Our first meeting was to figure out what questions to ask...what we need to learn...what we don't know and what we do know. We identified our task, what is excellent about our stewardship traditions that we want to maintain, and the obstacles we see at this time. Take a look and add your comments at the bottom
OUR DEFINED TASK:
to study and discern the issues surrounding stewardship and re-interpret and expand the practice of stewardship with and for today's church and the church of the future.
:
TRADITIONS OF EXCELLENCE
*these were things we value from our tradition that we feel need to be maintained with excellence:
1. understanding of stewardship as founded and practiced in gratitude for what we have been given by God, not in guilt or fear
2. generosity as a way of life to which we are called 24/7/365
3. connectional/relational church structure
4. stories we have of God's abundant provision in our lives
OBSTACLES TO OUR STEWARDSHIP PRACTICE
* we identified the obstacles we see at this time to the practice of 21st century stewardship
1. Lack of effective communication from presbytery to congregations (what resources does presbytery have to offer, for example) and from congregations to presbytery (how can we better hear voices of the presbytery)
2. Lack of transparency in budget and budget processes (may be a communication thing again)
3. Lack of understanding of the connectional church, our Presbyterian identity
4. A culture of fear and distrust inside and outside the church
5. Lack of knowledge of stewardship and how to teach stewardship
6. Cultural patterns of giving have shifted (including the use of "plastic" and not checks and cash)
7. "Money" our assumptions and practices about money (confession--I didn't write enough down about this point and I may not have defined it correctly...please provide feedback if I missed the point)
8. Structures that prevent the development of relationships
9. Lack of participation in presbytery
Please let us know what you think...how we can help...and we'll keep you "posted"...literally and metaphorically!
