STEWARDSHIP ACADEMY #5

            The Stewardship Academy has been announced, and is being held on the Saturdays of  April 23^rd, May 21^st, June 18^th and July 16^th. At least the first three will be held via Zoom.

            This week I am introducing the fourth session, which will be held on July 16th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Various topics will be covered at this session:

1.    Generosity - Giving is spiritual before it is financial. Any gift is an external sign of inward spiritual growth. Too often we focus on the need of the church to receive, when we should be focused on the need of the giver to give.

2.    Generosity Audit – We usually think about money when we hear the word audit, but a generosity audit is completely different. Rev. Clayton Smith has created the idea of a generosity audit; and we will spend time looking at what this involves and the audit guide that he has created. A generosity audit is a process that can inform your decisions about what ministry initiatives, mission projects, or programs in your church could be continued, improvement, started or discontinued.

3.    Developing Personal and Corporate Theology – Theology of stewardship include the principles of ownership, responsibility, accountability, and reward. But how are these principles embraced by you personally? How do these principles govern the ministry of your church? Acknowledge the source; give as a response to discipleship; educate throughout the year; and make stewardship a ministry.

4.    Climate of Commitment – We talk about discipleship, and this cannot be separated from stewardship. They are intertwined and dependent upon each other. Just as membership isn’t discipleship; giving as a matter of obligation isn’t commitment. Are people in your church experiencing a climate of commitment? What does that look like?

5.    Healthy vs. Not Healthy – Is your church financially healthy? Has it analyzed its financial health and ability? What are the differences between a financially healthy church and a financially sick church? Hint: it isn’t necessarily based on the balance in the church’s checking account.

6.    Stewardship of Self – We won’t be successful in the areas of stewardship and discipleship in the church or the world if we don’t care for ourselves. The notion of self-stewardship is found somewhere between consumption-focused hedonism and deprivation-focused asceticism. The focus is more on being the “better version of one’s self” regardless of one’s circumstances. Being that better version is not only uplifting for ourselves, but it promotes better relationships with others.

7.    Reviewing Projects and Plans – During the course of these four sessions, many topics and ideas will be touched upon. Each attendee must then choose a topic or idea or practice that they will create a project, plan it out and institute it, reporting back as to the results. We will spend time discussing topics and sharing ideas.

            My hope and desire for this first Stewardship Academy is to provide resources that you can use to benefit your local churches and yourselves. While money and finances are certainly part of stewardship, it is not the whole picture. When we can embrace money and the necessity of that, and also embrace the holistic and theological ideas of stewardship, we can come to the realization that God provides everything needed; how we use it is up to us!

            If you want additional information the Stewardship Academy, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or susanranous@unyumc.org.

            If you wish to register for the Stewardship Academy:

Stewardship Academy Registration

 

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Register
Stewardship Academy (Clergy)	ÿ  (check if appropriate)
Stewardship Academy (Laity)	ÿ  (check if appropriate)
Cost:	$300.00
Check payable to:	“Susan Ranous”
Mail form and payment to:	Rev. Susan Ranous 201 Candee Avenue Syracuse, NY 13224

 

Any questions:  (315) 427-3668            or        susanranous@unyumc.org