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Stewardship: The transformative call to Christian Discipleship

Stewardship: The transformative call to Christian Discipleship. Presented by: Brian Doyle Assoc. Dir. of Stewardship Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Outline. What is Stewardship? Principles of Stewardship The Personal Call Called to Steward What? The Call of the Parish community.

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Stewardship: The transformative call to Christian Discipleship

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  1. Stewardship:The transformative call to Christian Discipleship Presented by: Brian Doyle Assoc. Dir. of Stewardship Archdiocese of Cincinnati

  2. Outline • What is Stewardship? • Principles of Stewardship • The Personal Call • Called to Steward What? • The Call of the Parish community

  3. Reflection Questions

  4. Stewardship:What it is NOT… • Haphazard giving • A program • About duty and guilt • A fundraising gimmick

  5. What Stewardship IS… • A way of life • A commitment to follow Jesus no matter the cost • The realization that everything we have is a gift from Godand that we need to treasure and enhance these gifts and give them back in thanksgiving • The recognition that what we have is not ours. What I have is because of the grace of God. What I started with is a gift from God--what I make of my life depends on how I develop God’s gifts.

  6. IS… • Counter-cultural—success and achievementis not ultimate goal—not mine to claim if only I work hard enough. Counter to the “Theology of Prosperity” • A spirituality with daily implications: Daily examen: What did I do today with the gifts God has given me to make a difference in the world? Applies to our faith, community, environment, human and natural resources, economic order, government affairs, etc.

  7. IS… • A

  8. Stewardship: A Disciples ResponseUS Conference of Catholic Bishops Pastoral Letter on Stewardship (1993) 4 characteristics of a Christian Steward: • Receives God’s gifts gratefully, • cultivates them responsibly, • shares them lovingly with others, • returns them with increase to the Lord.

  9. ⌘Discipleship, Discipleship, Discipleship!⌘ Disciples as Stewards • Recognize God as origin of all life, giver of freedom, & source of all things. • Grateful for gifts received (including gift of conversion, calling to membership in the church), and eager to use them to show our love for God and one another. Look to the life and teachings of Jesus for guidance in living as Christian stewards.

  10. The Call of Discipleship:

  11. WHERE- Does Stewardship Take Place? • Begins in the domestic church—the family. Families make decisions everyday on how to spend their time, use their abilities, spend their money. • Extends to the parish, the workplace, the local community, the diocese, universal Church, global community.

  12. STEWARDING WHAT? 1. Stewards of Creation • Joyful appreciation for God-given beauty and wonder of nature • Protection and preservation of the environment; stewardship of ecological concern • Respect for human life; enhance the gift of life and make it flourish • Work—development of this world through noble human effort. Work is the building up of the Kingdom of God!

  13. STEWARDING WHAT? 11. Stewards of Vocation • Jesus calls us to a new way of life-the Christian Way of life. • Christ does not call faceless people, he calls each individually, by name, to a specific, personal vocation in life: lay person, single, married, clergy, religious, adult, child—each has a vocation. This has an escatological significance! • Christ calls us to be stewards of our own vocation, which we receive from God—the 4 characteristics of a Christian Steward.

  14. STEWARDING WHAT? 111. Stewards of the Church • We cooperate with God in our own redemption and in the redemption of others. We are collaborators and cooperators in continuing the redemptive work of Jesus Christ—the priesthood of believers. • Called to carry out the Mission of the ChurchProclaim the Gospel! Teach, Serve, Sanctify! Sacraments! It is the personal responsibility of each of us as stewards of the Church.

  15. HOW is the Parish vital to stewardship formation? • Facilitates the individual’s spiritual process of conversion by supplying a fertile environment for gift discernment and stewardship formation. • Provides opportunities for individuals to live out the call to discipleship through prayer, hospitality and service.

  16. Stewardship vs. What We’re Already Doing

  17. Stewardship vs. What We’re Already Doing *Taken from, Effective Parish Stewardship, The Essentials, Twenty -Third Publications, 2004

  18. PARISH STEWARDSHIP:Seven Signs of a Stewardship Parish • Hospitality • Prayer • Recommitment (Renewal) • Outreach • Lay Witness • Accountability • Stewardship Committee • (Community of GRATEFUL BELIEVERS!)

  19. PARISH STEWARDSHIPSuccessfully Promoting Stewardship Step 1: Personal Witness Step 2: Commitment of Leadership Step 3: Hospitality, Evangelization, Outreach Step 4: Communication & Education Step 5: Recruiting, Training, & Recognizing Gifts of Time & Talent Step 6: Stewardship of Treasure Step 7: Accountability

  20. Parish Engagement • According to Gallup data, Engaged members of a parish are: • 2 ½ times as likely to spend two or more hours per week serving and helping others in their communities. • 3 ½ times as likely to invite friends to participate in their church. • Give nearly 1% more of their gross income--about $700 more per member. • 3 ½ times more likely to say they are completely satisfied with their lives.

  21. Parish Stewardship

  22. Parish Stewardship

  23. Closing Prayer All powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks. All things are of your making. All times and seasons obey you. You chose to create us in your image and to set us over the whole world in all its wonder. You made us the stewards of creation, to praise you every day for your wisdom and power. May we imitate your son, Jesus, in his life of service. May we be faithful stewards of all your gifts to us, the People of God. Amen.

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