Stewardship -- God's Way of Life

Time

Stewardship Prayer

In the spirit of Jesus we pray that we
may be a people of Thanksgiving,
a people who share
generously the blessing we enjoy--

Our time,
Our energies,
Our talents and resources,
Our compassion and Love.

Amen

Comments by Fr. Kraig

    STEWARDSHIP is not just another program here at St John Neumann.  It is a radical way of life.  Radical???  Yes, Radical!!!  For it is a way of life that places God at the center of our lives and illustrates the fact that all we have is a blessing and a gift from our God.  We come into this world with nothing and when we die we leave with nothing.  We spend a lot of time accumulating this, that and the other thing and running from here to there from there to here.  And yet, for all of us, where does God fit into our lives?

    This first phase of STEWARDSHIP to begin in October or November will focus and place our concentration on the concept of TIME.  In the TIME given to us in our lives, we will be asking the question of how we share and cultivate the TIME that God has given us on this earth and how that TIME is shared with others.  While the entire concept of STEWARDSHIP is about TIME, Talent and Treasure, the year 2001 will focus on TIME.  In year 2002 we will center in on our treasures and in 2003 our talents.

    Why is STEWARDSHIP radical?  First of all, we are going contrary to our culture by introducing this way of life to our parishioners.  We will be radical because while many people in this world are lonely, the Stewards of St. John Neumann believe that taking TIME for others can help alleviate loneliness.  Secondly, many people are looking to see if anybody cares, whether it be in their own home, the government or the church.  The STEWARD of  St. John Neumann through TIME will say we do care.   STEWARDSHIP is radical because we live in an individualistic society that preaches to us that the more we have and the more we get the better off we are.  Our culture's emphasis is on putting your TIME in for yourself more than for others.  We say TIME is for sharing with others.

    It is obvious that there is a major challenge facing not only our country but all of us as Christian STEWARDS of God's TIME.  Many images which held us together in the past have been lost, for example, water, bread, wine, the cross.  Is the cross a piece of jewelry of the mystery of God's TIME on earth for us?  The image that has replaced so many of these Christian images is certainly television and the internet.  We face an insatiable consumerism in our society today.  We spend so much time consuming and yet have you ever noticed that there are so many more garage sales?  Can our TIME for others be spent in a better Christ-like way?  How do we become STEWARDS of TIME in this culture?  How can we be part of this challenge?

    From the beginning of this parish in 1977 many have shown the way in STEWARDSHIP.  Many set-up chairs in the local high school for mass, many helped to build our church.  Many had given TIME to their children at home, many have taken TIME to strengthen their marriage, any have shown forgiveness to others.  Certainly a parent shows STEWARDSHIP by their daily work to provide for their family as does a parent who takes the TIME to feed their family.  Many coach sports in our Strongsville community, some of you take neighbors to church or shop for the homebound; some take communion to the sick.  Many have helped at the fish fry's, especially the one for the needy--many of our youth give of their TIME in helping younger children in or parish and also their grandparent -- many give of their TIME through various prayer ministries.  In the home, at work, in the parish we see many wonderful examples of people giving back to God their TIME as Christian STEWARDS.  The list could go on and on and one.

    It will be a wonderful and rewarding challenge as we go into this concept this fall -- to reflect and make a commitment on how we give of our TIME to our families, to our God, to our community.  I ask that you keep the work of our committee on STEWARDSHIP in prayer -- that in itself, is a beginning of our commitment -- to give TIME in prayer.

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