A PRAYER Thou that hast given so much to me, Give one thing more – a grateful heart Not thankful when it pleaseth me, As if they blessings had spare days; But such a heart, whose pulse may be Thy praise. by George Herbert ****************************************************************************************

AN INVENTORY OF BLESSINGS LIFE

Creation and all that is in it, seen and unseen…

BODY Those physical attributes that I enjoy, that help me work or play, that people have told me about or that I have discovered for myself.

MIND My mental abilities including intellect, creativity, perspective, organization, vision, process, etc.

SPIRIT The traits that make me who I am such as a sense of humor, courage, tenacity, compassion, spirituality, etc.

TALENTS Discernable gifts I have such as music, cooking, public speaking, ability to fix or repair things, teaching, athletics, etc. Some of these things are innate but others have been developed through the years

RELATIONSHIPS: Those people who are the source of delight, enrich life, and offer assistance and support along the way – at home, at work, at church, and in the community.

During 2011, many congregations in Vermont read and studied a book by Anthony Robinson called Changing the Conversation. As a result of serious engagement with the book, and hearing him speak at the special convention in June 2011, a wide variety of conversations has sprung up around issues of being Church. Among those new conversations is a desire to deepen, strengthen, and open the frank conversation about money as a source of fear and anxiety in our lives and in our congregations.

Personally, I am more in tune than ever with the power that money has in my life. Having just turned 60 in late March, my thoughts about money have turned toward retirement and whether I can “afford” to retire.   Answering “yes” to that question, without reservation and anxiety is not easy. Yet, I know that God has something to say to me about where my values are, where my treasure is, what seductive power lurks in the very question “Can I afford to retire?” I am very clear that the question invites spiritual discernment about “needs” vs. “wants”, lifestyle choices vs. discipleship, and a life of simplicity vs. consumption.  The invitation is not a difficult one to accept. That is why the discussions around money, fear and anxiety are meant for the faith community and not for restless, sleepless, night alone.

Stewardship resources that will appear on this page and come to you via email will focus on these kinds of questions and discussions. God wants us to be free from the bondage of money - the constant, often painful “push and pull” guilt-ridden choices between what we want for ourselves in this world, and what God wants for us – both  in this world and in the life to come.

So the change in conversation begins now. Hopefully the conversation will at times be filled with holy humor as we learn to look at ourselves and laugh. At times it will be sobering and other times downright hard! But we are all in this together as people of God trying to understand what God asks of each of us in our own particular circumstances. First we learn about God as giver of all that we have and all that we are. Then we develop our yearning for a deeper relationship with God and open ourselves to hear what God has to say to us about material wealth and possessions. And lastly, we enter into the realm of joyfully celebrating God’s generosity towards us by extending that generosity to God's work in the world and to others in need.

We are all learning and growing in understanding what it means to be created as a steward of all of God’s creation. I encourage you to regularly visit some of the wonderful resources on the web for stewardship growth:  www.tens.org; www.luthersem.edu; www.stewardshipoflife.org; www.generousgiving.org

The Rev. E. Angela Emerson, Minister of Stewardship Development, Episcopal Diocese of Vermont. May 2012.

Christian stewardship is the grateful, joyful, and responsible use of God’s gifts to do the work that God has given us to do, as revealed through Jesus Christ.

Christian stewards commit themselves to conscious purposeful decisions about the use of God’s gifts.

Paul in the letter to Corinthians speaks of Christians as “stewards of the mysteries of God”, and in I Peter there is reference to Christians as “stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Stewards understand the Christian life as using all that God has given to us—which is all that we have and all that we are—as a gift from God, to be used to further God’s work of reconciliation in the world. Stewardship thus encompasses both how congregational leadership uses the resources of the Church to do God’s work and how each individual member understands and uses God’s gifts in thanksgiving for God’s blessings.

Money is only one aspect of stewardship but it is the most difficult aspect. Jesus talked more about money than any other single subject because he realized what a powerful barrier money and possessions can be to a life in faith. Money and possessions cause endless worry and anxiety and impact personal self-esteem and feelings of success particularly in North American culture. Because of this dynamic, the resources found here will deal primarily with financial issues.

The following stewardship resources may be downloaded in PDF format:
Our Daily Gifts
The Annual Commitment Program
Vestry Planning Calendar

The following websites have very helpful stewardship resources:
Luther Seminary
The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS)

For information about the Diocese of Vermont's Annual Appeal, click here.

For information and assistance with regard to stewardship ministry in your congregation, contact the Rev. Angela Emerson, Minister for Stewardship Development at 802-359-4059, or email her