Stewardship -Time, Talent, and Treasure 

“For it is in giving that we receive” -St Francis of Assisi

 

“As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” - 1 Peter 4:10

Father Reker's Letter

·        What is a Christian Steward?

·        Prayer for Stewardship

·        Way to Share your Time and Talent

·        Ways to Share your Treasure

·        Reflections

·        Stewardship Links and Information Sources

 

 

 

What is a Christian Steward? 

"One who accepts God's gifts graciously, cherishes and tends them in a responsible and accountable manner, shares them in justice and love with others, and returns them with increase to the Lord."  (from the United States Catholic Bishops pastoral letter on stewardship)  Stewardship is the acknowledgement that all we are and all we possess are gifts that God had given us for our temporary use and for our use in helping our fellow man.

Embracing Stewardship as a way of life starts with the personal need within each of us to return to God a thankful portion of our time in the form of prayer, our talents in the form of ministry to others, and our treasure that He has entrusted in our care. Please be generous with your time, talent and treasure commitments. Take part in ministries that address the needs of fellow parishioners, parish churches and entire communities.  For your own spiritual growth, as well as that of the parish, it is important that everyone in the St. Francis parish be involved, living the stewardship “way of life”.  Let our patron saint be an inspiration to us all. In the words of St. Francis of Assisi "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."

St. Francis of Assisi, our patron saint, practiced true stewardship by showing honor, respect, and love to every person whether they were beggar or pope. Francis did not try to abolish poverty, he tried to make it holy. Francis was a man of action, he acted quickly because he acted from the heart. "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." -St Francis of Assisi

Prayer for Stewardship

v     Lord God, I believe that You will always provide me with what I need, if I only ask.

v     I know that whatever You give me is to be shared with others in my family, my parish, my community, my country, and the world.

v     Help me to use my gift wisely, always aware that You are the source of all blessings.

v     Grant that I may share my time, talent and treasure in ways that will bring glory to Your Son,

v     Jesus, who reigns with you now and forever.

Amen  

 

Ways to Share Our Time & Talents

There are many ways to share your gifts and become involved. If you want spiritual growth and meaning, try asking how the Lord wants you to serve, not if.  Please be generous in the giving of yourself.  Click here to learn more about St. Francis' many ministries and the ways you can get involved. Prayerfully review and reflect on the many opportunities offered. Fill out and submit the Time & Talent Volunteer form and you will be contacted by the ministry leads.

 

v      Pastoral Leadership -Stewardship Committee, Pastoral Council, Finance Council

v      Parish Groups -Book Club, Council of Catholic Women, Men’s Club, Vocations Committee

v      Community Outreach  - Channel One, Charities Committee, Dorothy Day House, Haiti Mission, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Resource Room, Shawl Ministry, Social Concerns Committee, Sunday Lunch Program

v      Support of Parish Operations and Facilities - Adopt-a-Flower Bed Club, Art & Environment, Committee, Building & Grounds Committee, Desktop Publishing, Martha Group, Money Counters, Office Volunteers, Parish Center Librarian, Parish Newsletter, SCRIP, Special Support, Website www.stfrancis-church.org,

v      Faith Formation -Adult Faith Formation Faith Formation Committee, Faith Formation Grades 1-5, Faith Formation Grades 6-10, RCIA, Sacrament Preparation, SPRED (Special Religious Education)

v      Pastoral Ministry - Hispanic Ministries, Vietnamese Community, Welcoming New Parishioners

v      Liturgy and Worship - Altar Servers, Extraordinary Ministers of Communion, Gathering Sunday, Hospitality Ministry, Lectors, Liturgy Committee, Liturgy of the Word for Children, Mass Chauffeur, Music Ministry, Pre-School Sunday School, Rosary/Novena

v      Service to Parishioners in Need - BeFrienders, Funeral Luncheons, Grief / TLC Ministry, Health & Wellness, Ministry of Praise, Pastoral Care, Respite Care, St. Jude Group, Sister Parish, Special Events

v      School - St. Francis of Assisi School

v      Youth – Young Adults -Boy Scout Troop 186, Cub Scout Pack 186, Girl Scouts, Youth Ministries

v      Parish Events -Annual Rummage Sale, Dinner Theatre,  Fall Festival

v      New/Open  -Historian/ Archivist

 

 

 If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth -1 JOHN 3:17-18

 

Ways to Share Our Treasure

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi depends on the generosity of its parishioners and visitors. Some ways you can support the parish financially include:

Ø      Weekly Contributions may be done in the form of cash, check or automatic withdrawal from a personal bank account or by using your weekly envelope.  Gifts of cash may be deducted from taxable income when they are made, as long as the donor itemizes his or her deductions. Savings from the deduction depends on the donor’s tax rate and generally, the higher the tax rate, the greater the savings.

Ø      Special Collections may be done in the form of cash or check from a personal bank account. See the list of special collections for 2007. 

Ø      Pledging to the Annual Stewardship Appeal allows the donor to make a larger gift stretched out over a year in a schedule convenient for the donor. St. Francis of Assisi benefits from a pledge by knowing it has a solid, predictable base of support. Intent of Giving Form

Ø      Non-cash contributions refers to Appreciated Securities, or Stocks Gifts provide the donor with significant tax advantages. The long-term capital gains tax is eliminated, and the donor is entitled to a deduction equal to the fair market value of the securities.

Ø      Planned giving and deferred giving refers to charitable gifts that require planning before they are made. Such estate planning helps to ensure that assets are properly distributed according to the donor’s wishes. Planned gifts are popular because they can provide valuable tax benefits. A person of any age and income can make a deferred gift. Consult your estate planning professional or financial manager when making a deferred gift.

Ø      Memorial and Honor Gifts -A beautiful way to honor an anniversary, baptism, birthday or remember someone who has gone before us. Gift cards and information are available at the Parish Center.

Ø      Children’s Envelopes can be picked up at the Parish Center by signing up your child(ren) for their own weekly contribution envelope.

Related Forms and Information

 

Reflections

Christ-centered rather than self-centered -When we acknowledge that God is the source of all that we have, we show gratitude through prayer, offerings and action. Living our baptismal promise calls us to be Christ-centered rather than self-centered and it involves conversions of the heart.

 

How do we use our time, talent and treasure? We are all responsible for the life and mission of the Church through our baptism. Through following Christ, we have the benefit of the role model of sacrifice for the greater good, a model of self-giving and loving service. “such as My Love has been for you…so must your love be for each other.” Prayerfully reflect on the many blessings you have received and give thought on how you and/or your family might return your time, talent and treasure to the Lord in thanksgiving. Reflect on the three areas of stewardship and how they are lived out in your life. Among the important question are:

·         TIME. How much time do you set aside each week in prayer and involvement in volunteer activities in your parish and in our community?

·         TALENT. How are you using your talents for the betterment of our parish family and for the community as a whole?

·         TREASURE. What percentage of your yearly income do you presently give to support your parish, the Universal Church, and community activities?

 

An Invitation to Help Change the World  (Issued by USCCB, November 12, 2003) contains interesting reflections on “Gifts of God” and “The Challenges and Rewards of Stewardship.”  Rewards of stewardship include: -making a difference in people's lives, -becoming an active member of a fulfilling Catholic community, -discovering talents inside you, waiting to be used, -letting go of your worries and setting realistic goals in both your spiritual and secular life, -experiencing the amazing increase in God's presence that comes with a partnership with the Lord.  (from http://www.usccb.org/bishops/stewardship.shtml) 

 

Stewardship Links and Information Sources: