Stewardship Is...

Stewardship is not an annual exercise to meet a budget and finance programs. Rather, it is an expression of thanksgiving, a celebration of God's gifts and graces encountered daily in our lives. We "praise God from whom all blessings flow", and stewardship is one part of that praise. Because stewardship is part of our worship and praise, it is more than an individual contract with God; stewardship requires an active commitment and connection to our faith community. The stewardship committee has adopted a motto that emphasizes the community aspect of stewardship: all hearts and hands together. Look for a series of articles in the Tower in which fellow parishioners explain what stewardship means to them and how it has touched their lives.

A Note from Joe Clements, Stewardship Committee Chair

(Copied from the September 2009 edition of the Tower)

Thoughts on stewardship

Why Emmanuel?

Why did each of us choose to be a part of this parish?

Why do we give our time and resources to it?

Why do we find our experiences here meaningful and enriching?

These questions and many other similar ones should cross our minds now and then.  With the never-ending litany of boxes to check on our lists each day, I suspect that we often forget to consider how much we value Emmanuel and the people that gather here to worship, share the peace and nurture our spirit.  Fall has arrived again, and it is time to prepare for the coming year.  We, as a parish, must make a number of decisions about the ministries and activities to be offered at Emmanuel.  This requires something from each of us…. 

• A gift of time to lead a program or teach a class or assist with worship services or cook a meal or prepare the sanctuary for the liturgy each Sunday or ….  The list is really only limited by our willingness to offer ourselves.  
• Our financial gifts which are obviously just as necessary as our time for the proper functioning of the parish.  As you may have noticed in the stories of some of your vestry members (which have appeared in the Tower recently), we all grapple with issues of money, especially when we are asked to share it with someone or some other entity, even when it is for the greater good.

We must constantly examine our ability to be good stewards because life is forever changing.  The basic tenets of the Anglican tradition provide a solid framework within which we can look at stewardship.  In 1534, Richard Hooker, an Anglican theologian, described three sources of guidance that help us discern the path which God would have us follow.  These sources include:  Scripture, Reason and Tradition. 

• Scripture provides the basis of our existence as a church.  Though the Bible’s teaching regarding tithing is straightforward, we have a tendency to dismiss it convincing ourselves that “these are old teachings applied to ancient people and now do not fit modern day circumstance.”  I encourage everyone to explore what the Bible says about giving.
• Reason.  When it comes to what I will do with my money, my time, or my life, other forces often drive our decision making.  We are bombarded daily with messages of what our society values, though, these often are at odds with what we know is right.  We must always thoughtfully check our internal compass.
• Tradition.  Our tradition is our liturgy which is replete with lessons of thanks for what we have been given and giving to those in need.  As often occurs, our tradition has drifted to a point where we only give one or two percent to the church, significantly limiting our church’s impact on our community.

So, back to the original question…. Why Emmanuel?

Please join me as we contemplate this question this fall and pledge our support to Emmanuel.

 

Joe Clements

Stewardship Committee

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Vestry Stewardship Statement

• We believe that God gives us all that we are, all that we have, and all that we create, abundantly and freely from His love.
• These gifts have been given through His grace to use with responsibility and intention.
• We commit to the joy of sharing our time, talent and treasure in thanksgiving to God for His gifts to us.
• We pledge to tithe, or work toward that goal, as our hearts call us in our walk with God.
• We invite and encourage the Emmanuel family to join us on this journey of faith, trusting in the love and the grace of God.