"Optional donation" is to support Zeffy, which processes gifts at no cost to the non-profit organization. It is purely optional. If you wish to give Zeffy nothing, please choose "Other" and enter 0. Any "optional contribution" will go towards Zeffy, and not towards our church. Using Zeffy saves the church at least 3% on every transaction, and St. Anselm's appreciates their service.
Stewardship
Everything we have is a gift from God, so giving of time, talent and money is a response to these gifts and to God’s love and care for us. Financial giving supports the work and mission of the Church, and deepens our sense of community. The General Convention of the Episcopal Church has affirmed the tithe (10% of our income) as the biblical standard of giving, and we encourage our members to grow in faith, trust, commitment, and thanksgiving by moving toward this goal.
In that spirit, St. Anselm's uses a portion of the gifts we receive, typically 10% of our annual budget, to support other worthy and important causes, some of which are listed below. So gifts to St. Anselm's are also gifts to our wider community.
St. Anselm’s invites parishioners to share the blessings of their bounty through regular contributions, as well as special calls for gifts to support the causes we care about. To make giving easy, we have set up an online giving portal, which you can access to the left. Please use it for regular pledges and for special gifts towards drives like the ones listed below. Or if you prefer, you can offer gifts during service time when the plate is passed or send in a check to the congregation office at 682 Michael Lane, Lafayette CA 94549.
Outreach
Each year a sizable portion of St. Anselm’s operating budget is set aside for charity. The agencies to be funded and the amount each is to receive is decided by a vote of the entire parish. The largest awards are made to the highest-rated charities. Since 2000, we have given ten percent of our budget to 18 to 20 agencies working mostly in Contra Costa County.
Here is an example of some of charitable outreach efforts:
Vestia Gifts
We provide Christmas gifts for the children of some of Contra Costa County’s neediest families through the Vestia program. Parishioners buy gifts on an age-specific wish list provided by Vestia. The gifts are then delivered to Vestia, which distributes them to the families. The gifts range from practical (warm clothing) to fantastical (mountain bikes).
Heifer Project
We provide farm animals, such as cows, pigs, and sheep, for impoverished families in developing nations through Heifer Project International (HPI). The families use the animals or animal products (meat, milk or wool) for their own needs or as a supplement to the family income. The family agrees to pass any offspring on to other needy families in the community. Like a stone dropped in still water, these gifts ripple out for years to come.
Shelter Meals
One week a year, members of the parish prepare and serve dinners at the North Concord Shelter for the homeless. The residents greatly appreciate the meals, and show their enthusiasm in a variety of ways such as compliments to the chefs, requests for seconds, and applause after dessert.