The Shepherd, February 2007
11 Psalms 51:17 - “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
12 Malachi 3:10 - “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. ‘But you ask, “How do we rob you?” In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you - because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’”
13 Amos 4:4 - “Bring your sacrifice every morning, your tithes every three years.”
14 1 Samuel 20:17 - “And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself.” Luke 6:45 - “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”
15 Acts 15:8 - “God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us.”
16 1 John 4:8 - “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
17 Psalm 26:8 - “I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells.”
18 Approved by a resolution of the Synod of Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad on 30 June / 13 July 1951 and 15/28 April 1955
19 (a) the care of the church and its adornment;
(b) the maintenance of the clergy;
(c) the economic prosperity of the parish and the care of the needs of the church, the clergy, parish institutions, the diocesan and other social needs;
(d) charitable work, and
(e) educational work in the spirit of the Orthodox Church.
(f) establish and be actively involved in Benevolent Acts for the needy in our community
(g) offering free specialist services such as, legal aid, assisting migrants with accommodation, transport and practical needs
(h) giving food, clothing and furniture and other assistance to those who are in necessitous circumstances in our community
(i) providing transport for the elderly and to those who are house-bound and socially isolated to attend the church services, community events, etc. and take them back home again
(j) providing professional counselling for those who have been abused, traumatised or are suffering loss of family (children or adults).
(k) to express in the Orthodox tradition, prayerful intervention for the nation, its cities, towns and country, its parliaments and people, as described in the content of the Orthodox Church Services, especially the Liturgy.
20 Matthew 6:21 & Luke 12:34 - “For where your treasure is, there also will be your heart.”
21 “That he will … be glad of what he receives…” From the Ordination Oath.
22 Deuteronomy 18:1 - “The priests, who are Levites… shall live on the offerings made to the Lord… for that is their inheritance.
23 Mark 12:41-44
Editor’s footnotes:
Here Fr Michael gives a very exalted and beautiful example to end this superb piece. In practical terms, it might be well to reflect where our priorities lie. For instance, if one has a wedding, what is the most important part of the whole celebration for the believer? Surely, the service in church, the blessing received through the mysterion of Matrimony. And yet, often even quite conscientious parishioners will, at a wedding for one of their children, offer a relatively small donation to the Church, but spend a fortune on the bridal gown, the flowers, the reception, and the honeymoon. Does this not show where their priorities really lie?
One point which Fr Michael does not touch upon, maybe because he was addressing young people, is the question of wills. One can make an offering to the Church through leaving a bequest in your will, so that even after leaving this life you become a benefactor of the Church’s mission here on earth and are remembered in her prayers. 
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