| What is meant by
stewardship?
Stewardship is based on the spiritual
principles of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus.
Where it has been implemented, both givers' and receivers' lives
have changed. It is a way of life. It is a way of
thanking God for all His blessings by returning to Him a portion of
the time, talent and treasure allotted to us.
Stewardship engenders a spiritually that
deepens our relationship with the Lord. It involves
intentional, planned and proportionate giving of our time, talent
and treasure.
What is meant by intentional, planned and
proportional giving?
Intentional - A well thought out, deliberate
decision is made to live out our Christian life in a certain
way.
Planned - Each Catholic household would plan
and make stewardship of time and talent a part of their lifestyle
and stewardship of treasure a part of their budget.
Proportionate - A decision is made to give a
certain percentage of one's time and one's income to the Church and
other charities.
Do you know how the average American spends his or her
leisure time every week?
- 12 hours watching television
- 6 hours eating out and
socializing
- 5 hours window shopping
- 3 hours on hobbies
- 1 hour on religious activites and
volunteering.
Source:
Jim Spring, "Seven Days of Play," American Demographics (March
1993).
What difference will stewardship make in
my life?
The difference is in the motivation for
giving. Stewardship is an extension of our spiritual life
where we give in gratitude to God for what we have already
received. The difference is also in the result of the
giving. Those who practice stewardship find that they grow
spiritually and that their faith is deepened.
Am I expected to give all of my time,
talent and treasure to the Church?
No. Most people give of their time and
talent as volunteers to community groups in addition to volunteering
in the Church. Many will give money to other community groups
in addition to supporting the Church.
Do you feel time slipping away?
Consider investing a portion of your
time in our parish!
What portion of my time, talent and
treasure should I give?
What you give is a decision made between you
and God. Some Christians choose the biblical norm of giving
10% of their treasure. Some, because of circumstances, give
more than that. Others might start at 2, 3 or 4%. Many
individuals commit a certain number of hours each week to prayer and
charitable acivites.
Isn't stewardship of treasure an attempt
to raise funds?
No, it is not, although some people
mistakenly see it that way. First, stewarship is based on the
Bible, which has many references to stewardship. Second, it is
based onthe individual's need to give, not on the Church's need to
receive. Third, giving of teasure is not limited to the
Church. |