Stewardship
To Be a Christian Steward
A Summary of the U.S. Bishops' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship
"As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Pt 4:10).
What identifies a steward? Safeguarding material and human resources and using them responsibly are one answer; so is generous giving of time, talent, and treasure. But being a Christian steward means more. As Christian stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.
Disciples as Stewards
Let us begin with being a disciple—a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. As members of the Church, Jesus calls us to be disciples. This has astonishing implications:
- Mature disciples make a conscious decision to follow Jesus, no matter what the cost.
- Christian disciples experience conversion—lifeshaping changes of mind and heart—and commit their very selves to the Lord.
- Christian stewards respond in a particular way to the call to be a disciple. Stewardship has the power to shape and mold our understanding of our lives
- and the way in which we live.
Jesus' disciples and Christian Stewards recognize God as the origin of life, giver of freedom, and source of all things. We are grateful for the gifts we have received and are eager to use them to show our love for God and for one another. We look to the life and teaching of Jesus for guidance in living as Christian stewards.
Stewardship is a way of life embracing all areas of life. It is a central theme of the Bible, which tells us that we are accountable to God for all the gifts of time, talent and treasure that God entrusts to us for our lifetime.
Stewardship has far reaching implications for people of faith. It is a deliberate decision which recognizes one's need to give and the ability to do so, as an act of gratitude to God. As stewards of God's gifts, we have the responsibility to share those gifts with others. This is particularly true within our parish and the extended family it serves. When we support our parish, we help build the kingdom of the Lord in our community.
There are many ways to support Saint Joseph Parish. One way is through financial giving in the Sunday Offertory Collection. Giving the gift of your time by volunteering around the parish is a way to share your time and become involved in the life of the Parish. Sharing your talents within the parish could mean many things: being a catechist sharing our faith with the young people of the parish, becoming a Lector, Usher, or Eucharistic Minister to help at Mass, or just driving someone to Mass that otherwise might not be able to come. These are just a few of the ways you can get involved in Saint Joseph Parish – can we count on you?
If you are interested in stewardship at Saint Joseph Parish, please download our EFT Enrollment Form and/or our Time and Service form and turn them into the front office once they are completed. Thank you!
Loving and generous Father,
We ask You to open the doors of our hearts to grow in our love of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Help us to grow through prayer and the Gospel, as we strive to spread the Good News as a band of joyful missionary disciples.
Help us to grow in our love of our neighbor, as Jesus commanded.
Help us to grow in our faithful stewardship of the boundless blessings You have given us, sharing those gifts of time, talent, and treasure as we advanced Your Kingdom on earth through prayer and good works.
Bless us, Your co-workers throughout the Archdiocese, as we dedicate ourselves to carrying on the earthly ministry of Your Son through the ministries, programs, and services of our Catholic Services Appeal.
We humbly ask these blessings through Christ, Our Lord, Who lives and reigns together with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.