Stewardship as a Way of Life

Coronavirus has greatly impacted our parish and your parish stewardship is more important than ever. Not only your financial donations, but the giving of your time and talents are greatly appreciated by all of us at St. Charles.

Stewardship of Treasure

Weekly Parish Finance Report- April 26-May 1, 2021

Total Registered Families: 3,100

Total  weekly cost (based on Fiscal Yr 2019-2020) of salaries and benefits, liturgies, utilities,

sacraments, repairs and on-going maintenance: $ 23,300.62

Click here to help support St. Charles and Donate now.

 

 

What is Stewardship?

Stewardship involves OUR NEED TO GIVE, rather than giving to a need.

Stewardship is a TOTAL WAY OF LIFE, a conversation of mind and heart.

Stewardship is not something we do, it is about WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE.

Stewardship is about asking ourselves, “WHAT DO WE OWN and WHAT OWNS US?”.

Stewardship is an ACT OF WORSHIP, rather than an obligation.

 

 

What is Christian Stewardship?

Christian Stewardship refers to the responsibility that Christians have in managing God’s many gifts He has bestowed. Christian stewards are wise caretakers of God’s many gifts. We believe that a Christian, by virtue of Baptism, is a “follower of Christ”, that is, a disciple of Christ.  Discipleship involves much more than taking on the name of Christian or Catholic, though-it begins with an awareness of God’s presence in your life and the recognition that Jesus is knocking on your door, inviting you into relationship with Him. Then, it involves your choice, a conscious decision to accept that invitation and open the door – a conversion of mind and heart. What follows is the act of faith, the reorientation of your thoughts, words, and actions - from self-centered and material motives - to a Christ-centered way of life. A Christian Steward recognizes that God is the origin of life and the source of all they have, gratefully receives and cultivates these gifts, and shares them in justice and love with others.

Stewardship as a Way of Life at St. Charles

Stewardship is a way of life, a life of accountability and responsibility acknowledging God as Creator and Giver of all. Stewardship involves responsible management of our God-given resources of time, talent, and treasure. Stewards as disciples of Jesus Christ see themselves as caretakers of all God's gifts. Gratitude for these gifts is expressed in prayer, worship, offering and action by eagerly sharing our gifts out of love for God and one another.

Stewardship is a path to holiness. It makes us more like Christ who came not to be served, but to serve. It is a grateful awareness that all we have and all we are comes freely from God. When we offer our lives back to God in love, He blesses that generosity a hundredfold.

Stewardship is an Act of Faith

Stewardship is based on the spiritual principles of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. Stewardship is not just a program, or a method of fundraising, it is a way of thanking God for all His blessings by returning a portion of the time, talent, and treasure we have each received.

What Does Scripture Say About Stewardship?

  • “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace.” —1 Peter 4:10

  •  “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” —Matthew 6:33

  • “You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God.” —Micah 6:8

 

Stewardship, then, is that act of faith, the expression of discipleship, the way you live your life – according to the teaching and example of Christ. Beyond the personal or the family (the domestic church), the parish becomes the primary extension through which we have the opportunity to live stewardship as “a way of life”. Parochial (parish) stewardship is concerned with both the development and support of personal stewardship and its practice in the community of faithful, which is the Church. For as individual members of the one Body of Christ, we each share in and have a responsibility for the purpose of the Church – which is to continue the mission of Christ in building up the Kingdom of God. Our parish Stewardship efforts are focused on facilitating encounters with Christ (prayer/worship), encouraging and supporting a conversion of mind and heart (hospitality/fellowship), and providing opportunities for putting faith into action (service/evangelization).

Members of both the St. Charles' Finance and Pastoral Councils exist to focus on activities which assist the pastor and staff in the areas of stewardship awareness, education and year-round opportunities for parishioners to live Stewardship as a Way of Life. The ongoing goals of these Councils are to invite and engage the St. Charles community to this faith response by encouraging a generous, sacrificial and proportional offering of their gifts of Time, Talent and Treasure.

Click here to help support St. Charles and Donate now.