Leave a Legacy
Leave a Legacy
The greatest legacy that we can leave is the love of God and all others that we exhibited during our life time and the passing on of our Catholic Faith.
Christian Stewardship
We are God’s stewards of all of God’s blessing that as He has shared with us so we are to share with others so that all people now and in the future can not only have the necessities of life but also share in the world’s abundance. Christian stewardship involves the sharing of our time, talents, and reassures.
Biblical tithing is a way of living out Christian stewardship. It challenges us to place our trust in God that as we share with others He will provide for us. In the Sacred Scriptures we read:
“Bring the whole tithe in to the storehouse, that there may
be food in my house; shall I not open for you the floodgates
of heaven, to pour down blessing upon you without measure?”
(Mal 3:10)
A tithe is 10%. In Biblical tithing, one returns to God the first 10% of income but also of time and talents. Half of the tithe or 5% of income is suggested to be giving for the support of one’s parish; 1% for the support of the diocese through the Diocese of Gaylord’s annual Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) in May; 1% to the annual missions collection in October and 1% to the Religious Retirement collection in December and the other 2% to other charitable needs or needy individuals.
One might no be there yet in practicing tithing but one could begin with a certain percentage and then increase until giving the full 10%. Some may be financially able to do more that tithe.
Sacrificial–giving or tithing is not from what is left over but from one’s sustenance, leaving one to live a modest life style as one share of one’s time, skills and material resources for the good of others and the love of God.
Biblical Tithing also helps us to keep our priorities straight and what life is all about. It is a great expression o our gratitude and appreciation for God’s gifts that we want to share them.
While Biblical Tithing has primarily dealt with share in of ones treasures, it equally speaks of sharing of our time and talents. (See our webpage Outreach)
The sharing of God's blessings should not be just what we have left over and while one is encouraged to remember the parish and other charitable organizations in one’s will and estate planning (see below for form), it is still important to do so while one is alive.
The Sunday Offertory Collection
Your personal donations to the regular Sunday Offertory collection for the day-to-day operation of the parish will always be the min support of the parish. In addition it is important as it represent the offering of your time, talent, and treasures that one is joining to Christ’s offering of himself in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Other fundraisers will never replace the. In fact, if we all practiced Sacrificial-Giving the time and efforts spent in fundraising projects could be better used for the Lord.
Sunday donation envelopes are mailed quarterly (Feb, May, August, Nov) If one does not receive one’s packet of envelopes, they are asked to contact the parish office at 345-0064
Donations to the parish can now be made by electronic deduction for your account instead of using cash or a check. Just fill out the form below and send it to the parish office. You are still encouraged to use a Sunday Envelope weekly to symbolize your gift of yourself – your time, talents, and treasures – that you are asking Jesus at Mass to give to God the Father along with the gift of himself. Then, check “automatic transfer” on your envelope.
Other ways of Helping the Parish Financially
- Remember the parish in your will.
- Make donations to the parish School Endowment Fund, the School Building Debt Reduction Fund or the Church Enhancement Fund
- Make a gift, establish a fund naming the parish or one of its ministries or projects as the recipient of the interest from your donation in the years to come through the Northern Michigan Catholic Foundation. Contact the foundation at 989-705-3507 for more information.
- Donate $400 per couple or $200 as a single person to the Northeast Community Foundation naming St. Joseph School Endowment Fund and receive a Michigan income tax credit of one half the gift for the year in which the gift was given. The Foundation can be contcted by classing 989-354 6881 or toil free 989-354-, PO Bx 63, West Branch Mi 48661
- Contribute regularly support of the day-to-day operation of the parish.
- Make a donation to the parish in lieu of a gift in memory of a loved one, on an anniversary when those celebrating do not wish a gift, as a way of saying thanks, etc.
Little Ways to Help the Parish Financially
Rebates Available for School
Glens (Designate St. Joseph School, West Branch MI)
Shop On-Line – www.schoolcash.com
Verizon Phone Service
M-33 Access – 10% of monthly internet charges to school, fill out an eligibility certificate cf. www.m33access.com
Labels, Bars Codes, Receipts
Turn into the school, the Sunday collection orthe parish office:
Spartan bar codes
General Mill’s Box tops for Education
Campbell soup labels
Empty Computer Cartridges (place in the container of the new one you installed.
Scrip Program – purchase retailer certificates (scrip) in various denomination at the parish office or after the weekend Masses at church. Use as cash. They work like a gift card, debit card or phone card. The school receives 2%-13% of face value.
Scrip on hand: Glen’s Market, K-Mart, Brian’s Fruit Market, G’s Pizzeria, Ann’s Hair Affair, Shell Gas, Mobile/Exxon Gas, Wendy’s, Burger King, Pondrosa/Bennigans, Arby’s, Dairy Queen, Blockbuster, Home Depot, Green Ace Hardware, Applebee’s, Auto Value, Rite Aid.
Orders by 10am Mondays, picked up on Thursday or Friday.
For information call school (345 0220) or parish office (3450064).
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As a parish of the Diocese of Gaylord the parish supports the works and charities of the diocese through its Catholic Services Appeal in May (See diocesan web site)
The parish also shares in the annual Missions Collection in October, the Collection for Retired Members of Religious Communities of priests, brothers and sisters in December, and Catholic Relief Service’s Rice Bowl project in Lent. Pension for retired diocesan priests of the diocese are funded through parish assessments and the CSA,
Direct Payment – Electronic Transfer Authorization Form For the Parish
I/we herby authorize St. Joseph Church, 961 West Houghton Ave, West Branch MI 48661, to initiate debt entries and to initiate, if necessary, credit entries and adjustments for any debit entries in error to my (our) bank account as indicated below and to debit and/or credit the same to this bank account.
Bank Name: _________________________________ Branch:__________________
City: _________________________ State: _________________ Zip: ____________
Account to be debited ________Checking _________Savings
Routing Number: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ (9 digits)
Account Number: ___________________ Please attach a voided check or deposit slip
Debit Amount $____________as a donation for the support of the parish and its ministries
Frequency: Indicate one ________ Weekly ________ Monthly by the 10th day of the month
This authorization is to remain in full force and effect until St. Joseph Church has received written notification of its termination from me in such time and manner to afford St. Joseph Church and the bank a reasonable opportunity to act on it.
Name(s) (please print) __________________________________________ Parish Envelope Number: _________
Signature(s) ___________________________________________________ Date: _____________