Generous Culture of Stewardship

A biblical perspective of stewardship is that of using and managing all the resources God provides for God's glory and the betterment of God's creation. Stewardship is not only about money. It is about managing all that God has provided, from our time and skills to our finances. The emphasis of biblical stewardship is on why we give - not how much or of what. As The Most Reverend Douglas Hambidge wrote in The “S” Word: Reflections on stewardship with practical programme suggestions, “Even if my church has a bank account of $1 million, I will still have precisely the same need to give.”

Ultimately, stewardship is a form of worship. When we give, we are not giving to a church or a charity. Instead, we are giving back to God what God has already provided us.

Our Diocesan mission action plan includes a Generous Culture of Stewardship. We focus attention on abundance, not scarcity, and on our relationship with God, not on maintaining an institution. Stewardship is everything that we do as we strive to align our lives with the vows of our baptism. We encourage generosity, gratitude, and spiritual growth through gifts of time and money, and we uphold the principle that all gifts and resources must be joyfully acknowledged and well managed.

In the materials listed here, you will find resources to support you and your parish in its biblical stewardship focus. These resources will encourage you and your church to pursue a life of generosity in response to God's compassion and care for us.

A Guide to the Resources Listed

Book recommendations to support the Stewardship Team and Parish. Recommendations include books, blogs, and websites to support biblical stewardship, fundraising, communications, and mission planning. Some books are available through the diocesan Stewardship and Development office.

It is suggested that this information sheet be distributed to potential stewardship team members. The purpose of the team. From the Barnabas Foundation Church Stewardship Library.

Created by TENS (The Episcopal Network for Stewardship). Use this document to help discern what roles and who might best be a part of your parish Stewardship Committee.

An article by the Reverend Charles LaFond for TENS (The Episcopal Network for Stewardship).

Created by Canon Susan Graham Walker for both the United Church of Canada and the Anglican Church of Canada. This resource articulates why clergy should know when and why their parishioners are giving financially or not.

An infographic that walks through how to create a focused and concise narrative budget.

A ministry-focused budget is a tool for presenting the operating budget in terms of the ministry it supports. This type of budget more adequately and accurately conveys what the budget is funding. The ministry focused budget is not intended to replace the line-item budget, only to frame it in another way. This document is created by Kristine Miller, CFRE, Vice President at Horizons Stewardship Company of Cabot, Arkansas, a national stewardship consulting firm. It was created for TENS (The Episcopal Network for Stewardship).

Created by TENS (The Episcopal Network for Stewardship) is an excellent example of what is included in a narrative budget and how it could look.

Created by Gillian Doucet Campbell, MA, CFRE to support parishes in writing meaningful pledge campaign and appeal letters that not only get opened and read, but responded to.

Key components of a case for support that articulates your mission, vision, and values and why it’s important by, Gillian Doucet Campbell, MA, CFRE.

This document provides numerous ideas for a year-round stewardship focus.

Creative ideas for online fundraising events by Gillian Doucet Campbell, MA, CFRE.

Prayers focused on generous giving collated by the Diocese of York.

Ways to start exploring generosity together, each question is designed to start a conversation. The questions are appropriate for all ages and stages of life. From children to college students to young professionals and active adults, anyone can benefit from these thought-provoking questions. Add these to your church announcements or as a way to start a meeting.

Created by Jim Newman, former Stewardship Consultant for the Diocese of Niagara. This is a terrific list to review.

Canada Helps is a registered charity that serves both donors and charities. Learn how Canada Helps is already supporting your parish and the tools they offer.

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