Stewardship: "A Way of Life"
In 2003, the International Catholic Stewardship Conference in Chicago awarded our client, the Diocese of Camden, first place for Excellence in Materials in the category of Total Diocesan Stewardship Effort. These materials were developed and implemented by the staff of Ruotolo Associates. The Gift of Time The gift of time is exactly that – a gift. In the life we have been given, we are called to use our time effectively by continuing the mission of Jesus Christ throughout our days. Each day has 24 hours and consists of time at rest, time at work and time with friends and family. God intended for us to rest. We rest so that we may regain our strength, both mentally and physically for the tasks ahead of us. In addition to sleep, we do what we can to keep our bodies healthy and strong so that we may lead productive lives. The ways we use our time at rest can give glory to our God. At work, our professions should help develop a better world while how we work should better us personally. Your interaction with colleagues, customers, employees, employers and others should be conducted in the spirit of the second of God’s great Commandments “love thy neighbor as thyself.” This includes the often-stressful drive to and from work. The remaining hours of our day are filled with time at home with family or with friends and neighbors. Family responsibility is important and a major part of that is family faith formation. Both at church and at home, we are responsible for handing on our faith to future generations. How we interact with people in front of our children teaches valuable lessons on how to live. Our participation at Mass and in ministries prepares a roadmap for ourselves and those whom we may influence to lead a Christ-centered life. Time is fleeting. Make the most of yours by using all of your gifts to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. The Gift of Talent We are blessed with so many talents and yet we may not recognize them all. Talents are found in your personality, your interests and your skills. We use these talents in many ways through our parish ministries and activities. Those who love interacting with people, talking and sharing ideas, have incredible talents to assist with evangelization. Those who are skilled in trades or have professional abilities are gifted with talents that can support not only the Church, but also charitable works throughout the community. The way in which you use your talents for the work of God is a part of your vocation as a layperson. Payment in a smile, in relief of suffering or in lending a hand to someone in need is greater than any material payment you will ever receive.
The need for financial security is a reality for all of us. We would find it difficult to live in today’s society without knowing how to properly manage our income. When making a commitment to give sacrificially, we must place our trust in God and not in our wealth and material possessions. We are encouraged to become Disciples of Christ by placing God as the focus of our lives. The first step is to develop an active prayer life and ask God for guidance in making important decisions. Stewardship of treasure is the spiritually motivated way for us to share a portion of our financial resources with our church in a way that is planned, proportionate and sacrificial. All three of these components stem from a spirituality of gratitude to God for the gifts He has given to us. The degree of planning that goes into our financial giving reflects the importance of our commitment to give. Deciding to give is just that – a decision. It requires thought and time, so that it is integrated with other financial decisions as part of a thoughtful and intentional response to God’s generosity. Part of our planning ensures that we give the “first fruits” – those gifts given first and not only after other obligations have been satisfied. This response is proportionate to what God has given to us. Our proposed stewardship education and evangelization effort focuses on reaching individual parishioners with the message of stewardship in the context of the Sacramental Life of the Church and in conjunction with each individual's personal walk with Christ. A diocesan or parish stewardship effort is in many ways a focused religious education program. As in any successful religious education program, there are many essential ingredients to producing an understanding among parishioners. Some of these elements include content, the effectiveness of delivery and offering students opportunities to live their faith. We take these key ingredients and combine them with successful marketing strategies to deliver the most genuine implementation of the Bishops' Pastoral Letter, Stewardship: A Disciple's Response. The message of stewardship we share is holistic. It is a mature spirituality for the busy Catholic of today. Since education and evangelization are the backbone of each stewardship effort we conduct, it is of utmost importance to have a dedicated staff that is well versed in Catholic theology and is strongly committed to serving Christ and His Church. Our staff consists entirely of Catholic lay and religious professional educators, writers, presenters, graphic designers, strategic planners, researchers, and consultants. Our team works not only to encourage individuals to assess their life as a Disciple of Christ, but to also generate a conversion which results in increased commitments of Time, Talent and Treasure. |
WHAT
IS STEWARDSHIP?
