Stewardship & Tithing

    Because my children attend parochial school,  we have to attend an annual meeting at the church.  At this meeting we discuss things like church attendance, participitation in church ministries, and money.  At our church, you are supposed to donate your time, talent, and money.  Sounds great doesn't it?
     I found out today that these meetings are somewhat confrontational and accusatory.   They are held by fellow members of the parish, the stewardship committee, as it were.  The gentleman walked in and he was very nice.  Then he jumped right in.  He said "church attendance is very important" and I said "I totally agree."  He says,  "how often do you come to church?"  I say "as often as possible, I try to make it every Sunday."  He says, "well according to our records you have only been to church 26 out of the 52 weeks in the year."  I say,  "are you aware that we didn't join this parish until April?"  He said he had not and immediately apologized.  I also had to explain that we have a church from the same archdiocese down the street from us and that they don't let us attend that church and still tithe to the school parish.  That is rough, as it takes us 35 minutes to get to church one-way.  That also includes the school on a daily basis, as their is no other parochial school in the area.  GAS IS EXPENSIVE!!  I also let him know, that in the summers, mostly, we have family that we visited with back home.
   Things got better from there.  However,  I felt very defensive most of the time.  He was asked why I don't participate in church ministries.  I had to explain that I volunteer at both schools, but that my husband works 6-7 days a week and is often out of town and that leaves me with the children on my own.  I literally have only one other immediate family member here and she is way older and shouldn't be expected to help me out. 
      Of course, then the talk turned to money.  We have been tithing more that ten percent of our income.  I explained to the kind gentleman (cause he really was) that we are living paycheck to paycheck.  He asked if I could contiune paying what I am paying anyhow.   The whole system just seems so un-Christianlike to me.  I am explaining how my husband is away working his butt off, how I work full-time and essentially raise three children (two are teenagers) and he asks me if I can give more than ten percent.  I think he finally grasped the magnitude of our financial situation and the impact of distance and time on our participation,when I got so frazzled that my eyes teared up.
      In the end, he was really nice and even said that I am doing the best I can under these circumstances.  It turned out fine, but did it have to go down like that?   If he had just asked me what was going on, I would have been more than happy to break it all down for him.

      Well,  at least next year I'll know what to expect.....   This my friends, is why some people turn away from the church.  Luckily, no one gets between me and my Saviour.