Deacon John’s Stewardship Blog

Stewardship means living a conscious and committed life in Christ. When we make the decision to live a life of stewardship, we grow in humility. We realize that all we have and all that we are given comes from a loving and generous God. This is a humbling realization.

The word “humility” means “of the earth” or “down to earth”. To be humble is to recognize that we are not the authors of creation, but the stewards of that creation. The Genesis Story of Creation tells us that God made the heavens and the earth and put us here as stewards to care for that creation.
Genesis also teaches that as human beings, we are created with dignity in God’s image and likeness. We are all important in God’s sight, but we do not need to exert that self-importance to the detriment of others or of God’s creation. That would be the opposite of humility.

A daily life of stewardship offers many opportunities to grow in humility like; choosing to let others shine in conversation, accepting comments without being defensive or giving up control or positional power to empower others. These are just a few examples of ways to practice humility through stewardship. May our loving and generous God bless us all.
Love, Deacon John

Stewardship is a lifestyle, a way of life, a life of total accountability and responsibility. It is the acknowledgement of God as the Creator and owner of all. Christian stewards see themselves as the caretakers of all God’s gifts.

Stewardship is a way of thanking God for all our blessings by returning to God a portion of the many gifts that we have been given. It involves the intentional planned and proportionate giving of our time, talent, and treasure.

Finally, stewardship encourages everyone to participate in the task of building the Kingdom of God.

“Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours. You are the eyes through which he is going about doing good. Yours are the hands which he is to bless people now.”                ~ (St. Teresa of Avila)

God bless,
Deacon John

Dear Friends,
Soon the changing colors of green leaves will remind us that a new season lies before us.  In itself, each red, orange,  or yellow leaf might not be so noticeable.  However,  when all those small  leaves come together to color a mountain side of trees, the scene can be breath-taking. This same line of thought can serve as an example of how  small acts of stewardship can mushroom into something that is very noticeable to another person. Taking time to help a neighbor bag their leaves or to call and ask if they need something from the store might seem like a small act of stewardship, but to the person you are helping,  it can be monumental.

What about using your talent to tighten the screws of a hair that grandma or grandpa uses?  That  5 minute job just enabled an hour of worry to disappear!

And what about your treasure? You might not have money to spare, but sharing the treasure of your smile or a morning  “hello” can lift someone’s spirit for the day.

In how many small ways can each of us speak stewardship to others this week?  Let’s become more aware of the majestic mountains we can build through our actions for others–one five minute job at a time. Live as a stewardship person every day.

Sister Bernadine

I have found over the course of my life that it is very easy to lose sight of the gifts our Lord so graciously bestows. The day-to-day drudgery of life, and the chaos of the modern world, provide an effectively thick smokescreen that obfuscates these blessings. As a retired United States Marine, my family and I continually had to roll with the punches of life over the course of the last 25 years. Our blessings were often overlooked and underappreciated. Joining the parish, and sharing in fellowship with all of you, has been a bountiful blessing for the entirety of my family. Our parish family, in words and deeds, have indeed provided a positive example; I indeed attribute the clarity that has been gained to this and to all of you. Reflecting back and taking stock of our lives, we have found a deep appreciation for the blessings that we grossly overlooked, or maybe observed as nothing more than luck when it was truly God speaking to and answering us. We are honored to stand in worship beside all of you, and I am so very proud to join you in paying it forward and spreading the joyfulness of a loving relationship with and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God bless all of you, and thank you.
Louie Alessio