Giving

What it means to give

United Methodists’ belief in giving starts with receiving. Before we were even born, God was in the business of providing for us. Before we even knew the name of God, we were the recipients of God’s amazing grace. “We love because God first loved us.” (I John 4:19)

So when we are asked to give our tithes and offerings, it’s not out of our leftovers, but out of what the Bible calls our “first fruits.” In other words, from our very best.

As members of the United Methodist Church, we pledge to faithfully participate in the ministries of our congregation by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness.

As a matter of faithfully participating in our giving, we have recently set up electronic giving so that even if you miss worship on a Sunday, there are avenues to make your giving possible.

Your gifts to the church are a blessing, to lift high the cross of Christ to a community that desperately needs to see Jesus. But it’s far from just giving to help the church make its budget.

Your gifts are a response to the amazing love of Jesus Christ for you.

We give out of joy!

Click here to give online and help us
be a Bright Beacon of God’s love
to Irving and beyond!

 Checks can be mailed to 211 W. Third St, Irving, TX, 75060

A Guide to Generosity and Stewardship

Worship

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29

Our annual giving represents an act of worship in which we thank God for our blessings and symbolically return the first fruits of our labor as an offering to the Lord. The Bible teaches us to give a tithe or the first ten percent of what we earn to God and God’s work.

Stewardship

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. ” Psalm 24:1

Stewardship, which means to serve as one who manages another’s property, finances or affairs, is not just a means for the church to raise money. For Christians, stewardship is a way of life that recognizes that everything we have is God’s, and we are simply managing those resources while here on earth. Through our stewardship, we are the heart, spirit, and hands of God reaching out in love to share with our world.

Ministry

“Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, people will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” 2 Corinthians 9:13

Our tithes and offerings support our church’s ministry opportunities. Over the years, we have committed our resources to God, and God has truly blessed and used them to change lives, transform communities and renew the church.

Response

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

At First United Methodist, we encourage everyone to respond through our five vows of membership:

• Prayers: To participate in our ministries with your prayers for our congregation, our community, and our world.
• Presence: To attend worship regularly. To participate in Sunday School or Bible Study.
• Gifts: To give in proportion to your income.
• Service: To serve God by volunteering in service to the congregation, the community, and the world.
• Witness: To share the good news of Jesus Christ through word and action.