Register online for your Stewardship Commitment form, please click the link below:
- 2025 Online Stewardship Registration
- Email the completed form and any questions to: stewardship@greekorthdoxhawaii.org
- Or, mail the completed hardcopy to our office, Attn: Stewardship
Orthodoxy is a Faith that has remained loyal to its origin, preserving the doctrines handed down from our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles, neither adding nor taking anything away from them. It is our responsibility to keep the traditions of our Faith and to maintain a home where our family of Orthodox Christians can continue to thrive.
The Story of the Magi and their Gifts
We learn from the Christmas story of the Magi that “A rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much. For what he gives away remains his forever.” The Magi are the first examples of good stewards of the Faith. They showed their willingness to overcome any obstacle to reach God. Their gifts represent a sincere desire to communicate with their Savior, to express their love for Him, and to discover His will for them.
Stewardship begins when we believe in God, to whom we give our love, loyalty and trust. We act on that belief as the Magi did. As stewards, we affirm that every aspect of our life comes as a gift from God. Stewardship calls on the faithful to cheerfully offer back to God a portion of the gifts with which they have been blessed.
See the Vision
In the words of Fr. William Chiganos, “…people don’t give to need; they give to vision…. Church people don’t stretch their giving because of need to meet the budget; they give more because they are able to see a vision of people being reached and God’s purposes being accomplished in the life of the church and its ministry.”
We encourage everyone to “see the vision” of a thriving Orthodox presence in our community, in our parish and in our islands. Together we can continue to share Orthodoxy.
What is the difference between a member of the church and a steward?
Every Orthodox Christian can be said to be a member of the Church. However, our archdiocese requires each parish to distinguish between voting members and non-voting members. Voting members are stewards. Only stewards are eligible to vote in general assemblies and to serve on the parish council.
In order to become a steward, one must submit a signed stewardship card, committing a portion of one's time, talent and treasure to the church. The archdiocese also requires the steward to remain current in his stewardship throughout the year. Being a steward affords one the right to actively participate in shaping the future of the church and her ministries
Why must I indicate an amount to pledge?
The church needs a budget to operate. The budget should be an expression of the vision of the parish, i.e., its priorities and plans for the future. A successful Orthodox stewardship program should provide for the entire parish operating budget. It should not be necessary for the parish to depend on Greek festivals and other special events to meet its financial responsibilities. While we strive towards this goal of self-sufficiency, a pledged amount affords us the ability to plan our future to not only meet our financial obligations, but more importantly to ensure the future of our Faith by supporting our ministries.
In addition to my stewardship pledge, how else can I support the church?
Planned Giving is a good way to ensure the viability of our Faith and church. The impact of your generous bequest will be felt for years to come. A charitable gift may also give you substantial current tax benefits, as well as estate tax benefits. There are many ways to participate in planned giving. For more information on this, please see Fr. Alexander Leong.
