In The Book of Common Prayer at the start of the Holy Communion portion of Holy Eucharist, just after the mention of the Offertory, there is a rubric (or instruction), given as follows:
Representatives of the congregation bring the people's offerings of bread and wine, and money or other gifts, to the deacon or celebrant. The people stand while the offerings are presented and placed on the Altar. (BCP 333 and 361)
The offering of money is thus placed on the altar with the gifts of bread and wine for Communion. This takes us back to the practices of the early church in placing offerings on the Table for Communion. It also reflects that we are offering up all we have to give back to God.
In today's world, what we have to offer to God of our time, talent, and treasure is often represented in the form of money, making it appropriate to place it as a gift on the altar for the Offertory. Money is also how we fund the work of the parish, making it a key factor in how we continue to do God's work in the world.
The Offertory is about giving back to God what God has given us. Money symbolizes that for us, therefore it is an appropriate, practical, and literal symbol of what we are offering to God's service in our worship. It also calls on us to better think and reflect on how we are using our money, as parishes, to better serve God in this world.
Further Reading:
- Celebrating the Eucharist: A Practical Ceremonial Guide for Clergy and Other Liturgical Ministers by Patrick Malloy (see pages 128 and 172 in particular)
- Praying Shapes Believing: A Theological Commentary on The Book of Common Prayer by Leonel L. Mitchell
- Commentary on the American Prayer Book by Marion J. Hatchett
- The Study of Liturgy edited by Jones et al