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Gratitude for God's Gifts
As a community, Corpus Christi Parish is answering the call of a stewardship parish. As individuals we listen and sometimes accept the invitation to share our time, talent and treasure. Corpus Christi invites and encourages each member of our community to actively join us as we continue the call to be a Stewardship Parish.
What is stewardship, and what does that mean to us in our daily lives? True stewardship is not just putting extra money in an envelope, or serving on a parish committee or in a parish ministry. It is much deeper than that. A good steward understands humbly that all they are and all they possess is a gift. Good stewards realize that they cannot equal God’s generosity. The more they give the more God gives in return. True stewardship comes from within and as such is a way of life which includes caring for ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. As God’s children and as an outpouring of this respect for ourselves, stewardship calls us to care for each other: our families, friends and those in our community. Stewardship is a challenge and challenge generally requires change or conversion. We know that change can be difficult but it is important to realize that conversion is a process, not an event. Individuals embark on their own lifelong stewardship journey learning about their gifts and sharing their gifts with others.
Becoming a true steward of our Lord requires prayer, meditation, trust and time. It calls us to reassess our priorities and to make adjustments in the importance we place on things. It affects every aspect of our family life, work life and spiritual life. The benefits of a stewardship lifestyle are many. Perhaps the greatest benefit is knowing we have added value to another’s life through our own actions. Small gestures take on great meaning and give great reward when applied with love in the spirit of Jesus Christ.
Stewardship is more than just managing a portfolio of gifts. “Being a disciple” is not just something else to do, alongside many other things suitable for Christians, it is a total way of life and requires continual conversion. A good steward receives God’s gifts gratefully, cultivates them responsibly, shares them lovingly with justice with others, and returns them with increase to the Lord.
As a community, Corpus Christi Parish is answering the call of a stewardship parish. As individuals we listen and sometimes accept the invitation to share our time, talent and treasure. Corpus Christi invites and encourages each member of our community to actively join us as we continue the call to be a Stewardship Parish.
What is stewardship, and what does that mean to us in our daily lives? True stewardship is not just putting extra money in an envelope, or serving on a parish committee or in a parish ministry. It is much deeper than that. A good steward understands humbly that all they are and all they possess is a gift. Good stewards realize that they cannot equal God’s generosity. The more they give the more God gives in return. True stewardship comes from within and as such is a way of life which includes caring for ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. As God’s children and as an outpouring of this respect for ourselves, stewardship calls us to care for each other: our families, friends and those in our community. Stewardship is a challenge and challenge generally requires change or conversion. We know that change can be difficult but it is important to realize that conversion is a process, not an event. Individuals embark on their own lifelong stewardship journey learning about their gifts and sharing their gifts with others.
Becoming a true steward of our Lord requires prayer, meditation, trust and time. It calls us to reassess our priorities and to make adjustments in the importance we place on things. It affects every aspect of our family life, work life and spiritual life. The benefits of a stewardship lifestyle are many. Perhaps the greatest benefit is knowing we have added value to another’s life through our own actions. Small gestures take on great meaning and give great reward when applied with love in the spirit of Jesus Christ.
Stewardship is more than just managing a portfolio of gifts. “Being a disciple” is not just something else to do, alongside many other things suitable for Christians, it is a total way of life and requires continual conversion. A good steward receives God’s gifts gratefully, cultivates them responsibly, shares them lovingly with justice with others, and returns them with increase to the Lord.
Sharing our Treasure
Oftentimes we feel that it is okay for us to be challenged about the time that we should be spending offering ourselves in the service of others. However, the same is not always true when someone asks us to look at our giving. Being a responsible steward means taking the time at least once a year to look at what first fruits we are offering back to God in our prayer, our time and talent and in sharing our treasure. We are challenged to give a sacrificial gift of 5% of our gross income to our worshiping community, 1% to the Archbishop’s Call to Share and 4% for other charitable and worthwhile causes (this would include parish capital campaigns, the United Way, our parish school’s Annual Giving: League of Angels, the American Cancer Society, etc.). This brings our sacrificial giving to the 10% tithing that comes to us from scripture.
The guides that can help in identifying where your current giving is in relation to your income level can be found in the Stewardship 2016-2017 booklet in the narthex, and HERE. Find yourself on the guide and do your best to just take ONE STEP this year. Challenge yourself to offer ½% more than last year. By moving just ½% each year it encourages movement to the 5% sacrificial giving level to which we are called. (Monthly Guide & Yearly Guide)
A good steward receives God’s gifts gratefully, cultivates them responsibly, shares them lovingly in justice with others, and returns them with increase to the Lord.