Stewardship Best Practices

Some of the "best ideas" and "best practices" come from some of our own parishes!  Please review the list below.  If you would like to add to this list, please contact Audrey Ronnfeldt in the Stewardship Office.

  •  Parish Ministry Leader meetings:  Many parishes hold annual and semi-annual parish ministry leader meetings.  The purpose is to thank them for their leadership, provide an opportunity to get to know each other, provide stewardship formation ex:  (how to incorporate this years' theme & spirituality of stewardship), learn about the resources that can help them be successful, discuss parish objectives and how they can be integrated into their ministry, expectations for welcoming new stewards and many more.
      • Church of the Magdalen Ministry Leaders reception included prayer, formation, presentations by the pastor, chair of the stewardship council, communications coordinator and the Pillar Representatives.  You can view the PDF here.
  •  Ministry Fairs:  
      • Blessed Sacrament after many years of including their Ministry Fair during the parish picnic, this year had an open air Ministry Fair.  Banners of all of the ministries lined the area surrounding the church entrance.  Check out these pictures on their Facebook page.
  • Parish Newsletters:  this is an important way to reach those that are not always at Mass.  
      • St. Mary Parish, Derby publishes a newsletter 3 times per year, Easter, Christmas and graduations.
      • St. Francis of Assisi, Wichita Vernacular is a monthly newsletter created and published by stewards for over 30 years
  • Parish bulletins:  News you can use if it is up to date.  Here is a sample of some of the best in our diocese.
  • Annual Renewal bulletin announcements:

 

Stewardship MD

 

 

 

Council Organizational Chart

  • Click here to download a stewardship council organizational chart for "Our Lady of Perfection"

Annual Parish Stewardship Renewal Survey Samples

As a parishioner, opinions regarding your religious and parish experiences are very important and can directly affect the day-to-day successes and failures of a parish. Here are some sample surveys to help ‘collect’ information with the ultimate goal to provide the best possible programs for parish family life.

Stewardship in a Small Parish - Fr. Ken Van Haverbeke


Stewardship in a Small Parish

Download the Podcast

Audio File

Parish Stewardship Council Handbook

This handbook provides a brief introduction to the spirituality of stewardship that precedes information addressing and assisting pastors and parishes in the selection and ongoing formation of parish stewardship council members. This handbook also provides an overview of best practices, duties and responsibilities of parish stewardship councils as they seek to facilitate a successful stewardship process within their parish communities.

Parish Stewardship Handbook

An early document designed to facilitate the implementation of a comprehensive stewardship process in the parish. The goal of the handbook is to provide step-by-step guidelines that will help create the opportunity for parishioners to live stewardship as a way of life and for parishes to carry out their mission.The diocese currently uses Annual Parish Stewardship Renewal Guidelines which evolved from this document.

Click here to view and print the document

Characteristics of a Stewardship Parish

The characteristics identified in this document are those that seemed evident at the time of publication and those that remain evident in viable and vibrant parishes where the "stewardship way of life" is practiced and facilitated, thus providing successful results.

 

 

 

Characteristics of a Christian Steward

Identifies and describes personal characteristics that are essential and present in the lives of those individuals (stewards) who desire to fully know, love and serve Jesus. While there are many characteristics that could apply to stewards striving to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, the following ten (10) seem essential and ever present: Prayer, Humility, Trust, Patience, Responsibility, Gratitude, Generosity, Simplicity, Mercy and Perseverance.