. Only with your pledge can we continue to know Christ and make Christ known!

Click here to download 2009 Stewardship Brochure.

Making your pledge.

Click here to download a pledge card.  Please complete the form and send it to the Parish Office, ATTN: Parish Administrator, Church of the Good Shepherd, 533 East Main Street, Lexington, KY  40508. (The pledge form is a pdf file. You might need a newer version of Adobe Reader to open it.)

Thank you so much for your commitment to our church home.

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Planned Giving – The Society of the Good Shepherd

What better give could we give ourselves than to know that we have provided for the orderly disposition of the things we have been given in life?  What better way for us to show what has really mattered to us in our life?  What better bless than to know that we leave a legacy for our children - a legacy of love of worship at the Church of the Good Shepherd?

Planned giving is a form of stewardship that offers new approaches for managing resources during your lifetime and for leaving a legacy that will contribute generously to Good Shepherd through estate planning and deferred giving.  Planned giving:

· Encourages and assists you in planning responsibly for the disposition of your worldly goods;

· Encourages you to make suitable provisions for your family members while remembering the Church as well;

·Is a witness to your faith, your love for God and the Church in a very special way;

·Strengthens the ministry of the Church, and the programs to which you have a special commitment.

Planned gifts are best made to the church’s Endowment Fund without restrictions or designations.  However, if you feel strongly, you may designate your gift to one or more of the following ministries:

·Christian Formation

· Evangelism

·Facilities

·Outreach

·Worship

Any member of the Parish’s Endowment Committee, the clergy or the parish administrator can assist you in finding the information and resources you may need to explore the possible advantages of making a planned gift.  Most planned gifts offer attractive benefits from a tax standpoint.

The rich history and tradition of the Church of the Good Shepherd has inspired us to continue to nurture and grow our community of faith for future generations by creating in 2005 the Society of the Good Shepherd.  The Society has been established to honor those who include the Church of the Good Shepherd in their wills or estate plans through a planned gift.  To date, 58 members of the Parish have made commitments to the Society of the Good Shepherd; their names are listed on bronze plaques located in the Concourse area of the Church.

For additional information on the Society of the Good Shepherd, please contact Dale Chapman, Parish Administrator, Church of the Good Shepherd, 533 East Main Street, Lexington, KY  40508, telephone (859-253-4918).

Click here to download an Information Packet on the Society of the Good Shepherd.

Click here to download Commitment Form the Society of the Good Shepherd.