Beaver/Freedom/New Brighton/Rochester
Parish grouping Diocese of Pittsburgh
Stewardship is the recognition that all we are and possess are gifts from God. It reminds us to keep God first in all aspects of our lives. As the U.S. bishops remind us in their pastoral letter, “Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response,” we are obligated by God’s generosity to “receive God’s gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.”
A stewardship parish is simply a parish made up of believers who recognize that they own nothing, that they are simply caretakers, stewards of all God has entrusted to them. A stewardship parish –
Stewardship is a lifelong journey. If you are not sure where to begin, prayer is an excellent place to start.
“Stewardship is a conversion journey of receiving God’s love and returning love to Him. A conversion requires prayer, reflection and time to allow God to show us who we are and the person of love that we can become. ” The Catholic Diocese of Wichita
Do you pray now? No matter what your circumstances are –prayer can help. If you are not sure of your relationship with God, start with a prayer. If you are too busy, pray for a break. If you are too tired, pray for rest. There are many reasons to pray and many ways to do so. You might pray in the mornings or before bed at night. You might pray alone or with your family. You might pray at church, while driving, or while relaxing at home. Prayer is an excellent way to begin sharing your time – first with God, and then with others.
Once you’ve had a chance to reflect on your gifts of time, talent and treasure that God has blessed you with, it is time to look for ways to “share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.” There are more ways to do this than you might think. For example you might pledge to –
These are just a few of many ways you might try to give back to God and those around you. Start simple – with just one thing. Soon you may find that you can’t wait to add something to your list!
This Stewardship Guidebook has been provided through the generosity of a Christian Steward and the Stewardship: A Mission of Faith foundation. Additional copies are available in our church and upon request from our parish office. If you are a church or organization and you are interested in requesting multiple copies of this booklet, you are encouraged to contact the Stewardship: A Mission of Faithfoundation. A link to their web site appears below: stewardshipmission.org