Ways to Give

At Kingdom Dream Center, we are committed to serving and giving back to our community. Whether it's through volunteering, donations, or acts of kindness, there are many ways that we can make a positive impact on those around us. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the ways that you can give back to our community and make a difference in the lives of others.

1. Volunteer your time

One of the most valuable gifts you can give to our community is your time. There are many organizations and nonprofits in Elmira that rely on volunteers to help them carry out their mission. Consider volunteering at a local food bank, animal shelter, or community center. You could also volunteer at events or programs hosted by our church, such as Vacation Bible School or holiday celebrations.

2. Tithes & Offerings

Our vision is to continually build and grow our church body. We want to be able to offer local resources in our community to help those in need. Spreading the gospel takes passion, loving hearts, and many hands. With our giving according to be used to continue the work of Jesus in our local community.

Billy Graham on Tithes & Offerings

What’s the Difference Between Tithes and Offerings?

Like llamas and alpacas, tithes and offerings are grouped together a lot, but they’re definitely not the same thing. A tithe is a specific amount (10% of your income) that you give first, and an offering is anything extra that you give beyond that.

After you’ve tithed and paid all your bills and expenses for the month, you can use any extra money in your budget to give even more! This can look like giving a cash offering to your church above and beyond your normal tithe, giving money to a charity you support, giving to a friend in need, or giving your time and skills by volunteering.

Why Should I Tithe? 

The Bible tells us that tithing is a way to show that we trust God with our lives and our finances. Ready for a truth bomb? Tithing isn’t for God’s benefit. He doesn’t need our money. Instead, tithing is meant for our benefit because sacrificing a portion of our income reminds us to rely on God to meet our needs. Plus it makes us more aware of the needs of others too.

In fact, supporting the needs of pastors and the work of the local church is one of the main purposes of tithing. Tithing helps your local church actively be the church by helping others.

Giving encourages a grateful and generous spirit and can help steer us away from being greedy or loving money too much. Plus, being outrageously generous is a blast!

Do I Have to Tithe?

While tithing 10% of your income is biblical, that doesn’t mean you have to be a Christian to tithe. It also doesn’t mean you’re a bad Christian if you don’t tithe. And guess what? God loves us when we give and when we don’t give. In fact, 75% to 90% of those who go to church don’t give a tithe.

Tithing isn’t a way to earn God’s love—because we already have it. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus warns against focusing too much on the rules of tithing without paying attention to the more important things like justice, mercy and faithfulness.

Bottom line? You should be giving in some way. But tithing is more of a spiritual topic than a financial one. It’s not about the money—it’s about the heart. It’s about living with the attitude that we’ve been blessed to be a blessing.

3. Support local businesses

When you support local businesses, you are also supporting our community. By shopping at local stores and restaurants, you are helping to create jobs and stimulate our local economy. Consider shopping at small businesses in Elmira instead of larger chains or online retailers. You could also promote local businesses on social media or leave positive reviews to help spread the word.

4. Perform acts of kindness

Sometimes the most meaningful acts of giving are the small ones. Look for opportunities to perform acts of kindness in our community, whether it's offering to help a neighbor with yard work or buying a cup of coffee for a stranger. These small acts can have a ripple effect and inspire others to pay it forward.

At our church in Elmira, we believe that giving back to our community is an essential part of our mission. By volunteering, donating, supporting local businesses, and performing acts of kindness, we can make a positive impact on those around us and create a stronger, more vibrant community for all.