God is our provider. He promises in Matthew 6:33 to provide for our needs. The Bible teaches that everything we have comes from God and belongs to Him. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.” Therefore, we are stewards of what God has given to us.

The word tithe means one tenth. So when you tithe, you are giving 10% of your income to the church or ministry. God established the tithe as the minimum standard for our giving. Malachi 3:10 (NLT) says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food for my temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in. Try it! Put me to the test.” Our tithe is an expression of our reverence for God and our obedience to Him and reminds us that we are stewards of what He has entrusted to us.

This is talked about in the New Testament and it is when we give beyond the tithe, but as we grow in our relationship and love for Him, we may feel led to give beyond the tithe as an expression of our gratitude to Him and all He has done for us.

We recognize that Jesus talked more about giving than any other subject. Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” First Presbyterian Church’s mission is to grow faithful Christians to engage and impact the culture with the transforming power of Jesus Christ. Your gifts provide the resources necessary to equip the body of Christ (the Church) to engage in radical, gospel-driven personal relationships that impact people within the Church and in the world for Christ.

Yes, it is prepared annually based upon the goals and objectives of each ministry area within the church.

There are many methods to give, including cash or gifts by check, online giving by bank draft from a checking or savings account, and credit or debit cards. You can also make gifts of appreciated stock and Required Minimum Distributions from Retirement Accounts. For more information or questions about any of these ways to give, please contact Kristy Service in the church finance office at 864.565.0929 or Bobby Hoffman, Stewardship Director, at 864.565.0962.

Yes, the finance office will mail an annual giving statement in January for the previous calendar year. If you have a question about your giving during the year, contact Kristy Service at 864.565.0929.

1. Operating Budget – supported by the tithes and offerings of our members, and supports the ministries and missions of the church.

2. Transforming the Heart of the City Capital Campaign – our second three-year campaign begins in April of 2023 and is supported by sacrificial giving from earned income, as well as gifts of accumulated assets such as appreciated stocks, savings accounts, retirement accounts, and inheritances. Members can make gifts to the Capital Campaign online just like they do with the operating budget.

3. The First Presbyterian Church Foundation – supported through sacrificial giving or by including the Foundation in your estate plans. Members may wish to tithe their estate, treat the Foundation as another child, give a specific asset or name the Foundation as a beneficiary on a retirement account or insurance policy. Finally, an unusual life event, such as the receipt of an inheritance or the sale of a business or appreciated asset, can provide a great opportunity to make a gift to the Foundation. These gifts are used to augment the ministries and missions of First Presbyterian Church and to support other evangelical Christian ministries for years to come, which means your gift will have kingdom impact well beyond your lifetime.