wfn.org | Lutherans Assess Personal Power and Stewardship

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

March 8, 2002

LUTHERANS ASSESS PERSONAL POWER AND STEWARDSHIP
02-045-MR

     LISLE, Ill. (ELCA) --  Patterns of giving in the church not only
vary over time but may be influenced by a parishioner's faith journey
and "stage of personal power."  That idea was expressed as Lutheran
stewardship leaders met here Feb. 28-March 3 for "At the Heart:
Stewardship and Power," a conference hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA).
     In a classroom setting, about 100 stewardship leaders, mission
interpreters and staff from the ELCA's churchwide office, congregations
and 65 synods learned about the relationship between personal power and
stewardship.  Participants completed a "Personal Power Profile," an
instrument designed to measure an individual's stage of personal power
as a tool for leadership development, power and management.
     "The profile can also be used as an assessment tool for personal
renewal, determining one's passion and calling in life," said Janet O.
Hagberg, Minneapolis, a keynote presenter.
     Hagberg, author of "Real Power: Stages of Personal Power in
Organizations," and Robin Getman, organizational consultant and trainer,
Minneapolis, identified six stages of personal power that people move
through in life.  They are powerlessness, power by association, power by
achievement, power by reflection, power by purpose and power by wisdom.
     "The stages of power are not tasks to be accomplished or a
pinnacle to be achieved," Hagberg said.  Movement through the stages is
guided by a natural process, people or events, she said.
     Individuals have a "home stage" where they function most often,
Hagberg explained.  "There are elements in each of the other five stages
that guide one's actions in certain situations but not the majority of
situations.  The knowledge and experience gained at each stage are
needed to progress to the next stage," she said.
     Hagberg and Getman invited stewardship leaders to reflect on their
faith journeys and how they have influenced their giving patterns.
Considering that, the presenters applied the six stages of personal
power toward stewardship in the church and for the parishioner.
     "Stewardship is about receiving more than giving" in stage one,
powerlessness, Hagberg said.  "We enter the journey of faith usually as
a result of becoming awed by God through a life of incident, or by our
sad awareness of our inadequacies and great need for God," she said.
"Stewardship is about giving time, energy and money to help parishioners
in crisis."  Faith for the individual at this stage is "recognizing
God," Hagberg said.
     In stage two, power by association, individuals become "oriented
to community or a sense of belonging to a group of like-minded
believers," Getman said.
     Stewardship at stage two is "learning how to give.  As a steward
[the individual] participates in programs, belonging to groups within
the church.  The church teaches parishioners to give time, energy and
money to church programs and outreach," said Hagberg.
     "Stewardship is giving and serving" in stage three, power by
achievement, according to Hagberg.  "The steward is serving the
congregation in some leadership capacity and giving generously and
regularly with time, energy and money.  The church in stewardship is
receiving time and money from parishioners for church, community and
world outreach," she said.  Stage three is "the productive life" and
faith is "working for God."
     In stage four, power by reflection, "stewardship is reflecting on
one's inner life.  The steward is connecting faith with life, and faith
is growing deeper in one's life," Hagberg said.  The church is
supporting parishioners as "they learn to incorporate faith into their
lives Monday through Saturday," she said.
     Between stages four and five, the steward "hits a wall," a place
of "inner choices," said Hagberg.  Stewardship is taking "a deep journey
inward, asking questions and [experiencing] confusion regarding faith,
life and stewardship," she said.  The steward uses discernment to
wrestle with "the meaning of it all" and works on "family or marriage at
a deeper level."
     Stage five is "the journey outward" or power by purpose.  The
steward at this stage learns to "live out of one's heart's deepest
desire -- what God is calling the steward to do.  The steward integrates
faith into the very fabric of one's life seven days a week," Hagberg
said.  "The church in stewardship gives time, money and energy to train,
fund and support parishioners as they are called."
     Stage six, power by wisdom, the steward puts "everything on the
line.  All that we have we give to God -- our lives, our work, our
talents, our time.  We call this the stewardship of our lives," Hagberg
said.
     For participant Roger Smith, Trinity Lutheran Church, Camp Hill,
Pa., the conference provided "some dimension on how we can talk about,
describe and explain life and faith issues in the context of leadership
development."
     Smith said, "Stewardship is a faith issue, not a money issue.
People go through a variety of stages.  They have different
understandings of relationships in the community of faith.  This
conference has given me a broader understanding of how people move in
their faith life."
     The topic of stewardship and power offers "a new way to look at
stewardship leadership development," said Nancy Snell, director for
stewardship and mission giving, ELCA Division for Congregational
Ministries.  "It offers a new understanding about our own leadership
development and insight into our relationships with synod staff and
congregations," she added.
     In addition to plenary sessions and worship, participants were
introduced to "Where Your Heart Is," a CD-ROM resource designed to help
congregations build a stewardship program on the foundation of worship.
It contains 12 Bible studies for all ages, bulletin inserts, liturgical
service options, sermon outlines and more.  A 32-page user's guide is
included.  The CD is available through Augsburg Fortress, publishing
house of the ELCA, Minneapolis.
     "Making Christ Known 2002: Promise for a New Day" was also
introduced.  The annual 20-page newspaper features stories about the
mission activities of ELCA congregations based on benevolence dollars,
including stories about disaster relief, global mission, outdoor and
social ministries, outreach and more.
-- -- --
     Information about ELCA stewardship ministries is maintained at
http://www.elca.org/dcm/stewardship on the Web.

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