Stewardship Resources The Rev. E. Angela Emerson Minister for Stewardship Development aemerson@dioceseofvermont.org 802-359-4059 747 Hartford Ave., Suite 1 (St. Paul’s) White River Junction, VT 05001

Paul in the letter to Corinthians speaks of Christians as “stewards of the mysteries of God”, and in I Peter there is reference to Christians as “stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Stewards understand the Christian life as using all that God has given to us—which is all that we have and all that we are—as a gift from God, to be used to further God’s work of reconciliation in the world. Stewardship thus encompasses both how congregational leadership uses the resources of the Church to do God’s work and how each individual member understands and uses God’s gifts in thanksgiving for God’s blessings.

Money is only one aspect of stewardship but it is the most difficult aspect. Jesus talked more about money than any other single subject because he realized what a powerful barrier money and possessions can be to a life in faith. Money and possessions cause endless worry and anxiety and impact personal self-esteem and feelings of success particularly in North American culture. Because of this dynamic, the resources found here will deal primarily with financial issues.

In this section on stewardship you will find the following information:
1) A working definition of Christian stewardship
2) Jump Start 2009 Supplementary Materials
3) A short concise guide to developing an annual commitment program (download pdf)
4) Suggested data for annual reports to the congregation
5) Scripture passages for use in discussions of stewardship
6) Stewardship sermons and letters from Vermont congregations
7) Links to other helpful web sites
8) Links to Mountain Echo and other articles
9) Booklet of Angela Emerson's 2008 Mountain Echo Articles (MS Word)
10) 2010 Eastertide Giving Calendar developed by the Stewardship Committee at Trinity, Rutland (download pdf)

Over the course of the summer of 2009, the Diocese introduced several stewardship initiatives designed to assist congregations in developing a sound financial base from which the mission and ministry of the congregation can be launched and supported. These initiatives include opportunities to work with Partners for Sacred Places, to develop a mission-oriented budgeting and reporting process, to craft stewardship policies regarding all funds other than those in the operating budget, and begin a planned giving program. In addition, the personal budgeting program, Living Wi$ely, is also being offered.

If you have questions or comments on the information in this section, please feel free to contact Angela Emerson.

Christian Stewardship

Christian stewardship is the grateful, joyful, and responsible use of God’s gifts to do the work that God has given us to do, as revealed through Jesus Christ.

Christian stewards commit themselves to conscious purposeful decisions about the use of God’s gifts.

JUMP START 2009 Supplementary Materials
On March 21, 2009, the Diocese of Vermont held its inaugural annual stewardship conference. Click here for links to materials from that event.

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Annual "Tallies"
Suggested Data for Annual Reports to the Congregation

Campaign Results for Fall of __________________

Total $ Commitments:
Total Number of Commitments:
Average Pledge:
Mean Pledge:

Number of Commitments Increasing in Amount
Number of Commitments Remaining the Same
Number of Commitments Decreasing
Number of New Commitments
Number of Commitments Moving/Deceased
Number of Commitments Stopped
Net Increase/Decrease

$ Increase
$ Decrease
$ Moved/Deceased/Stopped
$ New Commitments
$ Net Increase/Decrease

Excel Graphs (data over over a 10 year period)

Total $ Commitments
Average $ Commitments
Mean $ Commitments
Average Sunday Attendance

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Scripture Passages:

  For more scripture references visit:

• www,tens.org/teaching-links.htm
• www.generousgiving.org/page.asp?sec=9&page=282

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Stewardship sermons and resources from Vermont congregations

Stewardship Sermon preached by Susan Pillsbury, St. Paul's, White River Junction, November 8, 2009
"Top Ten Spiritual Stewardship Learnings for 2009," preached by The Rev. Carole Wageman at Trinity, Shelburne, October 18, 2009 (Pentecost 20B)
Stewardship Team Letter, St. Mark's, Newport, October 2009

Generations of Generosity: Stewardship Commitment Kit, Trinity, Shelburne, Fall, 2009

2010 Narrative Budget, St. John's, Randolph

Links to helpful Web sites

www.tens.org
www.stewardshipresources.org
www.episcopalchurch.org/stewardship
www.sharesavespend.com
www.myopenwallet.net

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Links to Mountain Echo and other articles on stewardship
(Most recent listed first)

Webinar focuses on planned giving and endowments, by Anne Clarke Brown, Mountain Echo, December 2009
Asset Based Community Development is Partners for Sacred Places topic, by Anne Clarke Brown, Mountain Echo, December 2009
Ten congregations begin Partners for Sacred Places program, by Anne Clarke Brown, Mountain Echo, October 2009
Congregations learn about Partners for Sacred Places, by Anne Clarke Brown, Mountain Echo, July/August 2009
Inaugural Stewardship Conference provides Jump Start, by Wendy Grace, Mountain Echo, May 2009
Good money management is good ministry, by Angela Emerson, Mountain Echo, April 2009
In-gathering of commitment cards is time for a harvest celebration, by Angela Emerson, Mountain Echo, September 2008
Planning the Annual Commitment Program, by Angela Emerson, Mountain Echo, July/August 2008
Build a congregational team for the annual stewardship appeal, by Angela Emerson, Mountain Echo, June 2008
Celebrating the abundance of God, by Angela Emerson, Mountain Echo, May 2008
Celebrating the abundance of God,Province I Conference examines resurrection themes, by Anne Clarke Brown, Mountain Echo, April 2008
Province I Conference examines resurrection themes, by Anne Clarke Brown, Mountain Echo, April 2008