Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
National Stewardship Commission
2009 STEWARDSHIP PRESENTATION
To download and print our 2009 Stewardship Form click here.
1. The theme for the 2009 Stewardship Program is “Strengthening our Relationship with God”.
* Our Stewardship nourishes our bond with the Lord and ensures the growth of the Church He entrusts to our care.
* Stewardship strengthens our relationship with God because it is a Christ-centered lifestyle.
* Stewardship strengthens our relationship with God because it affords every one of us the opportunity to give a portion of our blessings back to God out of love.
* Stewardship strengthens our relationship with God because it is rooted in Christ and is grounded in our prayers and in our worship.
* Stewardship strengthens our relationship with the Lord because it is founded on the spirit that leads us to proclaim every Sunday: “Let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.”
2. God is the origin of our blessings including:
o Our Birth
o Our Talents
o Our Opportunities
Christ sacrificed Himself so that we could have eternal life. We commit our whole life to Christ when we truly believe that He is the source of our whole life—everything we are and everything we have. Stewardship strengthens our relationship with God!
3. We must orient our focus by making Christ and His Church the center of our life, and become an active participant in the daily life of His Church. We pledge to give of our time, to use our talents, and to offer a portion of our finances to support the ministries of the Church and, thus, actively participate in continuing God’s work in His Church, which is Christ’s Body on earth. Stewardship strengthens our relationship with God!
4. “More is required from the person to whom more is given…” (Luke 12:48) The more we have been blessed, the more we are expected to return back to Him. The more we share those blessings and return a portion to His Church, the more treasures we will build in Heaven. Stewardship strengthens our relationship with God!
5. In Stewardship the Orthodox way of life is Reverence, Respect, and Responsibility.
We show our Stewardship by being reverent to God and those who serve His Church. Providing for our Priests and treating them with love and respect is part of putting our Stewardship into practice.
We show our Stewardship through our respect for our church and our church family by loving and caring for one another as Christ loves and cares for us, by being conciliatory, worshipping together, and enjoying one another’s fellowship. A church united will grow.
As Stewards, we are responsible for growing His Church and providing the ministries and programs to meet the needs of His people.
Stewardship strengthens our relationship with God!
6. Stewardship is a Key to Spiritual Growth. When we give back to God, we receive even greater blessings in return, often during this life, but even more importantly, after this life. Stewardship strengthens our relationship with God!
7. The Orthodox Christian Stewardship tradition is a free-will giving. If you are struggling with what is fair and what is proportionate, we recommend that you pledge 10% your annual income as stated in Holy Scripture, in doing so, you will be supporting the ministries of our beloved parish and also the ministries of the Greater Church, the Metropolis and the Archdiocese, as well as the Body of Christ.
8. And finally, please help the church to help you, by taking a moment to confirm or fill out the stewardship form with all your family information, being sure to include your email address as that is an extra focus this year, and identify your family’s time and talents in the many ministry opportunities available.
9. Any Questions? Comments and Suggestions are welcome.
2009 Stewardship Committee:
Julie Frank, Chairman
Sandy Worley
Elaine Demetroulis
Evan Farfaras
Michael Christodoulou, Parish Treasurer
Rev. Father Ciprian Sas, Parish Priest