“The Book of Common Prayer teaches us that ‘The Mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ,’ and that ‘the Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members.’ The unstated but clear implication of this teaching is that the main work of the Church is involving people in using all that is entrusted to them in carrying out the mission. Said simply, stewardship is the main work of the Church.
Thus, stewardship is more than church support; it is use of “the gifts given to us to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world.” Therefore, the way we use or do not use resources to further unity and reconciliation in our homes, our communities, and our occupations is our stewardship. Yet, stewardship is not less than church support. Our worshipping, working, praying, and giving within the Church provide the support that we and others need to engage in the often difficult and lonely tasks of proclaiming the good news, loving our neighbors, and striving for justice and peace.
Stewardship is more than a duty: it is a thankful response to God’s graciousness to us. As such, it an opportunity to praise God with our lives in thanksgiving for: the blessings of creation; the birth, life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our redemption; the gift of the Holy Spirit; and for the Word, Sacraments, and Fellowship that sustain and transform us as the Church. Therefore, stewardship is an adventure, an expedition into the kingdom where we find our lives through losing them for the sake of the Gospel.” (Written by The Rev. C. W. Taylor)