You support your parish by giving your money, your time, and your presence. All three matter.
The Orthodox Church doesn’t mandate a strict tithe the way some Protestant churches do. We don’t have a rule that says “exactly 10% or you’re out.” But we do teach stewardship, which means recognizing that everything you have comes from God and offering back a portion in gratitude. The 10% figure from the Old Testament? It’s a useful benchmark, not a legal requirement. Think of it as a starting point for proportional giving, a way to make your giving intentional rather than haphazard.
Here’s the thing about money. Your parish has real bills. Electric bills don’t care about your theology. The building needs maintenance. The insurance company wants its check. If you’ve got clergy serving full-time, they need to feed their families. Someone’s got to pay for the candles, the communion wine, the bread, the charcoal for the censer. In Southeast Texas, you’ve also got AC bills that’ll make you weep, and hurricane repairs that come around more often than anyone wants.
But financial giving isn’t the whole picture.
Your Time and Talent
The Ancient Faith and OCA sources are clear about this: stewardship means offering your whole life, not just your wallet. A parish runs on volunteers. Someone’s got to teach Sunday School. Someone needs to chant. The altar servers don’t appear by magic. Coffee hour requires actual humans to make coffee and bring food. Buildings need cleaning. The parish council needs members. Outreach ministries need hands and feet.
Some people can give more money than time. They work offshore two weeks on, two weeks off, or they’re pulling double shifts at the plant. Fine. Give what you can financially. Other people are stretched thin financially but have time and skills. Teach a class. Sing in the choir. Help with maintenance. The Church needs both.
And then there’s just showing up. Your presence at Liturgy matters. When you’re there, you’re part of the Body praying together. You’re supporting your parish by being the parish. An empty church building isn’t a parish, it’s just a building. The people make it a parish.
The Theology Behind It
Orthodox teaching says we’re stewards, not owners. Everything belongs to God. Your paycheck, your house, your time, your skills, all of it comes from Him. When you give back a portion, you’re acknowledging that reality. You’re practicing detachment from the things that can so easily own you instead of you owning them.
St. John Chrysostom preached constantly about giving to the poor and supporting the Church. He didn’t mince words. He called wealth a trust from God, meant to be shared. The early Christians in Acts held everything in common. We don’t require that level of communal living now, but the principle remains: what’s yours is meant to be offered.
Giving is also ascetic practice. It trains you to put God first. When you write that check or set up that automatic transfer before you pay anything else, you’re saying “God comes first, not my comfort.” That’s spiritual discipline. It changes you over time.
Making It Practical
Most parishes ask members to pledge annually. You estimate what you can give for the year, you commit to it, and the parish can budget accordingly. This isn’t a contract, life happens, circumstances change. But it helps everyone plan. If you can’t pledge a specific amount, give what you can when you can. Something regular is better than nothing.
Beyond money, talk to your parish council or a member of the clergy about where help is needed. Maybe they desperately need Sunday School teachers. Maybe the building and grounds committee is down to two people. Maybe the outreach ministry to the local homeless shelter needs drivers. You won’t know unless you ask.
And pray for your parish. Pray for the clergy by name. Pray for the parish council. Pray for the ministries. Pray for the people you see struggling. That’s support too, and it’s not nothing.
Your parish is your spiritual home. It’s where you’re being saved, where you receive the Mysteries, where you’re learning to become like Christ. Supporting it isn’t optional if you’re serious about your faith. The Church isn’t a religious service you consume, it’s a family you belong to. Families require investment. They require sacrifice. They require showing up even when it’s inconvenient.
So give proportionally and regularly. Serve where you’re able. Show up. That’s how you support your parish, and in doing so, you’re supporting your own salvation.
