Stewardship is about being grateful, responsible stewards of the gifts we’ve received from God. And yet, the Episcopal Church sees stewardship as more than simply contributing money to the church. It is about reaching out to build a personal relationship with the church from a perspective of abundance instead of scarcity.

Most of us do not think much about the financial side of church life. At Christ & St. Stephen’s we’ve come to expect to find a vital and thriving community where engaged clergy and parishioners offer programs and opportunities for Christian Education to people of all ages. We count on our choir and dignified liturgy to bring us closer to God, while fellowship events help us grow closer to one another throughout the year.

However, in the church, we face many of the same challenges as a small secular business: salaries and taxes to pay, property to maintain, and vital programs to fund. We draw support for all of this from three primary sources: rental income from outside groups, investment income, and pledge income from members and friends. In fact, more than a third of our annual expenses must be covered by our contributing households, and without this critical personal support our mission would fail.