Your bishop may have announced that it’s time for tithing settlement. What is it and how do you do it?
Tithing settlement is a time for you to meet briefly with your bishop to let him know where you have stood with your tithing for the year. Are you paid up to date? Do you have a testimony of tithing? Even if you aren’t a full tithe payer, you should meet with him to discuss your tithing status. If you are struggling to learn to pay tithing, this is a chance for you to tell him, so he can arrange time to help you with it. You can also make a plan at that time for the future, to help you become a better tithe payer. Even if you’ve never paid tithing at all, talk to him about it and discuss how to make it happen in the future. You won’t get into trouble for not paying. Your bishop will use this time to counsel you, not punish you. You must be a full tithe payer to attend the temple, and your bishop wants to help you reach that goal.
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10)
Everything in the church costs money, and tithing is the way those expenses are met. When we pay our tithing, we are a contributing member of the church, helping to make it happen. We don’t pass around a plate or hold fund raisers, so we meet our costs through the private donations of our members. At tithing settlement, you will receive a receipt for all your tithing for the year, in the event that you need it for tax purposes, but the primary purpose of tithing isn’t practical. It’s spiritual.
Those blessings may be material, or they may be spiritual ones. Either way, as you look around the church building and see all that is going on, you’ll have the pleasure of knowing you helped make all this happen.
Your entire family will attend tithing settlement together. Prepare your children for the visit by asking them to review the tithing they’ve paid on their allowances and earnings. Talk to them about the importance of tithing and help them to feel excited to tell the bishop what they’ve accomplished as a tithe payer this year.
Most wards have a sign-up sheet on the bishop’s door. If there isn’t one, ask your leaders how to sign up. Sign-ups usually run through the month of December. Bring the information about your tithing and evaulate your status prayerfully before the meeting.
For more on tithing settlement, read “The Significance of Tithing Settlement.”
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
