In its broadest sense, Stewardship means the careful and responsible management of something
entrusted to one’s care. In the Christian tradition, stewardship refers to the way time, talents, material
possessions, and wealth are used or given for the service of God. It’s understood that all we have comes
from God and we are responsible for the care and sharing of those gifts.
Many people, when asked about when they became Christians, will tell you there was no Epiphany….
They’ve just always been Christians. They were raised in the church, and it was never not a part of
their lives.
For me, that also describes my stewardship journey. For as long as I can remember, my family went to
church almost every Sunday. And not just on Sunday. Ours was a family of volunteers. We were joiners.
Choir, basketball and softball teams, small groups, nursery helpers, counting teams… the Burnses were
there. It was simply understood that we would give of our time and talent…. And when a plate was
passed, we would put something in it. All of us did, because my parents made sure each of us children
had a coin or two to drop in the basket so we developed a habit of giving. Although I didn’t know the
word, I grew up knowing that Stewardship was important and expected and sometimes even fun.
Because I’ve always been a (mostly) cheerful giver, people often look at me and think “she’d be great for
the job!” I don’t always agree. But while I’ve learned to set boundaries, I’ve also learned to trust what
other people see in me. Once, during a stewardship talk, a pastor asked us to write what stewardship
means to us. I still have that paper, and I carry it with me. It says, “I don’t feel called to do this, but that
doesn’t mean I’m not called.”
What is God calling you to do?
Gaye DeCesare, Congregation Council President
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