Important Ideas for leaders in developing mission focus and steward- ship formation in congregations.

Table of Contents

Introduction p2

and consulting contacts•Worship, prayer, and Formation- --

Resetting our preferences p 3-5

°Congregation understands Mission p 6

1. Creativity -

The place of most potential p 7

2. Stewarding relationships in a

a conversation about mission p 8

3. Study a Stewardship Book p 9

° Narrative Budget - The sacred story of

your mission and ministry p 10

The Episcopal Network for Stewardship The vast and rich Diocese of Spokane & North IdahoThe vast and rich Diocese of Spokane & North Idaho

°The Episcopal Network for Stewardship P 11 (TENS): www.tens.org

• Annual Fund Nuts and Bolts

Transforming Stewardship -! ! ! ! ! Thoughts and Ideas

COMPLIMENTS OF THE STEWARDSHIP TEAM OF THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF SPOKANE FOUNDATION:

The Rt. Rev. James E. Waggoner, Jr.Steve Dodds, Foundation Executive DirectorKay Rafferty, The Rev. Martin Elfert, and The Rev. Jane Schmoetzer, Stewardship! !

2Transforming Stewardship -- Introduction

Scripture calls us “...to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of

Christ.” (Eph 4.12). That is the essence of stewardship.

Stories about stewards are found throughout Holy Scripture. What ties them all together is that evolution of our responsibility as disciples stewarding the kingdom (building it up) for the benefit of all.—the kingdom within and all around us.

We are at a crossroads: Stewardship can no longer be little more than a euphemism for the annual fund drive and our year-long anxiety over whether pledges are coming in as needed. Nor can it be based on “pay-back” theology. As one author put it, “Almighty God does not call us to ʻgive backʼ or return our gifts to God in the consumer manner we more often translate as ʻgive back.ʼ”

We are called to give forward!

The Diocese of Spokane designs its Stewardship Resources around you and your gifts. We encourage you as individual disciples and congregational communities to hone the skills of prayer, discernment, formation and service designed to support your own path of mission and ministry.

Enclosed are a few links and resources that we share with you for your use toward this pur-pose. We invite you to call with questions and seek help in reviewing or making more out of any of these sources of information. Stewardship Resource of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane Foundation

photo: Jeff Neubergerphoto: Gretchen Rehberg

3Worship, Prayer and Discernment

Photo: Jeff Neuberger

To use a computer term, we must “reset our preferences!” And we must answer some tough questions when praying alone or in community. Answering truthfully the question, “what is most important to us in our lives” takes the practice of listening, digging, reading, praying, mourning. ex-pressing anger even. We in a great stewardship program can help with teaching and sharing stories that help to unravel the subtle but deeply installed “covers” in which we are steeped: independence, self-sufficiency and attachments. So many of us are masters at insulating ourselves using the blocks and fears we have installed, and prefer not to visit. These attachments don’t just keep us from doing more and serving better.....No, the most important thing our attachments and blocks keep us from do-ing is finding our own true selves -- would we know what it is like to walk with Christ? Or do we wait until something kicks in the back door? To promote lives of prayer through our churches is not just accompaniment for the days ahead, but a journey into our deepest heart of hearts. Perhaps we can only take so much of that at a time, but a “practice” of prayer ongoing, is what leads us to transformation. It also leads us to understand more deeply the sacredness of our own lives and the lives of others. We can also reset 4 of our prefer-ences to: “honest insight” “compassion” “reverence” and “sabbath.” Reset the preferences..... as soon as you can.

Consider a parish program to refresh the prayer lives of members.

Stewardship must involve prayer -- corporate and private prayer --

...to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid,...

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Worship, Prayer,Discernment (cont.)Worship:

“We need to gather at the altar lest we forget our unity with our fellowmen as well as our oneness with God. it is the place where all superficial differences vanish and the sons and daughters of God become unified in one great corporate act, in the worship of our common Lord and Saviour.“We need to gather at the altar rail to manifest our unity to the world. It is the highest expression of Christian faith and life and the one manifestation of belief and consistency for which the world has nothing but respect and before which it must stand in soul-aroused question and wonder.”

Edward M. Cross, Bishop of the Missionary District of Spokane, “The Use of Religion” 1936

Prayer and Discernment efforts: Key Areas for leader Discussion

Quality worship and a life of private prayer, formation classes and study groups? Ask yourselves to stop and think about these 4 areas and how seriously or lightly they are addressed.Are we just going through the motions, or do we know how to use the church’s vast resources for our hearts and minds? If what we “do” in community either as weekly worship or small group ef-fort resembles in any way “just going through the motions,” such behavior rings loudly with our lev-els of doubt and unbelief. Congregations and small groups, both, have a “feel” about them. If you don’t feel Christ’s love in your midst, others don’t either.

The point of study, open conversation and questioning together in our churches is so we CAN take our compassion and best insight into daily life, work and service. This is formative! This is outcome from “love your neighbor...”

Author Margaret Benefiel wrote a book entitled, “Soul at Work” and another book, “The Soul of a Leader.” These discuss in detail examples of leaders and businesses that have succeeded because of the owner(s) spiritual leadership -- these are in depth investigations of well-known businesses, such as Tom’s of Maine and the singing group U2.

WHY is this stewardship? Benefiel said, “Because their leadership grows out of a wellspring of deep spiritual groundedness, their leadership is characterized by compassion, service, respect, and wisdom. Paradoxically, keeping their eyes on the spiritual goal often results in material reward.”

DISCERNMENT: Prayer, study and conversation in our churches is a part of the valuable process open to all of us called “discernment.” This word is not just for the process of Deacons and Priests going into ministry. Let’s remember that Jesus sought time in solitude before every important decision and action in his public life. Roy Oswald, respected Alban Institute author, said once:

“Discernment is not decision making....It is to see the movement of God, perhaps only in the dust kicked up by the wind. It is to see from God’s perspective,...discernment [is the] process of uncovering the decision -- not of making it.”

5Prayer Resources to Consider

Prayer: Our Stewardship Team hears all the time “we don’t know how to pray!” So we recommend talking about it and sharing resources. Here are some, you will haveothers:

Book of Common Prayer: Look at our greatest book of prayer again: Rich beyond all resources; prayers for all occasions; prayer for all times of day;Psalms -- the heart and soul of expression; consider using a prayerbook/hymnal, as hymns are filled with beautiful words of affirmation, praise, longing and prayer.

A Diary of Private prayer, by John Baillie A very old but amazingly fruitful and insightful month-long book of morning and evening prayers as well as Sunday for private use.

Prayers of the Cosmos, Reflections on the Original Meaning of Jesus’s Words, by Neil Douglas-Klotz.: A way to look anew at our inherited treasures: The Lord’s Prayer, The Beatitudes...

A Prayer Book, for the 21st Century, by John McQuiston II: A modern prayer book that has beautiful transformations of prayers and services al-ready well known to us. From the Introduction: “Now in the ...twenty-first [century], we have rediscovered the humbling, ancient truth -- that we live in a fathomless and tran-scendent mystery.” Here are our prayers re-written with all the wonder and beauty.

Celtic Benediction, Morning and Night Prayer, by J. Philip Newell. Beautiful

Reminders of God, Altars for Personal and Family Devotion, by Anne F. Grizzle: A really excellent little book. A church program with young families can be built around reading this book. In an age when nothing seems sacred it teaches young people to treasure sanctuary and creates a way for families who seem not to pray at home to have some sort of base for stopping to think. A wonderful benefit for adults is the last half of the book with beautiful descriptions of “altar disciplines -- especially Lectio Divina”

Do Something as a community...together we are more!!

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“...the point of a stewardship approach is not success in numbers but a process,

a way of congregational living, that [has the best chance of changing] people and

their life relationships. It is infinitely more important to assist the Holy Spirit

in creating stewards than simply to concoct annual stewardship “drives.”*

More Than Money, Portraits of Transformative Stew-ardship,

by Patrick H. McNamara

“Money follows mission, not the reverse. This is a shorthand way of saying that the stronger the congregation’s relational

characteristics, the easier it is to raise money.”Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church,

by Kennon L. Callahan

Congregation Understands Mission

Consider “Creativity”The creative possibilities among your members is one of God’s

greatest gifts of the mind and heart working together. The extent

to which you honor and develop a way to immerse your members

in their gifts, is the extent to which your congregation will grow.

The Diocese Foundation has access to a training DVD with DeWitt Jones of the National

Geographic. His exposition of Creativity as the “Place of Most Potential” is a great grounding in building program, and a wonderful place to start with a

Stewardship Committee or a congregation wanting to have conversations and discernment about ministries and outreach from their church. (Mission)

Consider these DeWitt Jones paths to growth and quality:

• Creativity: The ability to look at the ordinary, and see the extraordinary!• There’s always more than one right answer.• Have a Vision• Be patient• Train your techniques and craftsmanship• Put yourselves in the place of most potential• Break the pattern• It is up to you -- you’ve got to really care

For more information contact, Steve Dodds at the Diocese Foundation Office

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“EVERYDAY CREATIVITY The Place of Most Potential” with Dewitt Jones, National Geographic

Stewarding relationships in a church conversation about mission --

Guidelines for facilitators and to share out loud with all.

What our call is:• A time to ask what’s possible, not what’s wrong• A time to affirm your most favorite ministry or ministries• A time to share what is most sacred about our church• A time to listen carefully and prayerfully to each thing that is said by another• A time to share questions you hope may be answered, if not today, later.• A time to reveal worries or anxieties in a non-judgmental place of support and sharing• A time to share “what ifs” and “dreams” • A time to record an offer of assistance or reveal your skills• A time to offer your own opinion or suggestion without fear of rebuttal

What our call is not:• A time for rebuttals or debates over issues• A time to criticize any individual persons• A time to spread rumors • A time to say, “If THEY don’t do such and such, then I…..”

Facilitators are managers of the group “environment.”They facilitate:

• Inclusion tactics• Gentle handling of disruptive talkers• Positive encouragement and affirmation and appreciation

Facilitators explain these rules: • Try to be welcoming to people who are in conversation with you. • Try to be prepared to unwrap some core values:

o What I love best about St. Our Parisho My dream is that some day….o What if….o If we had a lot more money I would love it if we….o I am most often concerned about…..o I am interested in…..o I would most like to know more about…

• We will listen and not interrupt or rebut any sharing and we will record everyone’s thoughts and ideas with-out identification.

• As facilitator, you will gently interrupt those who monopolize too much.• You will provide a paper or card for any special thought someone wants to share but doesn’t wish to share it

at the table. Prepare the recorded notes of conversations with the vestry and give feedback to the congregation in pre-arranged ways that were promised to the congregation.

If you are a church engaged in conversations in times of change, whether significant or minor, a wonderful book to read together as leaders is “Getting to Yes, Negotiating Agreement without Giving In!” Fisher and Ury

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Those of us involved in stewardship who have read this book, have gained a

great deal of elemental insight. It provides a great foundation for evaluating just

how your congregation is operating and living together. Another plus is that it is a

small book and packed with usable ideas and a good solid picture of what a healthy

church with a well understood mission looks like. It might best be read not only by

the Stewardship Committee at the church, but the vestry.

Here are two other good books as well from Alban Institute for those who wish to

explore as many insights and ideas as possible:

•Creating Congregations of Generous People,

by Michael Durall

•More Than Money, Portraits of Transformative Stewardship,

by Patrick H. McNamara

These books are still among the best, bringing congregational development right

into the mix with Stewardship.

Study a Stewardship Book with your committee:

Contents:

Part I: Giving Principles

Part II: Possibilities for Giving

(6 sources for Giving)

Part III: Motivations for Giving

Part IV: Stewardship for Giving

Conclusion: Money for Mission

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Much has been made over the value of creating Narrative Budgets to illuminate the unique ministries in each of our Churches. It is a style of presentation that can complement Annual Fund materials, yet also be used year around as an informative brochure mailed with other letters or displayed for visitors, and given to newcomers.

WHY DO IT: Because... in the midst of constant budget fussing, and fear of deficits, the mission and ministries of our churches get lost in the numbers of the line item budget. •How do we turn the bills and paychecks into our vibrant story? •How do we get the clergy and the staff to go along with this? •How important is this style of budget -- this use of pictures, pie charts and narrative?

There are often two hurdles that stand in the path of this project:

1. The process often calls for the Clergy and staff to evaluate the percentage of time spent on diverse ministries within the church -- worship, pastoral care, teaching, service, parish life and outreach.

Good Advice: If requesting this of clergy and staff is not done from a position of education and in-sight about the narrative budget style, there may be great reluctance. Trying to track one’s day to day for someone else to see may feel as if one is being watched and evaluated. Trusted Stewardship volunteers can help with this. Here is an example from the Episcopal Church Foundation of a narrative budget. Smaller churches can make it even simpler than this: www.ecfvp.org/files/uploads/Narrative_Budget.pdf

2. The second roadblock is in attempting to make the narrative budget pie-chart totals completely match the line item budget. Good Advice: Learning that this is not possible and not the point, and having parishioners understand that

the purpose (the ministry) of the narrative style budget differs from the business of the line item budget is important. The narrative budget is not instead of the line item budget but a usable form of “picturing” ministries.

3. Check out this excellent source: http://cornerstonefund.org/learn/church-finance Here you will find many different styles of Narrative Budget pamphlets/booklets from the simplest to more involved.

4. Simply looking on line at “Church Narrative Budgets” leads you to resources and ideas.

GOOD ADVICE & HAVE SOME FUN: If you have a parishioner who loves his or her Apple com-puter; and if that person enjoys the program “Pages” then you can access some wonderful brochures, newsletters and page layouts within which you can create your own narrative budget! This is a perfect opportunity to involve volunteers in illuminating ministries!

Narrative Budgets Tell the Story of Your Ministries -- Is it for You?

TENS and USThe Episcopal Network for Stewardship

We are members of TENS

Check out the resources and blogs:

http://www.tens.org/

All churches diocese-wide are members by nature of

the Diocese membership. Your Priest in Charge has

the password for accessing the website Members-only

area. *

Of Special note: Every year TENS has a new set of

printable materials and a new theme for managing

your church Annual Giving campaign.

Clergy also can benefit from the thoughts and ideas

presented on the TENS website for sermons.

*Call the Diocese Foundation, If you have lost track of the password and user name.

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