Stewardship Tip December 2009

Keeping your parish stewardship effort fresh and timely…

How can you sustain stewardship education in your parish and keep asking for parishioners’ time, talent, and treasure in a way that lets new people hear and respond and invites those who are already on the journey to stewardship to deepen their commitment? First, you evaluate each year’s renewal effort to see what worked and what could be improved. And then you network! Who else in your area is “doing” stewardship? Chances are, they’d be happy to share their experience – and their materials – with you. It’s usually easier to edit than to create from scratch, and one parish’s “used” idea can often be reborn, fresh and new, for another!

Call your (arch)diocesan stewardship and development office to see who else in your area is actively calling people to grateful stewardship and plan a joint meeting. Or call the International Catholic Stewardship Council to see which nearby parishes are members of ICSC – they’re always happy to share what they’ve found helpful and will be eager to hear your story, too. Consider contacting your local ecumenical or interfaith council to see what other churches in your community are doing. (Chances are, their materials will be focused primarily on the stewardship of treasure – but you might uncover some good themes that could be enhanced and expanded to include an invitation to prayer and ministry as well.)

Spend one stewardship committee meeting just reading the Scriptures for the weeks chosen for next year’s renewal together. Explore the ideas and experiences that surface. See what resonates and inspires – and then live with those themes until the next meeting to see what else develops. Or use the bulletin to invite parishioners’ input by challenging them to complete this sentence: “If I were on the stewardship committee, the one thing I would emphasize (or change or enhance) is…” and put their ideas in the parish suggestion box or “listening post.” Or ask your catechists to have their classes finish this open-ended statement: “I’m a good steward when I…” and collect and celebrate the responses in the parish bulletin. Then consider training the ones with the most creative answers as child witnesses for next year’s renewal.

And three more leads… Look over previous months’ “stewardship tips” on this website. Perhaps something that didn’t seem relevant when it was first posted will now provide a good idea to get you started. Or check out Our Sunday Visitor’s new webinars, a convenient and inexpensive way to hear good speakers talk about stewardship and other parish issues, as you sit at your own computer and participate on your own phone. (A complete list of upcoming webinars can be found at www.osvenvelopes.com).

And make plans now to attend the 2010 ICSC conference in San Diego, September 19-22, 2010. It’s guaranteed to provide inspiration for your own journey to stewardship with great liturgies, creative new ideas to enliven your parish efforts, and countless opportunities to share your successes and network with others who are working to spread the spirituality of gifts and gratitude. If you can attend only one conference this year, make it this one. You’ll be glad you did!

Stewardship Tip December 2009

Keeping your parish stewardship effort fresh and timely…