Join Our Mailing List
Contents
Bulletin Bits
Prayers of Faithful
Christian Stewardship & the Need for Recreation
A Guide for the Stewardship Lay Witness
Welcoming Strangers
FREE Stewardship Webinars
For Your Parish Bulletin: 20 Stewardship Ideas for the Summer
Mission Statement 

 

To be co-responsible with Jesus Christ in the building of the kingdom of God and to promote discipleship and spiritual growth through hospitality, prayer, formation, and service.   
  

 

 

Stewardship Pprayer 

 

Almighty and every faithful Lord, gratefully acknowledging Your mercy and humbly admitting our need, we pledge our trust in You and each other.

Filled with desire, we respond to Your call for discipleship by shaping our lives in imitation of Christ.  We profess the call requires us to be stewards of Your gifts.  As stewards, we receive Your gifts gratefully, cherish and tend them in a responsible manner, Share them in practice and love with others and return them with increase to the Lord.

  Amen

                                                                Source:  The Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs

 

 
Bulletin Bits Based on Sunday Readings 
  

These bulletin bits are from Sharon Hueckel's book Stewardship by the Bookand are reprinted here with permission.  Whether your parish is preparing to launch a formal stewardship "program," nurturing an earlier stewardship effort, trying to increase awareness of the link between discipleship and stewardship, or just trying desperately to keep the parish financially afloat, dropping Stewardship by the Book into the bulletin each week is one fairly painless way to work at stewardship education.  Click herefor stewardship reflections for the July/August Sunday readings.

 

Prayers of the Faithful

We recommend that every week in every parish a stewardship intention should be included in the "Prayers of the Faithful."  Click here for July/August
 prayers.

 

Stewardship Links
 

Below are diocesan and publisher websites that contain resources on stewardship for use in your parish.  Some of these materials can be downloaded, while others must be ordered. 


topStewardship News & Notes
An e-newsletter provided by the Office of Development for those promoting the gifts of time, talent and treasure
July/August 2012


 Have you been counting down the days until your summer vacation begins or are you in the midst of one now?  Read about the importance of stewardship of recreation or "re-creation" in this issue's article Christian Stewardship and the Need for Recreation. 

 

In this issue, you'll also find helpful resources for your parish in A Guide for the Stewardship Lay Witness, including a sample outline, tips for presenting, Do's and Don'ts, and Getting Started . . . and Ending Up.  Use 20 Stewardship Ideas for the Summer in your parish bulletin as another great resource.

  

What are your stewardship ideas or topics you'd like us to feature?  Send us creative ways to reach out to our brothers and sisters ([email protected]) and we will try to publish them in this newsletter or on our web pages. 

 

LET US HELP YOU! 

Diocesan Stewardship Council:

Chairperson:  Val Allen, St. Mark's, Boise
Debbie Gallegos, Holy Spirit Catholic Community, Pocatello
Father Jesus Camacho, St. Mary's, Boise
Gail Estes, All Saints Catholic Parish, Lewiston
Carolyn Bailey, Holy Apostles, Meridian
Deacon Mike Eisenbeiss, Sacred Heart Parish, Boise
Bob Sobotta, Superintendent, Catholic Schools Office
  
Office of Development:

Adrienne Smith, Director, [email protected]

Margaret Hampton, Coordinator, [email protected]

 

  

Christian Stewardship and the Need for Recreation


By Effie Caldarola

This article is from the ICSC July 2011 issue of the Parish Stewardship e-Bulletin.


Is there such a thing as a stewardship of recreation?  Some people might dismiss the thought.  But they'd be wrong.

 

In his book, The Gift of the Jews, author Thomas Cahill observes that, in receiving the Ten Commandments, the ancient Hebrews did something no other ancient society had ever done:  they established a day of rest.  "The God who made the universe and rested bids us to do the same, calling us to a weekly restoration of prayer, study, and recreation (or re-creation)."

 

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere at least, probably no other month bids us to relax as the month of July does.  Backyard barbecues, days at the pool or the beach, a recreational outing or simply the lazy idleness of a mid-year Sunday afternoon invite us to . . .   Read More

Back to Top 

 

 

A Guide for the Stewardship Lay Witness  

Produced by the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina

 

One of the most effective means of presenting the Stewardship message is through the Stewardship Lay Witness Talk.  This talk is usually given after the homily by people who are already practing Stewardship in their own lives.  It may be given by an individual, or a couple.  In some cases, even children may participate.  The talk has two purposes: . . .   Read more

Back to top

 

Welcoming Strangers:  A Mark of Christian Stewardship

 

This article taken from the ICSC August 2011 Parish Stewardship e-Bulletin

 

Companies that specialize in household moving tell us summer is their busiest time.  Kids are out of school and families make changes.  If you're planning an August move, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, there's a backlog for transporting your goods.

 

The 2010 U.S. Census data revealed that 37.5 million Americans moved that year.  Many of them were moving to take advantage of better housing or to find new jobs.  Undoubtedly, each of them experienced a certain amount of upheaval and rootlessness. . .  Read More

 

 

 Back to top

 

FREE Stewardship Webinars
July 10th - Stewardship of You:  Simple Truths and Strategies on Caring for the Physical Body You Have
August 14th - Stewardship and the New Evangelization
The Office of Development purchases a diocesan-wide registration from Our Sunday Visitor that allows any parish staff or volunteers to attend one-hour webinars offered every 2nd Tuesday of the month at no cost to you.  There is no limit on the number of attendees from our diocese or your parish.   You may participate from your own personal computer at home or at the office. All you need is an internet connection and a phone.  Click here to find out more about these upcoming webinars and to register.
  

For Your Parish Bulletin: 

20 Stewardship Ideas for the Summer 

 

By Effie Caldarola

This article taken from ICSC July 2011 issue of Parish Stewardship e-Bulletin.

 

  1. Think of a charity which is amply blessed at Christmas. Remember them with a gift mid-year.
  2. Invite a single friend over for a meal.
  3. Attend an extra Mass on a weekday this month.
  4. Abstain from something you like - meat, a latte, a cold drink - on Fridays and save the money for a charity.
  5. Take your rosary with you for an early morning walk.
  6. Recycle more.
  7. Each day, say a prayer for one of the world's trouble spots.
  8. Turn off the TV, phone, and computer, and spend an hour devoted to someone you love.
  9. Surprise an old friend with a phone call.
  10. Buy or pick a flower for someone without a "reason."
  11. Take your family to a farmers' market if in season.
  12. Stop for a moment during your busy day and enjoy an ice cream cone or other favorite treat.
  13. If you hear a great homily, tell the homilist.
  14. Splurge on some produce and buy enough to share with someone in need.
  15. See if you can go one day without complaining.
  16. On occasion, try turning your prayer before meals into a spontaneous prayer of thanks, using your own words.
  17. Send an unexpected thank you note for a small favor.
  18. If you spot a neighbor in the yard, stop for a brief chat.
  19. When standing in the store checkout line, let someone with fewer items go ahead of you.
  20. Sing - or sing louder - at Mass.
Contact Information
Margaret Hampton at [email protected]