Stewardship Education: Including Our Children and Youth

Gretchen S. Jordan, Christian Education Director

"All that we have and all that we are, are gifts from God."

In May, I attended a two-part seminar on Children and Stewardship at the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes in Atlanta. Part one offered an overview of stewardship which clearly was not just applicable to children but to persons of all ages. Part two presented a new stewardship program for children at All Saints' Parish in Atlanta. I offer you some of my gleanings and a new program for the children and youth of our parish to be included in our Annual Giving Campaign in October.

Stewardship is not about making budgets and an annual fund drive. It is not about providing salaries and programs. It is not about giving to special causes. It is not voting through approval or disapproval of how our money is spent.

Stewardship is about faith and works - an acknowledged perception that all we are and have are gifts from God; and that God, therefore, holds us responsible for our use of these gifts. To live out this faith in our daily lives demands sharing who we are and what we have been given - our time, talents, and resources. This is done through symbolic gestures such as tithing, pledging, making an offering at each Eucharist, and generous gifts of service for the benefit of others.

Responsibilities toward this end include providing instructional programs for all ages that are woven throughout the programming of the year, providing ways for individuals to claim the gifts they have to share, providing opportunities to learn about where time and talents can be applied within the parish and wider community, and providing involvement in specific missions. I believe this has implications for every committee, group, and class that gather in the name of the Chapel of the Cross!

Part two provided me the assurance and encouragement that some of the things I had been pondering for implementation in the parish were, in fact, important to any parish's stewardship, present and future. Taking these ideas to our Stewardship Committee in June, work immediately began to include children and youth in annual giving. Families will be receiving a letter introducing the inclusion of children and youth which will allow time for any parent(s) not interested in their child(ren) participating to contact the church office. The following week, a letter and pledge card will be sent to each child/youth from kindergarten age through high school. The pledge card will provide children and youth with the opportunity to pledge a financial contribution but will also list many ways they can pledge their time and treasures. There will be no accounting and no follow up with the children/youth as a reminder of their pledge. This is simply a way for children/youth to indicate ways they can serve and share those things which with they have been blessed.