Synod Stewardship Strategy:
Generous Living
Christian stewardship of time/talents/treasures is the lifeblood of the work of the Body of Christ. Just as all of life is a gift from God, so Christian stewardship covers all of life. Everything from care of creation to life in vocation is captured in the interconnected relationships of stewardship. The better we preach, teach and practice the meaning of stewardship in the daily lives of our people, the better equipped they are as children of God, for the good of the world.
The Synod Stewardship Strategy was drafted by the Mission Support Table - leaders from across the synod who come together to discern and shape a vision and strategy for lifting up the value of faithful stewardship practices across our synod.
The goal of this strategy is to grow generosity within our congregations both deeper (helping our members discover their gifts and generously share them for the ministry of their local congregation) and wider (encouraging every congregation to generously share what they have been given through mission support to the wider ministries of the synod and the churchwide organization).
Download the Synod Stewardship Strategy
The strategy document is intended to be a helpful working tool that all congregations and congregational leaders could study, assess their ministries in light of its recommendations, and engage in an intentional process to transform their ministries into effective centers for the discipleship deepening practices of generous living and stewardship.
Core Values of Effective Stewardship
Best Practices toward Effective Stewardship
Congregational Mission Support
Across the church, the average ELCA congregation gives less than 5% of their general fund income to support the work of the wider church. We can do better!
In addition to focused efforts to help congregations become more aware of the work of the synod office and the wider work of the church, we hope to engage each congregation in an annual congregational mission support consultation.
For over 20 years now we have continued to react to the many changes both inside the Church and out in the wider culture. We have been living with 20 years of decline in most of the key indicators of church health. Faithfulness in ministry and mission demands “our best”, not simply “the rest”. To study, embrace and implement the suggestions in this strategy would lead each of us to doing the best we can, with all we have been given, to the glory of God and the welfare of God’s people.
Today can be a new day.