Stewardship

Stewardship is a way of life, a life of accountability and responsibility acknowledging God as Creator and Giver of all. Stewardship involves responsible management of our God-given resources of time, talent, and treasure. Stewards as disciples of Jesus Christ see themselves as caretakers of all God's gifts. Gratitude for these gifts is expressed in prayer, worship, offering and action by eagerly sharing our gifts out of love for God and one another.

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Part I: Disciples as Stewards
The Apostles provide us an example of what it means to live as a steward. Think for a few moments what it was like for them. You were asked to give up everything, no matter the cost. Who would do that now at your Parish? Would you? Who are those individuals at your Parish who always say “yes” to a new ministry or program? Those people are living as stewardship disciples. Our willingness to give of ourselves freely is tied to our journey to discipleship. When we participate in the Offertory during Mass, we are called to reflect on how we can offer all ways of stewardship, not just financial. Maybe our offering is serving at the local food pantry that week, or maybe it is committing time to prayer for the community. The Offertory is the opportunity for us to examine how we might draw closer to calling of discipleship. Have you reviewed your job description for your stewardship committee lately? Would it be a position fitting of an Apostle? If not, what is it missing? Maybe the job description only talks about money and about the offertory. What would it look like if Peter or another disciple wrote the job description? Financial gifts during the Offertory are a tangible way to express our gratitude for the many gifts we have received; however we are also asked to examine our offering of time and talents. 


Part II: Stewards of Creation
Although Chicago tends to trick us, spring has sprung around the city! Put away the winter coats and get the porch furniture out, because summer is also around the corner in our hometown. During these spring and summer months we tend to eat outside more, take nature walks, host picnics at the local park, or enjoy the beautiful lakefront. We commonly take advantage of the environment during these months, without considering what we can give back to the environment. How often do we find ourselves planting a tree, picking up trash at the park, recycling our picnic tableware when we are done with it? The call to stewardship includes a responsibility to prayerfully consider how we care for God’s creation. Rather we are caring for our earth by recycling or considering occupations that lessen our burden on the environment, we are called to respect all aspects life that God has given to us. We are called to be leaders in a noble effort to ensure that our environment is maintained and protected for many generations to come. We are called to protect the homes of all of God’s creatures and realize the impact of our daily lives on them. Our entire world is a gift, from the creatures in the sea to the air we breathe; it is no exaggeration that this gift is precious. I hope during the upcoming months as we enjoy and take advantage of the nice weather outside, that we also consider giving back to the environment that gives so much to us.

Stewardship Recommendation:
Think about your own church environment.

• How are you caring for your campus? 
• How are your events or programs utilizing recycling practices, but also thinking of other materials that could be used again at another event?
• Do you have someone on your stewardship committee that is tasked with focusing on the environment? Consider adding this position to your team and coordinating their efforts among your ministries to ensure that we are being mindful of God’s creation and our responsibility to care for it.