You are not alone in this task. Others who are on this same journey know the truth that the best place to start is with you – your desire to serve, your ideas, your hopefulness that something good will come from your effort. Your steward leader companions also know that your questions and beginning anxiety can be helpful, especially as you trust that God has something good in mind for you and others in your congregation.

After all, stewards know that our work takes its shape from and is rooted in God’s stewardship. The abundance of God’s creation, forgiveness poured out for the world from Christ’s cross, and a community awakened in service through the purposing of the Holy Spirit, are all marks of God’s stewardship.

Below are some initial steps and resources you might consider. Rummage around the other pages of this site and check out the links to other helps, and remember you have fellow travelers just a phone call or e-mail away.

Sincerely,

Region 1 Stewardship Team

Gather in a comfortable place: a home, a coffee ship, your church.

• After an opening prayer and introductions invite people to share:
  • A story about a person who has been a steward mentor for them.
  • A book or movie that shows an important principle to being a steward.
  • A time or event when they benefited from the generosity of someone else.
  • Something they would like others to remember about them as a steward.
• Discuss what your team thinks are the best parts of being a member of your congregation. Keep notes on these conversations.
• Invite each member of the team to become familiar with one of the following resources and be prepared to share the ideas from this resource with the team next time you meet. You may have other resources that you want to use also.
• Pray about your work as a stewardship team, with a special focus on being ready to hear what the Holy Spirit has in mind for your work and for your congregation.
  

John L Golv. Our Stewardship: Managing Our Assets. Augsburg Fortress ‘Congregational Leader Series’, 2002, ISBN 0-8066-4406-0: A good introductory book for stewardship leaders that covers a w ide range of topics from management of property and facilities to year around stewardship teaching to endowment planning. Why does your congregation have the gifts it has and how are these gifts used? Reproducible tools included with the book.

Michael Meier. Step by Step: Fostering financial stewardship in your congregation. 2001. A publication of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries available through Augsburg Fortress: “Stewardship is about money, but it is not only about money.” Written originally for mission developer pastors and lay leaders of newly formed congregations this booklet provides an overview of stewardship through 17 practical steps that build solid commitment among members to financially support their church with great joy and purpose.

Just starting out? This ‘financial response program’ is straightforward, easy to use, and has produced good results for many congregations. Contact the Stewardship Team for pointers on how to use the program or to get connected with an outside leader who will work with you in using the “New Consecration Sunday” by Herb Miller.