Stewardship

2.2 Stewardship – Formation of Parish Leaders

August 16, 2023 by Pathway Admin

Leading people to embrace stewardship as a way of life relies on substantial formation of leaders.

“More than a program or once a year report to the parish, stewardship is fostered as a spiritual way of life and becomes an expression of discipleship.” (Stewardship vision point)

Having begun the process of formation for your Family Leadership Team (FLT) and staff, your Stewardship Core Team can start to offer retreats and/or speak at Family leaders’ meetings, particularly those of your Family Pastoral Council (FPC), Family Finance Council (FFC) and ministry leaders.

To-do: Continue stewardship formation and education for parish leaders, especially through a retreat focused on the spirituality of stewardship.

2.3 Create Prayer and Discernment Opportunities

August 16, 2023 by Pathway Admin

Now that you have begun to form your leaders as stewards, it is time to share the stewardship message with parishioners.

“More than a program or once a year report to the parish, stewardship is fostered as a spiritual way of life and becomes an expression of discipleship.” (Stewardship vision point)

Stewardship education and formation takes many forms. Begin to share the stewardship message through homilies, in your bulletin(s), on your website(s), in emails and at parish meetings.

To-do: Begin or continue stewardship formation and education for parishioners.

1.3 Stewardship – Vision Impact

August 16, 2023 by Pathway Admin

A vision statement is a short, aspirational statement of direction for your Family of Parishes — the where we are going, and why we do what we do to get there.

Once you have drafted a vision statement, it is important to validate that the vision statement provides aspirational direction and inspiration to all components of a vital parish. The Beacons of Light principles and vision points concisely define parish vitality. Thus, comparing your draft vision statement with the principles provides a sounding board to confirm the appropriateness of your proposed vision statement. The Principle Vision Impact Form is used during the Family Visioning Process and allows your Family staff and lay leadership to confirm the draft vision statement and understand what changes will need to come about as your Family begins to live out your vision.

You can find the Family Visioning Process and Principle Vision Impact Form in the Leadership 1.2 materials.

3.1 Formation and Initial Steps for the Core Team

July 7, 2022 by Pathway Admin

Just as your pastor, staff and parish leaders needed time to become familiar with stewardship as a way of life, so will your Stewardship Core Team, as this team will be key to the establishment of this spirituality in your Family of Parishes.

“More than a program or once a year report to the parish, stewardship is fostered as a spiritual way of life and becomes an expression of discipleship.” (Stewardship vision point)

Forming parishioners and your Family to live and grow as grateful disciples who are good stewards requires intentional, consistent leadership. It is crucial that stewardship is carried out in the spirit of servant leadership, as an expression of discipleship. Taking time to form your Stewardship Core Team with a deep foundation of the spirituality of stewardship is sure to bear great fruit in the life of your Family of Parishes in the future.

To-do: Begin stewardship formation and education for parish leaders.

2.2 Identify and Invite Parishioners to Serve on the Stewardship Core Team

July 5, 2022 by Pathway Admin

Your Stewardship Core Team is a key leadership group for your Family of Parishes and will:

Be continually attentive to ways to form your Family in the spirituality of stewardship.
Seek ways to enhance welcome and hospitality in your Family.
Build on the engagement efforts of the Pathway Team (and likely partner with the Pathway Team on new initiatives).
Find ways to increase participation of parishioners in ministry.
Coordinate the annual time of stewardship renewal and commitment when your Family is ready to establish it.

Discerning the core team is one aspect of Phase 1 milestone:

“The pastor and staff participate in stewardship formation. Identify a staff point person for a parishioner-based Stewardship Core Team.”

Because many parishes have not previously fostered stewardship as a way of life, your parishioners might initially be reluctant to serve on your Stewardship Core Team. Formation of prospective core team members is important, as is a period of discernment so that those who emerge as core team members have a clear grasp of the model of stewardship as a way of life and the potential impact of stewardship on your Family of Parishes.

To-do: Discern your Stewardship Core Team.

2.1 Include Stewardship Formation and Education for Parish Leaders

July 5, 2022 by Pathway Admin

Once your pastor and staff have begun to embrace stewardship as a way of life, it is time to include stewardship formation and education for all parish leaders. It is important to be mindful at this stage that, because this is a spirituality, one is never finished – the pastor and staff can be honest in telling others in the Family that they are new to this broader understanding of stewardship and that the Family will be on this journey together.

A natural result of embracing stewardship is a deeper awareness of one’s vocation and a greater willingness to accept and answer God’s call in one’s life.

“The Family of Parishes forms people to hear and respond to God’s call in their lives – from the individual moments of each day to their overall purpose of living out their vocation … Every Family of Parishes will actively promote vocational discernment.” (Stewardship vision point and parameter 17)

At the heart of the spirituality of stewardship is a greater awareness of God’s grace in our midst. When we become attentive to and grateful for our many blessings, we grow in the desire to give our talents, time, gifts, faith and resources in ministry within our parish and beyond it. Forming all parish leaders in this spiritual way of life transforms your Family of Parishes, as leaders begin to value the reality that they all have been given abundant gifts and grow in their desire and ability to draw others into this way of life.

To-do: Begin stewardship formation and education for parish leaders.

Parish Vitality Report | Fall 2023 Available Now!

Stewardship