|
|
Christian Stewardship Is... ...learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ’s Church; it is learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church work, for in Her dwells the fullness of the Spirit of God. ...our active commitment to use all our time, talent and treasure for the benefit of umankind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ’s redeeming love. ...caring for the needs of others. ...offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us. ...what a person does after saying “I believe...”, as proof of that belief. ...devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as parish, as diocese/metropolis, as national Church and as Church universal. We are Called to Bear Fruit At the Last Supper, as we read in Chapter 15 of the Gospel of John, Jesus instructed His disciples, “I Am the Vine; you are the branches.” He was telling us that the purpose of our abiding in Him is that we may bear fruit for God in the world. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit...” (John 15:8). Just as the vine bears fruit only through its branches, so Jesus has chosen to work in the world through us. We are the members of His Body. We are the branches through which the True Vine must bear fruit. We bear fruit when we serve and support God and His Church. How Do We Abide in Jesus? We abide in Jesus Christ when follow His example and love, serve and support the Church which is His Body. When we abide in Christ, we express this through generosity and devotion, especially in our financial stewardship and acts of personal generosity. Bearing fruit in the world is the visible result of our abiding in Christ. Are You Connected to the True Vine? As branches of the vine, we keep ourselves spiritually healthy by maintaining our connection to the True Vine which is Jesus Christ. We do this through prayer, fasting, worship, participation in the sacraments, good works, as well as by avoiding destructive behavior, divisiveness and gossip. When we connect ourselves to Jesus, His life will flow through us and we will bear good fruit. Are You Bearing Fruit? We all know the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in the wilderness -- - there was no food, except for one boy who had five loaves and two fish – not much when you consider 5000 men. But Jesus blessed the loaves, multiplied them and used them to feed the 5000. That boy did his best with what he had. And Jesus used it to perform a beautiful miracle. Just like the boy who offered his five loaves and two fish, we offer what we have – however great or small our gift. If we do this prayerfully and in humility, God will take our gifts and multiply them in order to feed His people. Orthodox Christian Stewardship is... ...a way of life, which acknowledges accountability, reverence, and responsibility before God. A primary goal of Stewardship is to promote spiritual growth and strengthen faith. Becoming a Steward begins when we believe in God, to whom we give our love, loyalty and trust and act on those beliefs. As Stewards, we affirm that every aspect of our lives comes as a gift from Him. Stewardship calls on the faithful to cheerfully offer back to God a portion of the gifts with which they have been blessed. An Orthodox Christian Steward is... ...an active participant in the life of the Church. The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox Faith to become practicing Stewards. Each year the Steward is expected to carefully review his or her personal circumstances and make a commitment of time, talent, and treasure to support the Parish and her Ministries, which in turn support the National Ministries of our Archdiocese, Metropolises, and institutions. Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome (Psalm 66:5). |
