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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

October 25, 1999

ELCA LOOKS AT STEWARDSHIP FROM THE HEART
99-256-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) are initiating a "fresh and deeper understanding" of
stewardship.  ELCA Stewardship and Mission Giving staff unveiled a new
multi-year plan, "Stewardship at the Heart of the Church," to the board
of the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries (DCM) at its meeting
here Oct. 15-17.
     "Listen to your heart.  What does it tell you?  What does it mean
to lead a stewardship lifestyle?" Nancy L. Snell, ELCA director for
stewardship and mission giving, asked the board.
     The board "affirmed and commended for implementation" Stewardship
at the Heart of the Church, which describes the work of the ELCA's
stewardship and mission giving ministry team in DCM.
     "The primary purpose of stewardship is to serve the will of God.
Therefore, in all their programs, structures and behaviors,
congregations of the ELCA will strengthen daily life stewardship of all
their members so that God's creating, redeeming and sanctifying activity
will flourish in the world," Snell said.
     Stewardship and mission giving are designed to help all ELCA
members develop "as stewards in their faith-filled lives."  It seeks to
"equip, nurture and challenge" members to provide stewardship education
and to generate and integrate financial support for the mission of the
church, Snell said.
     The plan reflects the current philosophy, trends and directions of
the ministry team.  It includes plans for a new approach to stewardship
in congregations and to undergird mission support of the ELCA,
"effective and efficient" ideas for fund-raising, the development of
resources, leadership development, and "reinvigorate theology of
stewardship and funding for God's mission in the world."
     "Stewardship is about living a life with purpose and meaning,"
said Robert A. Sitze, director for congregational stewardship
development.  "Being stewards means taking a positive look at God's
assets," he said. "It's more than acknowledging spiritual gifts."
     "Salt: Services for Stewardship Renewal," a new service for the
11,000 congregations of the ELCA, is designed to provide "whole-life
stewardship and principle-based living," said the Rev. Michael L. Meier,
ELCA director for stewardship leadership development.
     The service offers six "modules" for stewardship education:
Ventures, a four-part workshop and discussion series to develop a basis
for stewardship education, planning and response for congregations;
AppleTree, a "personal growth experience" that focuses on faith,
responsibilities, relationships and lifestyle choices; Faith, Money and
Security, an overnight retreat where members of a congregation share
their faith and evaluate their use of money; Kids, Money and Stuff, a
stewardship program for parents and elementary-school children;
FourWinds, a three-part workshop for congregation leaders to develop a
vision and plan for the future; and TradeWinds, a process for
stewardship vision and planning.
     These services for stewardship renewal are customized for
congregations and the 65 synods of the ELCA, said Meier.  The modules
are designed to "teach the fundamentals of the Christian faith," he
said.
     Stewardship Days, one-day seminars for stewardship leaders in
congregations, are held annually on selected Saturdays or Sundays, March
through June around the country.  The seminars, designed to evaluate a
congregation's stewardship ministry, are conducted by stewardship staff
and congregational stewardship leaders.
     "Participants attending Stewardship Days will have new resources
for stewardship programming and new skills to assess the congregation's
strengths and areas of growth," said Sitze.
     "Stewardship will have a new look and feel in congregations and
members will have a broader understanding of the breadth and depth of
stewardship," Sitze said.
     "Festival de los Regalos" (Festival of Gifts) is a weekend
stewardship response method for Spanish-speaking congregations of the
ELCA and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  Still under development,
the Hispanic stewardship project seeks to teach congregations about
Christian stewardship, share faith and life stories focused on the gifts
of Latino stewards, and distribute and/or collect contribution
commitment cards from members.
     The stewardship and mission giving staff develops print and other
resources that specifically ask for a financial response to the
ministries of the church, help interpret the ELCA budget, and increase
support for mission programs such as Vision for Mission, an opportunity
for individual members of the ELCA to make gifts above congregational
giving in support of global and domestic mission.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html