“The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it.”
Psalm 24:1

“We as stewards affirm the goodness of life. We rejoice in accepting the abundance
with which God has endowed the earth. We commit ourselves
to participate in God’s redemptive intention for the world: that all people should be able to live
in peace and to enjoy the days of their lives free from hunger, disease, hopelessness, and oppression.”
From A Creed for Christian Stewardship as approved by General Conference

Upcoming Events:

• 2012 Stewardship Webinars for Local Church Leaders – view the Webinar training calendar on the GBOD website or click on the name of the webinar for registration information.
  
• How Online Giving Can Raise Your Church’s Income – April 12, 6:30 pm CT
• Online giving through electronic funds transfer (EFT) is not the offering of future, it is already here! Churches that have offered this to their people are seeing more income through the consistency of EFT, while their donors are appreciating the convenience!
• Introducing “Extravagant Generosity” to Your Congregation – May 17, 6:30 pm CT
• It’s one of the key practices of fruitful congregations, and it is also an exciting stewardship program available for your congregation. Join us and see if “Extravagant Generosity: The Heart of Giving” is right for your church!
• Are You Raising Funds or Raising Generous Disciples? – July 12, 6:30 pm CT
• We all know that the mission of your church is dependent on the faithful giving of your congregation. Churches that have been successful in growing generous disciples of Jesus have managed to shift the focus from the church’s need for money to their people’s need to give. Join us and learn more!
• Five Key Elements in Successful Stewardship Strategies – September 13, 6:30 pm CT
• Stewardship in the local church is not a “one size fits all” proposition. There are some elements that consistently present in churches that do stewardship really well. Join us as we explore five important ones!
• In the Financial Homestretch: Ending the Year Strong – November 8, 6:30 pm CT
• You’ve worked hard to guide the financial life of your local church through these tough times. Now that the finish line is in sight, it’s not time to rest but to pick up the pace and finish strong! Join us for some ideas that may help you finish the year with celebration, not disappointment!

Financial Stewardship:

• UM General Board of Discipleship — Stewardship Website — With information on budgeting, capital campaigns, personal stewardship, sermon starters, and offertory prayers
• Talking Points — Christian Giving in Today’s Economy — Information to guide discussion on Christian giving during current global economic conditions
• Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate Seminar Resources -
• Recording of seminar held at the United Methodist Building on March 19, 2012
• Morning Session
• Afternoon Session
• Event Handouts:
• Seminar Handout
• How To Decrease Funding
• Missional Budget Line Item Budget Handout
• Building a Stewardship Ministry – Presentation and materials from the last Stewardship Retreat
• Building a Stewardship Ministry PowerPoint presentation
• Stewardship Game Board
• Prayers:
• Building a Stewardship Ministry Through Prayer PowerPoint presentation
• Stewardship of Prayer Resources
• Presence:
• The Ministry of Presence from GBHEM
• More Ministry of Presence articles
• Gifts:
• Stewardship Through Gifts – Team Presentation
• Gifts Ministry Resources
• Service:
• Stewardship Through Service
• Witness:
• Evangelism Monograph

Environmental Stewardship:

• Local Church — Environmental Stewardship Basics — With suggestions for minimum practices local churches can use for meetings
• Committees and Boards – How to become a paperless board with tips and online resources
• UMC’s — Green for Life — With stories of United Methodists making choices to care for the Earth
• National Council of Churches – Green Church Resources
• NC Interfaith Power & Light – Congregational Energy Efficiency
• God’s Renewed Creation – A Call To Hope and Action – a project by The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church with assessment tools and tips for reducing your congregation’s carbon footprint

Stewardship of Health and Wellness:

• New Wellness Initiative Offers Cash Incentives for Walking
• Food and Faith – Come to the Table – Working together as people of faith to create a food system that that feeds communities, supports farmers and farm workers, and fosters a connection to the land. A project of the Rural Life Committee of the NC Council of Churches with support from the Duke Endowment.