Stewardship
– Living a Balanced Life
2012
Stewardship Form to download please click here
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THANK YOU FOR
TURNING IN YOUR STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT CARDS!
Completion and return of your Stewardship Cards
shows you are an active, participating member of St. Margaret Mary.
Thank you for your grateful and generous giving back to God. You are helping
to bring about the kingdom of Jesus Christ!
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"Stewardship
is a personal challenge to each of us. To be a disciple means that I have
the discipline of stewardship by putting the call to follow Christ first in
my life. If I accept that all that I have is a gift from God, it becomes
easier to give back to God because ultimately it is all God's anyway. The
process begins with me and how I decide to live my personal faith."
- Father Stephen A. Pohl, Pastor
Q. What is Stewardship?
A. Stewardship is an expression of our gratitude for all of God’s gifts.
Stewardship embodies our commitment to follow the Lord as active
participants in our Catholic community. To become stewards in the Church,
each of us should strive to share three valuable gifts with others. These
gifts are time, talent and treasure.
Q. Why is stewardship important?
A. Stewardship is a daily expression of our discipleship. By giving of
ourselves, we strengthen our faith, our parish, and our community. With
stewardship as a way of life, striving to emulate Jesus, we “love our
neighbor” and grow closer to the Lord. We can bring a new “balance” in
our lives, lives of peace and joy centered in God.
Q. How do I get started in our stewardship program?
A. Giving of our time, talent and treasure is not always easy. Stewardship
may require us to establish new priorities for our daily lives. Embracing
stewardship can be a gradual growth process. Just as an individual who wants
to run a marathon must train for months or years to achieve his goal,
successful stewardship begins with a personal commitment to improve our
spiritual lives.
Q. How can I contribute my time and talent?
A. There are dozens of opportunities within our Catholic community to give
of your time and talent. From serving on the Parish Council to coaching
youth athletic teams, you can find a place to give of yourself. Identify an
outlet that allows you to express your enthusiasm. Find an area where you
can have fun while serving those around you.
Q. That leaves treasure, how much do I need to contribute to be a successful
steward?
A. As a goal, the Parish asks we each give five percent of our annual income
to the church and devote five percent to special appeals and other
charities. Admittedly, achieving this goal will require many of us to
restructure our household budgets. Giving ten percent of your income is a
goal. Don’t let the goal become an obstacle to getting started. Establish
a percentage of your income that you can afford today and work towards
continual improvement.
As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one anther
as good stewards of God’s varied grace (1Pt 4:10).
Prepared by St Margaret Mary’s Stewardship Committee
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