Pilgrim Treasure Hunt
How do you make a decision about giving to Pilgrim? That's the Pilgrim Treasure Hunt question this week.
Giving to others, or giving to support the work of an organization in which I believe, helps me experience life's interconnections. It helps weave me into my place in the larger fabric of life and the world. For me, that sense of connection is part of my spiritual life.
Tithing is a time honored way of thinking about how and where I give. I try to give 5% of my income back to the church I serve in regular pledges and special gifts for the work of the larger church. The other 5% is divided between organizations that do charitable work and help for individuals. In my computer accounting program at home, I have a category simply labelled "good causes." They aren't recognized as tax deductible by the IRS, but they are my own private charitable giving. Each year I check at tax time to see that my church contributions, gifts to other charities and "good cause" entries add up to 10% of my gross income. Most years, I'm pretty close. Rev. Charlotte Frantz