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Set aside 5 sessions to meet with your committee to study the Bishop's Pastoral Letter. You can obtain copies by calling the Stewardship and Development Office at (409) 924-4300 x4302, or emailing us at stewardship@dioceseofbmt.org
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Set aside prayer time with your committee and individually for prayer and for opening your heart to the theology of Stewardship.
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Be sure Stewardship posters are prominently displayed in several places throughout your church property.
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See that Stewardship readings and reflections in your bulletin are not linked to "Last Week's Collection". Stewardship is more than this!
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Use one of your meetings to brainstorm on ways to make parishioners feel welcome. People respond with time, talent, and treasure when they feel welcomed and needed.
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Use the words "Steward" and "Stewardship" when discussing ministries, vision, your parish's mission, and blessings.
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Introduce prayers of gratitude into your liturgy.
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Talk to your pastor about a series of consecutive homilies to discuss Stewardship. Remember Stewardship is more than treasure and fundraising. Don't wait until you have a plan mapped out for Stewardship commitment. You can talk more about specifics later. This should be a series of talks on the Theology of Stewardship.
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Have committee members target a different Mass each month. Attend that Mass as a group, wearing name tags that identify you as Stewardship Committee members. Ask your pastor if you can act as greeters that weekend. Serve coffee and donuts after Mass. Use the time to get to know each of your parishioners personally.
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Appoint a specific committee member to work with the Church secretary on getting or producing new stewardship material for insertion in the bulletin. Remember people become anesthetized to seeing the same format. If you've been using the same format, now is the time for change.
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Set up a study session for the Disciple's Response for the entire parish. Announce it in the bulletin and at Mass, but also have each committee member personally invite at least two people to the sessions. Serve food. Make it fun and welcoming.
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Place a "Gratitude Book" in your vestibule. Ask parishioners to write down your parish's blessings. How has God blessed your parish? Remember to thank God for these blessings during liturgy.
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Suggest that parishioners use the offertory time to decide what they will give back to God this coming week, in time and talent as well as treasure. Remind them to consider their families and the wider community as well as their parish.
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Make a decision yourself to become a Total Steward. Are you tithing your time and treasure? People will follow what you do, more than what you say.
