Join us for the month of August as our parish looks at the topic of Stewardship. We will be engaging in prayer challenges, interactive discussions on our church noticeboards, hearing testimonies from members of our community who are actively engaged in giving, and working through our four-week study booklet together in groups.

Get the booklet

BRING A PLATE

You are invited to a picnic.

At our AGM, Annette painted the picture of stewardship within our parish through the image of a picnic. This is a picnic where everyone is welcome, no one person brings everything, and no one compares baskets. Abundance comes from showing up and sharing what we can.

Reflective Questions:

  • How do we speak about giving as a parish? Is giving is spoken about openly, theologically, and joyfully, or reluctantly and apologetically?
  • How can we better honour time and skills as forms of giving alongside money?
  • How does trusting in God’s generosity change your perspective on your own generosity?

HOLDING IT LIGHTLY

We serve a God of generosity.

Like a picnic, stewardship assumes shared responsibility because everyone is invited to bring something. Nobody owns the picnic and everybody eats. The gifts we bring are just that—gifts. We come together not to gain influence or control, but to share what God has first entrusted to us.

Reflective Questions:

  • What am I most tempted to treat as "mine" rather than God's?
  • Have I ever expected my giving or my service to give me greater influence or control?
  • What would it look like for me to hold my gifts, my ministry, and my resources more lightly this week?

THE GIVING IS THE GIFT

Vision makes generosity joyful.

When talking about stewardship and stewarding resources wisely, we tend to make one key mistake: we start the conversation with money, rather than with God. When we begin conversations about stewardship with money, we can lose sight of the thing we are actually gathering to do. Money is a means to achieve a vision, not the vision itself.

Reflective Questions:

  • How would we know if our giving was genuinely joyful rather than driven by guilt, fear, or obligation?
  • What would you love to see our parish make possible in the future? What would we need to bring together to make it happen?
  • How might we know that our giving is helping us participate in God's Kingdom, rather than simply funding an organisation?

PREPARED TO SHARE

The picnic is ready.

Over the last three weeks, we've explored stewardship as a way of participating in God's abundant life. We have considered the gifts we have received, the things we are tempted to hold too tightly, and the vision that makes generosity joyful. Now we arrive at the practical question: What will you bring to the picnic?

Closing Prayer

Our Father and provider,
You have welcomed us into a feast we did not prepare. Give us the courage to notice what is needed,
the imagination to see what we can offer,
and the willingness to take our place among those who serve.
Amen

Community Testimonies