|
Stewardship at St. Davids
Time – Talent – Treasure
Here
at St. David’s we believe that Stewardship is a three-fold
ministry. Not just our pledge, our financial giving, but
equally importantly, the giving of our time and our talents. What
we have belongs not to us but to God – our time (our life), our
talents (our unique gifts), and our treasure (our money).
Christian Stewardship is all that we do with all that we have after
we say “I believe.” Stewardship is the intentional use of all of
the resources and gifts that God has given us to restore all people
to unity with God and each other.
Stewardship is:
□ Good News
God has given us creative power and we are
trusted to manage this power to re-create the world in the image and
likeness of God.
□ Thanksgiving
We give thanks to God for all that we have been
given and respond by sharing what we have with others.
□ Commitment
Our beliefs are
reflected in our commitments. How we spend our time, talents and
treasures is a telling sign of our spiritual life and our
stewardship.
□ Joy
Through stewardship and sharing we discover our true
worth. It brings us closer to God. We feel more grounded and
experience deep joy.
Stewardship is more than church support. It is the use of gifts God
has given us for God’s work in the world.
OUR STEWARDSHIP…
□ Deepens knowledge
and faith among us.
Sunday Morning
Discovery Hour
Wonderful Wednesdays
□ Fosters spiritual
growth of children and young people
Church School,
Youth Ministry, Nursery Care, Early Communion, Youth Confirmation,
Praise Band
□ Gives to needs
outside of the parish
Habitat for
Humanity, St. Paul’s Men’s Shelter, Strengthen our Sisters, Willing
Hands, Kinnelon Food Pantry, North Porch, Merry Heart, St. Anthony’s
Shelter
□ Keeps God’s house
in order
Management and Maintenance of our Property, Memorial
Garden, Finances, Administration, Communications.
□ Responds to the needs
of the congregation
Pastoral Care, Healing Services, Hospitality, Fellowship
Events, Newcomers, Greeters, Men’s Group, Women’s Group, T’ai Chi
Chih, Book Group
□ Creates worship and
songs of praise to God
Worship Services, Acolytes, Altar Guild,
Eucharistic Ministers, Eucharistic Visitors, Lectors, Music Program,
Special Services, Ushers
WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP TO ME?
Your
stewardship, how you give of your time, talents and treasures,
is a personal decision. As you consider your stewardship of
God’s creation:
□ Pray
Ask God to give you a clear vision of the prudent
management of the resources you control.
□ Listen
Communication with God in prayer goes both ways
if we let it.
□ Observe
Evaluate what you have compared to the needs of
the people in the world.
□ Decide
Determine what proportion of your resources
should be returned to God for the benefit of others.
□ Remember
Your commitment is based on your situation now.
If your situation changes, it may be appropriate to change your
pledge.
□ Offer
Present your commitment card to God at the altar
on Commitment Sunday
HOW
MUCH SHOULD I GIVE?
Reflect on the message of Scriptures and the Gospels
We are
encouraged to practice the tithe or to have a plan over a few years
of attaining a tithe (1/10th of our income). Remember
that at St. David’s a significant portion of our annual costs are
paid from our pledges. The ministries at St. David’s are dependent
upon our pledges. Here are five reasons to tithe.1
□ Ancient Model
Tithing is our most ancient model for giving
“And of all that you give me I will surely give one tenth to you.”
Genesis 28.22
□ Trust in God
Tithing helps us worship God more in our lives.
It encourages spiritual growth and trust in God.
□ Financial Wisdom
Tithing brings God’s wisdom to our finances,
exercising a healthy spiritual discipline over them.
□ Ministry Support
Tithing provides the means to keep all of us in
service to God.
□ Congregational
Strength
Tithing strengthens the ministry, outreach and
health of the congregations, molding us into trust Christian
communities of faith, love and grace.
1Stewardship
Office of the Episcopal Church in the USA.
WHAT
IS STEWARDSHIP AT ST. DAVID’S?
Our
stewardship, our giving of time, talents and treasures enables the
work of Christian Ministry.
Our
stewardship is expressed individually and as a community in the many
and varied ministries of St. David’s. The ministries of St. David’s
invite each of us to apply our time and our talents and our money to
enable their continuing growth. Consider all of the ministries at
St. David’s and see how your stewardship can be expressed through
them.
WHAT
ARE OUR STEWARDSHIP GOALS?
-
Supporting
fully our programs and staff
-
Expanding
our budget for gifts to outreach ministries
-
Keeping
pace with inflation of current expenses
-
Expanding
programs to include our share of our diocesan grant for
youth and family ministry ($4,000 in 2008)
-
To
encourage all parishioners to have a personal plan of
tithing or moving towards a tithe.
OUR STEWARDSHIP PRAYER
Loving God, we thank you for the rich abundance in our lives. Open
our eyes to see that, in being
so
blessed, we can in turn abundantly bless others. Open our hearts to
feel the powerful
generosity of your Spirit and let go of our fear and judgment. Open
our ears to hear the needs of
this
church and community. Open our minds so that, whenever called, we
offer the world our
measureless love, our generous time, our unique talents and
treasures. Quicken our hands to
your
service and breathe your Spirit into us. Touch us with the life of
Christ.
Amen.
|
