Stewardship Development

The national Stewardship Development Advisory Committee invited the General Council Executive to use a lens of generosity for their work on behalf of the whole church. The committee’s mandate is to cultivate a culture of generosity in the church and strengthen individuals, congregations, and community ministries in their ability to be good stewards of God’s bounty. They invite the whole church to recognize and celebrate the abundance of God’s grace and gifts.

As you begin work, individually and together with others, consider the following questions using the lens of generosity:

• What are God’s gifts in this time and place?
• How does our time together reflect gratitude and generosity?
• How do our decisions reflect an attitude of abundance rather than scarcity?
• Where has God’s grace been shown in this time and place?

The use of this lens can become a spiritual practice that shapes the whole life of our church. We invite you to share your experience as to how this lens strengthens your sphere of the work of the church.

Share lens of generosity labels with your board and committee members and with the members of your congregation. They could be used at the end of a meeting to recap and reflect, much like the spiritual practice of using an Examen. These labels are designed to fit sheets of 3 1/3" x 4" (Avery #5164) available from your local computer or business supply store.

• A Lens of Generosity [PDF: 1 p/87 KB]