Acknowledgement of Information Sources

A Manual for Stewardship Development Programs in the Congregation

The purpose of this manual, and the accompanying workbooks, and the accompanying workbooks, is to provide resources to congregational leaders in the timeless teachings of Christian Stewardship and to provide some practical application of these teachings.

If a congregation does only a Commitment (or pledge) Program without the ongoing education, the Stewardship Development Program will fail to fund God's mission for the congregation.  It is imperative to do both Education and Commitment Programs.  A Commitment Program with little or no Education will not give the congregation an opportunity to focus on the reality of God's loving forgiveness and grace.  Once people have begun to understand and embrace God's unconditional love and grace, funding the mission of the Church becomes a joy and is no longer a chore

.

To achieve maximum effectiveness, Stewardship Education must be a year-round program.  Some formal teaching is done every month in a year-round program.  It may come in a task, a sermon, an adult education effort, monthly newsletters and weekly bulletins.

The manual was edited by Thomas R. Gossen with significant contributions by sustaining member of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS).

Much of the information contained in the Annual Giving segment of this website has been adapted from the A Manual for Stewardship Development Programs in the Congregations for use by the parishes and missions of the Diocese of West Texas.  Acknowledgement of the source is referenced at the end of each article.

This Manual and The Joyful Giving Series

may be ordered from Morehouse: 800/877-0012; or directly on Amazon
through TENS http://tens.org/ABooks.html (you will leave this site)

OR

Contact Nancy Stinson, Bishop's Deputy for Development
at nancy.stinson@dwtx.org
for a complementary church copies.