Practice Generosity

"Gain All You Can - Save All You Can - Give All You Can" --John Wesley

Stewardship is more than just giving money to the church. It is about caring for and managing all that has been given to us by God. Stewardship is a lifestyle that involves making choices in all aspects of our lives to do the best with what we are given. It is a way for us to generously participate in God's work with our time, talents, and assets.

When a body of believers lives out the Christ-centered ideal of generosity, the impact is undeniably positive. For when we are truly generous, we reflect the character of God "who gives generously and doesn't hold back" (James 1:5). Becoming a generous person merely reflects the liberality of God's blessing upon us.

Generosity is a habit, not happenstance. A habit is a life practice. It's something you have done so often that it becomes part of who you are. On the other hand, happenstance is random and unfixed. As followers of Christ, generosity should be so woven into our character that it shows like bright threads in the fabric of our daily lives.

To learn more about Connectional Giving programs sponsored by the United Methodist, click the icon at the beginning of this article. In addition, the Center for Christian Stewardship, which is sponsored by the United Methodist Church, provides exceptional resources, training, and consultation for congregations and individuals about the joy of generous giving. To learn more about John Wesley's views of stewardship, read the three articles posted on this Web site.

There are always opportunities to practice being a generous steward at WUMC. Many of these opportunities are included on various pages of this Web site. Please contact the church office at (716) 634-4800 if you are interested in helping plan or organize stewarship programs.

From the Stewardship Team

It’s the music!!! It’s the friendly people! It’s the ministers! It’s both the traditional and contemporary services! It’s the fellowship opportunities – adult study “Tangents” class, Women of Williamsville, after service coffee and conversation, Habitat for Humanity. And more!

These were among the most identified reasons why we all love WUMC. These are some of the things that keep many of us returning each Sunday. So, what does this mean, and where do we go from here?

The Stewardship Team is working in conjunction with the Lay Leaders to determine how we can build on these strengths to enrich our own lives, deepen our relationship with God, and draw more people into our fellowship circle. We hope that further development of these strengths will help us achieve what many of you identified in your vision for Williamsville – an increased, and younger, congregation that fills the pews on Sunday and helps move WUMC forward in its mission to make disciples for Jesus Christ.

You’ll be hearing more from us throughout the year because “stewardship” is not just a financial campaign slogan. Giving of our resources and our talents helps us become what God wants us to be. What will that be for you?!

Stewardship News