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St Alban North Harrow

Stewardship

Proper use of our time and talents is a normal part of the Christian life. Giving a proportion of our income each week or month to the place where we worship is the usual practice for church members and a sign that all we have to give comes from God. 

In the Church of England, churches don't just pay for themselves. They are part of the wider church and, as a result share with other churches in paying for ministry in churches in poor areas, for lay and clergy training and for diocesan advisors and administration. This is called the Common Fund, and details of the Common Fund for this year can be found here. 

There are a number of principles behind Christian Stewardship, and whether you've just joined us at St Albans or have been with us for a while we encourage you to consider these, and in prayer seek to discover how God is wanting you to steward the gifts he has given you at this time. 


God’s generosity to us

  • God gives abundantly and graciously through his creation, redemption, and sustaining of life day by day.
  • Scripture demonstrates that God’s giving is characterised by extravagance.
  • Jesus life and parables show how generosity can be translated into our lives.
  • Stewardship is about using what God has entrusted to each of us for the benefit of all of his creation.

Scriptures to ponder:

  • Exodus 16 – Manna & Quail
  • 2 Kings 4 v 1-7 – The Widows Oil
  • John 2 v 1-11 – The Wedding at Cana
  • John 6 v 1-13 – Feeding of the 5000

Caring for God’s creation

  • God created Humankind in his image, and entrusted us to care for all of his creation: this is part of Christian Stewardship.
  • This includes 
    • caring for all other living creatures and treating them with compassion
    • caring for the environment which sustains our lives
    • being fair to all and helping those in poverty.

Scriptures to ponder:

  • Genesis 1 v 26-31 – Gods creation of humankind
  • Romans 8 v19-23 – Future Glory

Our response as a Christian community:

  • Being a church which aims to be environmentally friendly.
  • Choosing to support Fairtrade where possible to provide sustainable livelihoods to those in parts of the world where poverty is rife.
  • Being a giving church that supports charities that fit with God's mission.
  • Reducing our individual and household footprints in terms of transport, food, energy and waste.

Spreading the Good News

  • Jesus commissioned his disciples to spread the Good News to the end of the earth.
  • As Christians we have heard the Word and accepted it but many people we know remain in the dark.
  • Stewardship is about sharing our faith with all those that we encounter, and not keeping it to ourselves.

Scriptures to ponder:

  • Matt 28 v 16-20 – The Great Commission
  • Acts 8 v 26-39 – Philip and the Ethiopian
  • Rev 21 v1-6A – Alpha and Omega

Our response as a Christian community:

  • Support Mission in more deprived parts of London by more than the cost of running a parish to the Diocese of London Common Fund.
  • Reconsidering our personal commitment to sharing our faith.
  • Implement our Mission Action Plan.

Investing our time and talents

  • The Parable of the Talents demonstrates that God expects us to use what we have been entrusted with for Good.
  • We all have something to offer, it is about discerning where God can use us for the benefit of his Kingdom.

Scriptures to ponder:

  • Genesis 39 v1-6 and 20-23 – Joseph in Egypt
  • Matt 25 v14-30 – Parable of the Talents
  • Matt 13 v31-33 – Mustard and Yeast

Our response as a Christian community:

  • Recognise and rejoice in our corporate and individual gifting.
  • Visit or pray for those who are sick or in need.
  • Get involved with worship; welcoming, leading prayers, reading, serving, singing or assisting with hospitality after the service.
  • Join volunteers maintaining Church buildings and grounds
  • Serve on the PCC or one of its Committees.

Being a cheerful giver

  • In Biblical times the first fruits were deemed to belong to God, the first son, the first calf/lamb, the first wheat of the harvest etc were dedicated to God, and if they were to be kept a sacrifice was paid to recover them.
  • Today we mostly undertake jobs that remunerate us in money, but the concept is the same: the first fruits of our income belongs to God.
  • God does not want us to give out of duty. God loves a cheerful giver who gives from gratitude and joy. 

Scriptures to ponder:

  • Genesis 14 v18-20 – Abram and Melchizedek
  • Mark 12 v41-44 – The Widow’s Mite
  • 2 Cor 9 v6-8 – Giving Cheerfully
  • 2 Cor 8 v12-15 – Generosity Encouraged

Our response as a Christian community:

  • Prayerfully consider where God and Church sit in our priorities.
  • Decide how we will respond to Gods generosity towards each of us.
  • Commit to our chosen gift with a joyful heart.