I have fond memories of traveling with my family as I grew up.  At the time I felt fortunate to be able to do the things we did; as I grew up I realized how much of a blessing these trips really were.  When my sisters were in college we would visit them occasionally for the weekend.  On one trip, as graduation approached, I remember overhearing my sister tell my parents how she felt as thought she was finally ready to be financially independent and what that meant to her.  While I am sure my parents found joy in this news they managed a supportive reaction.  Later, as we wandered through a shop my sister confessed to my parents that she would rather strive for financial independence after the purchase of a new coat.

I believe that St. Nicholas is similarly blessed.  Part of our blessing has been to offer worship in a growing area, establishing Christian community for the people of Kapolei, Makakilo, Ewa Beach, Waipahu and more.  We have been blessed to explore new expressions of Episcopal liturgy and offer programs for children and families.  Another part of the blessing has been financial support of the Diocese, not only of our annual budget, but now with the purchase of land in Kapolei.

Just as a growing child needs the support (physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial) of their parents and family, so too a new church needs the support of the broader church.  Just as a child continues to rely on his family for support, even into adulthood, may we come to see a mutual support between ourselves and other churches.  I believe it is fair to hope that both children and a new church can one day become financially independent.

I suppose it would be fair to suggest that we could achieve this through the spiritual discipline of tithing.  Tithing is mentioned repeatedly in the scriptures, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30).  A tithe is defined as ten percent.  This distinguishes it from a pledge, which could be any amount one decides to give.  This is in part what makes it a spiritual discipline; it requires a deeper consideration of the whole.  Using a percentage also intends for it to be attainable by the majority of people.

While I believe tithing is an important spiritual discipline that I have found rewarding, I want to be clear that as a spiritual practice our intentions are important as well.  We should not tithe for tithing's sake, but as a mechanism to share what we have received.  We should not tithe out of feelings of guilt, but as a means to support the ministry we share.  In 2 Corinthians (9:6) Paul reminds his followers, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

My hope for us at St. Nicholas, is that as we contemplate what we give to the church, we consider our hopes and dreams for our community of faith first.  As we consider the many ministries and groups that are involved, as well as the blessings we have received, that we might be more willing to make sacrifices within our own lives to offer these blessings to others as well.  I shared the story about my family, recalling the blessings of childhood as well as the challenges of meeting our own needs.  So too I hope we give thanks for the support we are receiving, while striving to do more and more on our own.

Blessings- Father Paul