Stewardship
All too often, at least in the Episcopal Church, when Christians hear “Stewardship” our hands get a little clammy and our throats a little dry. We have this reaction because for far too long this word was synonymous with giving money to support the church’s annual campaign. While this is one aspect of stewardship, there is actually a far deeper conundrum at hand: we associate giving with stewardship.
Stewardship is not merely giving, as one very popular stewardship program of old says: giving our treasure, giving our time and talents. Stewardship, when reduced to time, talent, and treasure – is incomplete. The completion of stewardship lies in our relationships, not in what we give.
The shift from giving to relationship creates a balance. If one is constantly giving to God then one begins to feel cut off from the love of God. Giving then becomes a block, rather than a joyful act done because we love God and understand God’s love for us.
We at St. Thomas will journey together in exploring how the practice of intentional giving deepens our walk with Christ and supports life-giving ministries to our community and beyond. Day-by-day, week-by-week, people in and around St. Thomas’ experience their life of faith in new and deeper ways through your commitment. Your generosity generates mission and changes lives.
We will do this by:
- Facilitating the annual stewardship campaign
- Offering open ministries that engage our congregation and are enjoyable
- Educating the congregation on ways to further engage God in the world
- Through having fun and giving gifts back to our church
