Welcome

Alleluia, that our tradition gives us a full fifty days to celebrate Eastertide, a season to embrace new life in the Risen Christ.  Beginning with flickers of candles at the Great Vigil to the roaring winds and fire of Pentecost, we need a season of praise and thanksgiving to absorb the power of Easter. 

 

How are you living out the abundance of Easter blessing?  As suggested by Bishop Mark Beckwith and put into resolution by the Standing Commission on Stewardship and Development for the 77th General Convention, affirming the practice of the Holy Habits as part of the renewal of baptismal vows, offering prayer and gratitude for ministry leaders and ceaselessly practicing generosity are just some of the ways our contributing writers suggest we can receive more fully the abundance of the Easter blessing. How will you receive and share the pure gift and blessing of Easter?



Giving From the Heart: My Story

Stewardship, proportional giving, tithing, planned giving. These are big left-brained words.  Big words, in the head, business-like words. When I think about how I learned about giving, it was not with these words. Yes, I know they are important words, important concepts, goals to aspire to, but they are not what taught me about giving. So, how did I-- how do I-- give? How do I go from big, left-brained, in-the-head words about giving to giving from the heart? 

 

This learning has come over the years. It first began when I was a little girl. I remember watching my parents put their offering envelope in the plate week after week. I remember their faithfulness to this even when times were tough. The amount given was not as important as the spirit and faithfulness in which it was given.



The Abundance of the Great 50 Days

As the Lenten fast ends, we can either applaud or chastise ourselves on how well we did with whatever we took on or gave up.  Many of us have been trained to give Lent a lot of attention.  For centuries the Christian family has been drawn into the via negativa dimension of Lent – and engage in the classic disciplines of prayer, fasting and self-denial.

 

That is all turned around at Easter.  With the Resurrection, we enter into the season of via positiva. And strangely, we tend to drop whatever sort of discipline we put together for Lent and simply live into Easter.  Many are exhausted from their Lenten project and are unwilling to take on anything more.  Still others tend to think that the power of the Easter message obviates the need for intention or discipline.




Offering an Alleluia: Commissioning your Stewardship Ministry Team

I’m sure glad that we get fifty days to celebrate Easter. I realize that at every Eucharistic meal on every Sunday we commemorate the death and resurrection of our Lord; however our tradition gives us a season, a full fifty days to live into the wonder and awe of new life in the Risen Christ.  From the bursting open of the empty tomb to the overflowing winds and fire of Pentecost, we are invited to live into a deeper awareness of what it means to have the Risen Christ live in us and through us.



The Rev. Ed Bacon will be the featured keynote speaker at the 2012 Apostles in Transformational Stewardship Awards at the 77th General Convention in Indianapolis.  Ed is the rector of All Saints Church in Pasadena, California – a 4,000 member multi-ethnic urban Episcopal parish, with a reputation for energetic worship, a radically inclusive spirit, and a progressive peace and justice agenda.


Peter McNamara, author of More than Money, Portraits of Transformative Stewardship, writes about Ed’s unapologetic leadership in living out a vision of stewardship.

 

This award honors people for their working in transformative stewardship over the past triennium. More than twenty nominations have been submitted from dioceses as far as Taiwan and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe.



Blessed To Be a Blessing

Designed to support a congregation’s annual giving campaign, six contributing writers will explore the theme of blessing, stewardship and giving in connection to the Gospel of Mark beginning Sunday, October 7th (Feast of St. Francis) through Sunday, November 11, 2012.

 

The weekly reflections and discussion questions are downloadable for worship bulletins or to use for an adult formation series. Available in Spanish, the campaign will include a pledge card and proportional giving chart at  http://episcopalchurch.org/stewardship.


Events

Ecumenical Stewardship Center

Setting the Table for a Generous Culture

February 5-7, 2013

Orlando Florida

https://www.stewardshipresources.org/


Resources

Ecumenical Stewardship Center

 

Abundant Joy, Overflowing Generosity

 

2012 Annual Campaign Theme Material




Email me
The Rev. Laurel Johnston
Stewardship Officer
Los Angeles, CA
212-716-6219