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Stewardship Council
“The promotion of the practice of stewardship is important for the mission of
the Church and for the spiritual well-being of each individual Christian.
Everyone benefits from the sacrificial gift one makes of his time, talent, and
treasure.” -Pope Benedict XVI
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What is the Stewardship
Council?
St. Francis is a Stewardship parish! The Stewardship Council is the name we have for our stewardship
program and vision.
Stewardship is the name the church gives to the attitude of
generous discipleship called forth by our Gospel. It refers to the
counter-cultural notion that as Christians, we are grafted onto the very
Body of Christ and with that, the very mission of Christ to spread the
Good News, to reach out to the lost and forgotten, and to serve the
world. We are committed to be a Christ-centered and Holy Spirit
guided community of faith.
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Stewardship of Treasure
The Sunday Offering and other monetary contributions to the Church are
referred to as Tithing. The whole belief that underlies Tithing is that God is
the Giver of every gift we have in life--our life itself, our faith in Him, our
family and friends and loved ones, our health, our jobs, our personalities, the
different gifts and talents that each one of us have--all of these are God's
gifts to us. Tithing is About Giving God the First Fruits. |
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August 18/19, 2012 - Lay Witness Sunday
Lay witnesses speak during
the homily of every
Mass on how answering God’s
call through stewardship of time and talent has changed
their lives. Click
here for to read the
talks from
2010,
2009,
2008,
2007 and
2006.
August 25/26, 2012 - Commitment Sunday
Commitment Sunday is a
wonderful opportunity
to become involved in
the ministries here at St. Francis. This is a great chance to reflect
upon the talents we have received and discern faithfully as to how God
wants us to use those talents here at St. Francis. |
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Information Table Committee
The Information Table provides both visitors and regular parishioners with
information and handouts regarding St. Francis and its ministries, activities
and events. They inform first-time visitors on how to register and become
involved here at St. Francis.
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Greeter Ministry
Being a greeter involves more than
just standing at the door and shaking people's hands as they enter the church
for Sunday Mass. It is a ministry. Our responsibility is to help all who come to
worship feel joy, sincerity, importance, peace and comfort when they enter the
doors of the narthex. Most of all, we help them feel welcomed.
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Welcome Events
Our Welcome Event is a night for parishioners who have recently registered in
our parish. This reception is an opportunity for families to learn more about
your new Church home and to meet your new Church family.
We will share with you our history and future plans, share general
Parish information and a tour of the facilities. A welcome reception
follows with drinks and light snacks.
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Financial Peace University
Financial Peace University Offered each Fall and Spring, FPU is a
9-week life-changing program that empowers and teaches you how to make
the right money decisions to achieve your financial goals and God's plan
for your life. This isn’t your typical “money class.” Financial Peace
University is practical, entertaining and fun! The average family
completing the course pays off $5,300 and saves $2,700 in just 90 days.
FPU includes practical lessons on eliminating debt, building wealth,
giving like never before, and much, much more!
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Why
Stewardship?
A Summary of the
U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter
A Disciple's Response
In the early 1990s, the
United States Catholic Bishops collectively prayed and reflected on the
hallmarks of Christian discipleship. With many solid biblical
foundations, the bishops concluded that a disciple of Jesus is truly a
thankful, responsible and generous caretaker of God’s many
blessings. In short, Jesus’ disciples practice authentic stewardship.
While the New Testament does
not provide a total portrait of the Christian steward all in one place,
elements of this image abound in its pages. Based on several parables
and the many apostolic instructions, Jesus’ disciples understood they
were to share their gifts with others.
Guided by Scripture, we
believe that the Christian steward is a person whose prayer leads to a
constant awareness that God is the creator of all blessings in life —
spiritual and material. Jesus presented the ultimate gift to God — the
gift of his life — and we, too, are called to follow in Jesus’ footsteps
by:
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Receiving God’s gifts gratefully
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Cultivating them responsibly
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Sharing them lovingly in justice with
others
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Returning them with increase to the
Lord.
God has entrusted to
Catholics the gifts of material creation, individual vocation, and the
Church. Gratefully caring for these gifts leads to these tangible
examples of stewardship in our daily lives:
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Stewardship of Creation: Respecting
life, protecting the environment and developing our world through
noble human labor
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Stewardship of Vocation: Faithfully
carrying out our unique individual roles in God’s plan
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Stewardship of the Church: Prayerfully
sharing our time, talent and treasure to fulfill the mission of the
parish, diocese and universal Church.
Stewardship as a way of life
has astonishing implications for our relationships and daily lives. We
can experience life-shaping changes of mind and heart as we commit
ourselves to the Lord. Recognizing God as the origin of life, we are
grateful for the gifts we have received and are eager to use them to
show our love for God and one another.
The journey of discipleship
is one of intense joy, fulfillment and peace. As Mary the mother of
Jesus lived her ministry in a spirit of fidelity and service, we can
find the same favor with God by living as authentic stewards of our
world, our vocation and our Church.
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