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The Do’s & Don’ts of Stewardship Implementation in the Parish: Sts. Simon & Jude Case History. How to Implement Stewardship and Prepare for Inevitable Obstacles Michael Harvey, OFM Pastor John Hazlin, Past Stewardship Board Chair. April 26, 2007.
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The Do’s & Don’ts of Stewardship Implementation in the Parish: Sts. Simon & Jude Case History How to Implement Stewardship and Prepare for Inevitable Obstacles Michael Harvey, OFM Pastor John Hazlin, Past Stewardship Board Chair April 26, 2007
Presentation Outline 5 Key Processes I. Plan II. Act III. Implement IV. Anticipate V. Evaluate
Recommendations on Getting Started I. Plan II. Act III. Implement IV. Anticipate V. Evaluate
Plan Pastor Support • Don’t even think about it if the Pastor isn’t the “champion.”
Plan Leadership Team Selection • Handpick the leadership team and the team leader. • Picking the right people is critical • Spirituality • Collegiality • Consensus builders • God will provide
Plan Aim for Conversion • Focus on how to change hearts, not on delivering a message. Stewardship is Caught…. Not Taught
Plan Define Stewardship • The Pastor must define Stewardship at the outset. (even if the team redefines it later)
Plan Create Bylaws • Limit politics by setting up ground rules at the start.1.Vision of Stewardship 2.Purpose of the Stewardship Board: 3.Goal: 4.Objectives: 5.Members of the Board 6.The Chair of the Board: 7.The Vice-Chair of the Board: 8.The recording secretary: 9.Meetings: 10. Amending these by-laws:
Plan Don’t Go Too Fast • Build in time for Stewardship study. (It will take up to 6 months.)
Plan Study Stewardship • Look to the Diocese and other U.S. parishes to train your leaders. (This can cut learning time up to 3 months).
Plan Develop Witness Talks • Invite all leadership team members to write and deliver a witness talk to the other team members.
Plan Don’t Reinvent the Wheel • Use programs, plans, materials and study programs available from the Diocese and other U.S. parishes. • Other Resources: • Debbie Leaverton – Diocesan of Orange • Leisa Anslinger – Immaculate Heart of Mary – Cincinnati, OH • Sharon Hueckel – Our Lady of the Assumption– Claremont, CA
Plan Formalize Communication Requirements • Establish at the outset the need for approval by the Pastor of all formal messages to the Parish.
Plan Own Stewardship • The Team must agree a language with which they are comfortable. For example: • a definition • a prayer • a slogan • key tenants and/ or • other written formats that invite ownership.
“Pray, Care & Share with SSJ” • “Pray” First spend time with God • “Care” This is my commandment, that you love one another John 15:12 • “Share” Move beyond faith to action • “with SSJ” Stewardship is an effort by and for the Body of Christ
Plan Build Community within the Board • Learn fellow Board members unique gifts • Nurture and support the hard work of the “Team” • Trust is essential for understanding
Plan Create a Written Plan • Expect the Leadership Team to write: • Goals • Objectives and • Strategies (Allow 2-3 months)
Plan Establish Working Teams • Assign each person to a Working Team responsible for a specific area of Stewardship planning
Plan Tie in dates to the Parish Calendar • Avoid conflicts • Anticipate the timing of future events with an eye on the Church calendar • Take advantage of obvious Stewardship themes: • Advent preparation • Lenten reflection • Pentecost –recognition of talents
Plan Delegate Tactics Creation • Expect each Working Team to write tactics that deliver agreed upon strategies (Allow 1-2 months)
Plan Empower the Leadership Team • When you see they’re ready, charge them with the responsibility.
Plan Recruit More People • Recruit & train additional Stewardship leaders before you begin implementing
Plan Embrace Stewardship • If you’re ready for Stewardship, make it clear to all that it is the core of all messages and events.
Plan Plan for the Long-Term • Acknowledge at the outset that creating Stewardship is a long-term process
Recommendations on Getting Started I. Plan II. Act III. Implement IV. Anticipate V. Evaluate
Act “Name it and Claim it” • Point out many examples of Stewardship that already happen in the Parish.
Act Don’t Go Too Slow • “The Stewardship message is urgent;” • The leaders you’ve chosen will respond, if you expect it.
Act Tell Them it’s Stewardship • Identify messages as “Stewardship” as they naturally occur in homilies, music, and other aspects of liturgy.
Act Don’t Tell Them that It’s Stewardship • Gain acceptance by tailoring the message to the audience and the occasion. You don’t have to use the word “Stewardship.”
Act Witness Stewardship • Include witness talks in Stewardship presentations and events, whenever possible.
Act Ground All Activities with Prayer • Make prayer an integral part of all you do. • Start every meeting with a reading from Scripture; • Make time for spiritual reflection • Trust in God to give you direction.
Act Recruit Parish Leaders First • Start with those who lead ministries & boards or who already lead by example
Act Don’t Start with Money • Stewardship is much more than money; Don’t poison the well. “Concentrating on one specific obligation of Stewardship, even one as important as church support, could make it harder – even impossible – for people to grasp the vision” Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response
Act Don’t Over Control • If you know everything that’s going on, then it’s not working.
Act Facilitate Cross Communication • Empower Stewardship to infiltrate all aspects of parish life. • Make it clear to parish leaders that that is the expectation.
Recommendations on Getting Started I. Plan II. Act III. Implement IV. Anticipate V. Evaluate
Implement Homilies/Homilies/Homilies • Compose a comprehensive Stewardship message and deliver it over and over and over.
Implement Kick off with a 3 Week Formation Program • Work toward a 3 week formation program that will speak to the people in the back of the Church.
SSJ 3 Week Faith Formation ProgramMay 1 –May 18, 2004 • 3 Week Program Goal Expose all active Parishioners to the basic message of Stewardship as a way of life. • Week 1 • Theme: Stewardship: A Spirituality for our Times • Mass Homily: “Jesus calls us to Stewardship” • Tuesday night: Responding to 21st Century challenges of Christianity • Week 2 (Mother’s Day) • Theme: The Stewardship of Parenting • Witness talk: “Responding in Gratitude, a Mother’s Example” • Tuesday night: Bringing Stewardship home for the kids • Week 3 –Parish Mission (Sharon Hueckel) • Mission Theme: Increasing personal spirituality • Mass Homily: Naming and Claiming: Recognizing the Stewardship in our daily lives • Sunday night: Stewardship: Responding in Love • Monday night: Modeling Stewardship for our Children • Tuesday night: Parish Formation: Stewardship “with SSJ”
Implement Make a One Day Program the Centerpiece • Borrow or develop a One Day Stewardship Spirituality Program that goes beyond knowledge to facilitate a change of heart. • Offer multiple Saturdays. • Make this the centerpiece of all Stewardship education
One Day Agenda –Stewardship Spirituality TOPICACTIVITY 8:45 AM Registration 9:00 AM Overview/ Readings 9:15 AM Stewardship Overview –Fr. Michael 9:30 AM “How have I been called?” Witness Talk 9:45 AM “The Call” Readings & Table Discussion 10:45 AM “Jesus Way” Readings & Table Discussion 11:30 AM Lunch and Walk with a friend 12:15 PM “Stewardship in Daily Life” Witness Talk 12:30 PM “Living As Steward” Readings & Reflection on Time Use 1:15 PM “Stewards of the Church” Readings & Reflection on Talents 2:30 PM “The Challenge & The Choice” Readings & Room Discussion 3:15 PM Summary 3:30 PM Depart
Implement Condense the Message • Once the One Day program is firmly in place, create a half day alternate • Requires less time • Still creates an environment for spirituality to blossom.
Presentation Outline 5 Key Processes I. Plan II. Act III. Implement IV. Anticipate V. Evaluate
Anticipate Stewardship Is Misunderstood • Decide before you start on how to deal with the misconception that Stewardship is “a creation of the Bishop to increase the collection.”
Anticipate People Are Over Involved • Active parishioners • Over involved in Church and have no time for Stewardship. • Inactive parishioners • Over involved in life and have no time for Stewardship.
Anticipate Conflicts of Schedule • The Pastor has to set priorities, with help from the Pastoral Council.
Anticipate Fishermen & Tax Collectors • Empower people to write plans. Most people aren’t professional planners and don’t think they can do it.