“Stewardship is a way of being and not just something to do.”
Core Value, St. John’s Cathedral, Denver

If we are like many of our fellow parishioners, we can look around with some satisfaction and note that the Every Member Canvass is over. We view with a sigh of relief that the 2003 Canvass was reasonably successful and the budget is balanced with minimum damage to valued programs. Thus we, in our mind’s eye, can close the book on stewardship for another year and go about our business.

But the Every Member Canvass will roll around again this fall and it is not hard to imagine that the question will be: “Oh, is it stewardship time again?” The problem with this view is that stewardship is not a single event but is something that is all around us every day, all year long. Volunteering is stewardship. Being an informed citizen and voting is stewardship. Conservation and the wise husbanding of scarce resources is stewardship. Taking inventory of one’s many gifts is stewardship. Giving a portion of one’s time, talent, and resources in joyful union with Jesus Christ is stewardship.

An examination of stewardship in all its forms is a deeply spiritual endeavor and, contrary to the usual stereotype, it can be extremely meaningful. As noted by the Rev. John Brackett, in his book, On the Pilgrim’s Way, the discovery of the very essence of stewardship is nothing less than an “investigation into the relationship between one’s life and spirituality in Christ and the way one lives out that faith in the world.”

While attending the annual convention of the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes in Pittsburgh several weeks ago, I participated in a workshop entitled “Stewardship Revisited,” which was a case study from St. John’s Cathedral in Denver, Colorado. The workshop and the presenters were excellent and I came away with a renewed feeling of enthusiasm and understanding of the meaning of stewardship.

One of the major points in the presentation was the timeless quality of stewardship and its timeliness in our religious journey through life. The breadth of stewardship can be seen through the seasons of the year.

1. Spring (Your Call) - Have you discovered God’s call to you? What are your God-given talents? What are you called to do at the Chapel of the Cross?

2. Summer (Your Self) - Have you taken care of your spiritual needs? Taking care of yourself is also an act of stewardship. Have you thought of attending a spiritual retreat?

3. Fall (Your Thanks) - Have you inventoried the gifts you have been given? What is it about the Chapel of the Cross that makes it important in your life?

4. Winter (Your Future) - Have you planned your future and taken care of your responsibilities and last needs? Have you discerned your lasting commitment to others?

Stewardship is much greater than completing and sending in a pledge card once a year. It is the act of using the gifts God has given us to do the work He has called us to do.