Thanks to Rick Squier and St. Joan of Arc Parish, Streetsboro, for sharing this family learning experience:
Greetings to our families! A big virtual warm hug to everyone.
It should go without saying that being a Christian inspires us to act in certain ways. Using the gifts we have been given for the greater good of others is how we model the example that was given to us from Jesus Christ. These actions are our response to Jesus's call to stewardship.
So, how do we live stewardship as families?
One way is by doing charitable activities, and recognizing why we do them. This was one of the GOF requirements for the year. The form can be downloaded on the button here, and if you have yet to do so, please use this as an opportunity to reach out and support someone in the community around you.
It should go without saying that being a Christian inspires us to act in certain ways. Using the gifts we have been given for the greater good of others is how we model the example that was given to us from Jesus Christ. These actions are our response to Jesus's call to stewardship.
So, how do we live stewardship as families?
One way is by doing charitable activities, and recognizing why we do them. This was one of the GOF requirements for the year. The form can be downloaded on the button here, and if you have yet to do so, please use this as an opportunity to reach out and support someone in the community around you.
Another way of recognizing our call to stewardship is the focus of our lesson this month.
The easiest way to start the conversations about stewardship in a family is by recognizing that every good thing we have is a gift from God. All of our talents, abilities, and attributes are gifts that have been given to us. In addition, all of our possessions are gift as well. Even if we have worked hard to attain them, our hard work is the result of talents we have received from God. This may be the most formative message our young kids could receive. Every good thing we have comes from God. As our kids get older we are able to discuss how we are called to use our gifts for the betterment of those around us. Some of the session that is listed below will need to be adapted based on the age of your children. At the bottom of this email is background information for parents on stewardship from the USCCB. It takes a holistic look at stewardship as a response to discipleship.
The family session:
Start the family session with a prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts we have. Make up your own, or use the following:
Begin by making the sign of the cross.
"Heavenly Father, we thank you for all the gifts we have.
We recognize that they all come from you, and have been given so that we can recognize your generosity.
We pray that all of our gifts benefit not only us, but are used for the good of everyone around us.
We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ."
Watch the following video. It may not be engaging for the youngest kids, but it sets the stage for the questions on the survey.
The easiest way to start the conversations about stewardship in a family is by recognizing that every good thing we have is a gift from God. All of our talents, abilities, and attributes are gifts that have been given to us. In addition, all of our possessions are gift as well. Even if we have worked hard to attain them, our hard work is the result of talents we have received from God. This may be the most formative message our young kids could receive. Every good thing we have comes from God. As our kids get older we are able to discuss how we are called to use our gifts for the betterment of those around us. Some of the session that is listed below will need to be adapted based on the age of your children. At the bottom of this email is background information for parents on stewardship from the USCCB. It takes a holistic look at stewardship as a response to discipleship.
The family session:
Start the family session with a prayer of thanksgiving for the gifts we have. Make up your own, or use the following:
Begin by making the sign of the cross.
"Heavenly Father, we thank you for all the gifts we have.
We recognize that they all come from you, and have been given so that we can recognize your generosity.
We pray that all of our gifts benefit not only us, but are used for the good of everyone around us.
We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ."
Watch the following video. It may not be engaging for the youngest kids, but it sets the stage for the questions on the survey.
Answer the questions to the survey linked at the button below. Discuss the questions, the discussions are the most important part of coming up with answers as a family. Listed below is a guide to answering the questions.
1. Family name, I hope you don't need guidance on the answer to that question.
2. Each person in your family has specific talents, or gifts that are unique and make them who they are. It is important to recognize these talents and gift. it is also important to recognize that they are given by God.
3. The answer to this question recognized the material gift that each of us has and values. So these gift we cherish, but we need to recognize that they are gifts even if we purchased them with hard earned money.
4. We have collective gifts as family. Things such as a house, pets or even time together is a gift we receive.
5. Here we recognize how we use the gifts we have to benefit the family. Each of us has a role in the family, and does certain things to support each other, even if it's being nice to a sibling, or looking up to a sibling, all of these things add to who we are as family.
6 and 7 both recognize how we add to community and parish. Here's a hint if you find these questions challenging. Our presence at Mass adds to the community, and our donations help support the parish. As far as community goes, mom and dad ay taxes, and volunteer in certain ways in the community. Look to the document below for more inspiration.
End the session with prayer, make up your own, or use the following:
Begin with the sign of the cross.
"Heavenly Father, we thank you for all that is good in our lives.
We pray that all of the gifts you have given us.
We thank you for (read the list of gifts from question 2)
We pray that these gifts benefit everyone around us, and show how generous you truly are.
We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen"
End with the sign of the cross.
To Be a Christian Steward
A Summary of the U.S. Bishops' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship
"As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Pt 4:10).
What identifies a steward?
Safeguarding material and human resources and using them responsibly are one answer; so is generous giving of time, talent, and treasure. But being a Christian steward means more. As Christian stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.
Disciples as Stewards
Let us begin with being a disciple—a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. As members of the Church, Jesus calls us to be disciples. This has astonishing implications:
Stewards of Creation
The Bible contains a profound message about the stewardship of material creation: God created the world, but entrusts it to human beings. Caring for and cultivating the world involves the following:
Stewards of Vocation
Jesus calls us, as his disciples, to a new way of life—the Christian way of life—of which stewardship is part. But Jesus does not call us as nameless people in a faceless crowd. He calls us individually, by name. Each one of us—clergy, religious, lay person; married, single; adult, child—has a personal vocation. God intends each one of us to play a unique role in carrying out the divine plan. The challenge, then, is to understand our role—our vocation—and to respond generously to this call from God. Christian vocation entails the practice of stewardship. In addition, Christ calls each of us to be stewards of our personal vocations, which we receive from God.
Stewards of the Church
Stewards of God's gifts are not passive beneficiaries. We cooperate with God in our own redemption and in the redemption of others. We are also obliged to be stewards of the Church—collaborators and cooperators in continuing the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, which is the Church's essential mission. This mission—proclaiming and teaching, serving and sanctifying—is our task. It is the personal responsibility of each one of us as stewards of the Church. All members of the Church have their own roles to play in carrying out its mission:
Obstacles to Stewardship
People who want to live as Christian disciples and Christian stewards face serious obstacles. In the United States and other nations, a dominant secular culture often contradicts religious convictions about the meaning of life. This culture frequently encourages us to focus on ourselves and our pleasures.
At times, we can find it far too easy to ignore spiritual realities and to deny religion a role in shaping human and social values. As Catholics who have entered into the mainstream of American society and experienced its advantages, many of us also have been adversely influenced by this secular culture. We know what it is to struggle against selfishness and greed, and we realize that it is harder for many today to accept the challenge of being a Christian steward. It is essential, therefore, that we make a special effort to understand the true meaning of stewardship and live accordingly.
A Steward's Way
The life of a Christian steward models the life of Jesus. It is challenging and even difficult, in many respects, yet intense joy comes to those who take the risk to live as Christian stewards. Women and men who seek to live as stewards learn that "all things work for good for those who love God" (Rom 8:28).
After Jesus, we look to Mary as an ideal steward. As the Mother of Christ, she lived her ministry in a spirit of fidelity and service; she responded generously to the call. We must ask ourselves: Do we also wish to be disciples of Jesus Christ and Christian stewards of our world and our Church? Central to our human and Christian vocations, as well as to the unique vocation each one of us receives from God, is that we be good stewards of the gifts we possess. God gives us this divine-human workshop, this world and Church of ours.
The Spirit shows us the way.
Stewardship is a part of that journey.
__________________________________________________
Rick L. Squier
Director of Faith Formation
St. Joan of Arc Church
8894 State Route 14
Streetsboro, OH 44241
(330) 626-3424
www.sjoa-church.org-
2. Each person in your family has specific talents, or gifts that are unique and make them who they are. It is important to recognize these talents and gift. it is also important to recognize that they are given by God.
3. The answer to this question recognized the material gift that each of us has and values. So these gift we cherish, but we need to recognize that they are gifts even if we purchased them with hard earned money.
4. We have collective gifts as family. Things such as a house, pets or even time together is a gift we receive.
5. Here we recognize how we use the gifts we have to benefit the family. Each of us has a role in the family, and does certain things to support each other, even if it's being nice to a sibling, or looking up to a sibling, all of these things add to who we are as family.
6 and 7 both recognize how we add to community and parish. Here's a hint if you find these questions challenging. Our presence at Mass adds to the community, and our donations help support the parish. As far as community goes, mom and dad ay taxes, and volunteer in certain ways in the community. Look to the document below for more inspiration.
End the session with prayer, make up your own, or use the following:
Begin with the sign of the cross.
"Heavenly Father, we thank you for all that is good in our lives.
We pray that all of the gifts you have given us.
We thank you for (read the list of gifts from question 2)
We pray that these gifts benefit everyone around us, and show how generous you truly are.
We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen"
End with the sign of the cross.
To Be a Christian Steward
A Summary of the U.S. Bishops' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship
"As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Pt 4:10).
What identifies a steward?
Safeguarding material and human resources and using them responsibly are one answer; so is generous giving of time, talent, and treasure. But being a Christian steward means more. As Christian stewards, we receive God's gifts gratefully, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord.
Disciples as Stewards
Let us begin with being a disciple—a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. As members of the Church, Jesus calls us to be disciples. This has astonishing implications:
- Mature disciples make a conscious decision to follow Jesus, no matter what the cost.
- Christian disciples experience conversion—lifeshaping changes of mind and heart—and commit their very selves to the Lord.
- Christian stewards respond in a particular way to the call to be a disciple. Stewardship has the power to shape and mold our understanding of our lives
- and the way in which we live.
Stewards of Creation
The Bible contains a profound message about the stewardship of material creation: God created the world, but entrusts it to human beings. Caring for and cultivating the world involves the following:
- Joyful appreciation for the God-given beauty and wonder of nature;
- Protection and preservation of the environment, which would be the stewardship of ecological concern;
- Respect for human life—shielding life from threat and assault, doing everything that can be done to enhance this gift and make life flourish; and
- Development of this world through noble human effort—physical labor, the trades and professions, the arts and sciences. We call such effort "work." Work is a fulfilling human vocation.
Stewards of Vocation
Jesus calls us, as his disciples, to a new way of life—the Christian way of life—of which stewardship is part. But Jesus does not call us as nameless people in a faceless crowd. He calls us individually, by name. Each one of us—clergy, religious, lay person; married, single; adult, child—has a personal vocation. God intends each one of us to play a unique role in carrying out the divine plan. The challenge, then, is to understand our role—our vocation—and to respond generously to this call from God. Christian vocation entails the practice of stewardship. In addition, Christ calls each of us to be stewards of our personal vocations, which we receive from God.
Stewards of the Church
Stewards of God's gifts are not passive beneficiaries. We cooperate with God in our own redemption and in the redemption of others. We are also obliged to be stewards of the Church—collaborators and cooperators in continuing the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, which is the Church's essential mission. This mission—proclaiming and teaching, serving and sanctifying—is our task. It is the personal responsibility of each one of us as stewards of the Church. All members of the Church have their own roles to play in carrying out its mission:
- Parents, who nurture their children in the light of faith;
- Parishioners, who work in concrete ways to make their parishes true communities of faith and vibrant sources of service to the larger community;
- All Catholics, who give generous support—time, money, prayers, and personal service according to their circumstances—to parish and diocesan programs
- and to the universal Church.
Obstacles to Stewardship
People who want to live as Christian disciples and Christian stewards face serious obstacles. In the United States and other nations, a dominant secular culture often contradicts religious convictions about the meaning of life. This culture frequently encourages us to focus on ourselves and our pleasures.
At times, we can find it far too easy to ignore spiritual realities and to deny religion a role in shaping human and social values. As Catholics who have entered into the mainstream of American society and experienced its advantages, many of us also have been adversely influenced by this secular culture. We know what it is to struggle against selfishness and greed, and we realize that it is harder for many today to accept the challenge of being a Christian steward. It is essential, therefore, that we make a special effort to understand the true meaning of stewardship and live accordingly.
A Steward's Way
The life of a Christian steward models the life of Jesus. It is challenging and even difficult, in many respects, yet intense joy comes to those who take the risk to live as Christian stewards. Women and men who seek to live as stewards learn that "all things work for good for those who love God" (Rom 8:28).
After Jesus, we look to Mary as an ideal steward. As the Mother of Christ, she lived her ministry in a spirit of fidelity and service; she responded generously to the call. We must ask ourselves: Do we also wish to be disciples of Jesus Christ and Christian stewards of our world and our Church? Central to our human and Christian vocations, as well as to the unique vocation each one of us receives from God, is that we be good stewards of the gifts we possess. God gives us this divine-human workshop, this world and Church of ours.
The Spirit shows us the way.
Stewardship is a part of that journey.
__________________________________________________
Rick L. Squier
Director of Faith Formation
St. Joan of Arc Church
8894 State Route 14
Streetsboro, OH 44241
(330) 626-3424
www.sjoa-church.org-