Tom Savoth

I believe that when I fill out my pledge card or write a check to pay my pledge that I communicate with God in a most intimate and personal way. In my choice to give and sacrifice my limited resources to stewardship, I am thanking God for how I’ve been blessed and making a statement about what I believe is the right and good way to live my life. I will also admit that I am asking for prayers to be answered, some for the greater good and some that benefit me personally. I question if the latter is entirely consistent with what I want my motivations for Stewardship to be, but I admit that I am human when I do it.

I believe that it makes sense to understand Stewardship; pay attention to it and be at peace and reconciled with God about it. I believe Stewardship is central to why we are here at St Georges and what we are called to do. And I believe in a world with such an embarrassment of riches no one should be hungry, without shelter or living in fear. I believe that stewardship at St. Georges should be one way I can act locally while I pray globally.

I also believe that stewardship is very private and personal. Church should not be another place where people are vulnerable to feelings of being in competition; trying to keep up with or measure up to their neighbor. There are already too many of those places. St. Georges should be a haven from that. While I admire people who tithe, I also admire people who live in nice houses and drive fancy cars. I can be shallow; it’s part of human nature.

Finally, I believe it is my duty as a member of the Vestry to help create an environment where stewardship can happen and good works can flourish; “where God can bust out all over the place” to quote Barry Stopfel. I believe it is also the Vestry’s duty to be faithful stewards of the financial resources we’ve been entrusted with by the members of the parish and to see that they are properly directed.

Tom Savoth