Defining Stewardship

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Defining Stewardship

• The Tension Between Stewardship and Fundraising

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Stewardship is

• Our thankful and intentional response to the
  question, What does God call me to do with the
  gifts God has entrusted to me?
• What I do, with all that I have, after I say, I
  believe.

And.
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Stewardship is

• A spiritual journey we take individually and in
  community in which we seek to move from a
  perspective of scarcity to one of abundance with
  ever increasing gratitude and generosity.

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Fundraising is..

• Raising money for specific needs
• An in gathering technique
• The mechanics of the giving process

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A Brief History of Stewardship in the USA

• In the 17th and 18th centuries, Christians were
  compelled to care for and support one another for
  the survival of their communities.
• Lack of concern for the stranger.
• A lack of moral imagination to see the needs of
  others.

From Robert Lynn Wood, former Senior Vice
President for Religion at the Lilly Foundation.
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A Brief History.

• In the 19th century, as communities grew larger,
  the idea of charity was viewed as a hand out,
  and became less acceptable in society.
• The idea of mission took hold as the new
  concept of giving.
• Mission beyond the immediate community required
  more money.
• A time of rapid church growth and development.

From Robert Lynn Wood, former Senior Vice
President for Religion at the Lilly Foundation.
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A Brief History. 20th 21st Centuries

• Cultural and religious pressures focus us more on
  the bottom line.
• Full concept of stewardship suppressed.
• Recognize the shift from How much should be
  given? to How well do we give and why?
• The answer can lead to a deepening of faith and
  clarity of attitude about generosity, community
  and responsibility to others.

From Robert Lynn Wood, former Senior Vice
President for Religion at the Lilly Foundation.
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What is the mission of the stewardship committee?

• To thoughtfully and prayerfully lead the
  congregation to a deeper understanding of
  generosity in the commitment of time, talent and
  treasure.
• To lead by example, putting the church at the
  center of giving priorities.

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The Stewardship Committee will

• Strive to guide by grace, not by guilt as we ask
  others to join with us in financially supporting
  our parish.
• Support community building in our parish through
  gatherings of parishioners and clergy sharing the
  good news of the gifts of St. Swithens many
  ministries as well as the reality of the costs of
  maintaining them.
• Encourage the sharing of faith and stewardship
  journeys illustrating lives transformed by and
  through our faith community.

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What are the components of a good stewardship
program?

• Nurture relationships among Gods people.
• Focus on ministry and not budget.
• Focus on life changing issues and tell your
  story.
• Develop an effective program to assimilate
  newcomers (and others!) into the life of the
  church.
• Remember that stewardship is a journey.

From How to Create a Culture of Stewardship in
Your Church by Doug Turner www.generis.com
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How do we balance stewardship and fundraising?

• Include prayer in all meetings of the stewardship
  committee.
• Choose a new theme each year to encourage growth
  in your faith journey and because we all hear
  differently.
• Involve clergy in planning.
• Keep lines of communication open with your
  finance committee.

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