Stewardship of time, talent and treasure
At St. Pius X, we are embarking on the path of making Stewardship a way of life. Which means we emphasize the need for a life of thanksgiving for all of God’s Blessings by:
- Making “Time” for God in prayer and worship;
- Sharing “Time” and “Talent” for the common good;
- Nurturing Faith in order to share it with others;
- Giving of “Treasure”, cheerfully;
- Promoting of vocations for the abundant harvest;
- Preserving the earth for our generation and those to come.
The spirituality of “Stewardship” deals with Time, Talent and Treasure. We need to look into the core values of identity, trust, gratitude and love, we understand how to be good stewards, and in so doing find ourselves. We need to trust enough to go and let God in. It is a sign of love to give the best by putting God first in our lives and in our spending. We love God as he loves us. We express our love of God by giving of our Time, Talent and Treasure.
What is Stewardship and why we need to implement such a programme in our community?
As Charles E. Zech expresses it in “Best practices in Parish Stewardship“, an inseparable link exists between stewardship and evangelization in the life of every Catholic. The overarching goal of a parish stewardship plan should be to invite parishioners into deeper personal relationships with Jesus, so that all can live more faithfully as disciples. Living as faithful stewards, our faith lives are on fire, and we cannot help but share our love of Jesus with others.
As individuals, then entire communities, begin to embrace stewardship as a way of life, parishes flourish. Ministries thrive, worship is reinvigorated, and outreach increases. Each step on a parish’s stewardship journey brings the community closer to the goal of becoming a spiritually vibrant, therefore financially secure parish. Our challenge lies in helping parishioners embrace a new vision, moving beyond “stewardship equals money” to “stewardship equals mission.”
There is no one single process or program that will guarantee the instant success of any parish stewardship initiative. All Catholic parishes have much in common, yet each is unique in its own right. While successful stewardship parishes incorporate many of the same steps into their stewardship plans, “best practices” are only effective when applied as part of a comprehensive effort that reflects the history, personality and resources of each parish.”
Can we continue to keep doing things in the same old fashion?
“Looking at the financial and ministry needs in many of our parishes, it becomes clear that what we have done in the past to keep our parishes healthy and strong is no longer enough. The answer to many of the challenges our parishes face today lies in an age-old concept that Jesus began teaching us over 2000 years ago. The answer is faithful stewardship.”
The question we all ask is, is this my responsibility, do I need to really do anything?
“Parishioners must accept responsibility for their parishes and contribute generously – both money and service – to their programs and projects. The success or failure of parish programs, the vitality of parish life, or its absence, the ability or inability of a parish to render needed services to its members and the community, depend on us all.”
St. Pius X has embarked on a planned programme to implement our own Stewardship programme, with the view to igniting and renewing our Catholic Faith, encouraging us to share and give of our God-given talents embracing Stewardship within ourselves, thereby strengthening our St. Pius X parish and community. You can obtain the full Stewardship Programme document from the Parish office, or by contacting the Pastoral Council or Finance Council Chairpersons directly.
This Stewardship Programme is in line with the recently released Diocesan Statutes and Policies, promulgated by our Archbishop Dabula Anthony Mpako, on the 1st February 2020.
Prayer for the success of this Stewardship Programme
Heavenly Father,
We give you thanks for the inspiration of your Holy Spirit as we reflect on the gospel call to exercise Christ’s stewardship on our journey of faith.
We ask you to guide us in our discernment and show us how to be faithful in the plans we make, the actions we take, and the love we share on our pilgrim way.
Give us the courage to find wisdom in our sacrifices, joy in our generosity, and hope in the compassion we show, especially to those most in need of your comfort and care.
Create in us a more open heart and a greater awareness of our need to grow, to change, to be transformed, so that we may be better stewards of your gifts for the good of all.
AMEN