Stewardship in the Diocese of Southwest Florida
The Diocese of Southwest Florida offers regular support for the stewardship efforts of our congregations through a yearly Stewardship event, held each August, and regular stewardship presentations that are available to parishes. These events assist parishes not only in their yearly campaigns, but in cultivating the gifts in our Diocese.
Workshop presentations available include:
- Our Pledging Lives
- A Theology and Practice for God’s stewards
- Nurturing generosity: A year-round practice of the community
- Year-round opportunities in your congregation
- Liberating generosity because generosity is liberating
Resources for Stewardship
- Stewardship Workshop: The annual stewardship workshop assists parishes in their annual giving campaigns.
- The Episcopal Church: Stewardship resources/events/materials for congregational use
- Episcopal Church Foundation: Stewardship resources for planned giving/capital campaigns/endowments for congregational use.
- The Episcopal Network for Stewardship: Stewardship resources are provided by an association of church leaders who inspire generosity and faithful discipleship around the areas of stewardship. Please contact Canon Gray for the user id and password for this resource.
- Church Pension Group cartoons: Stewardship and church-related cartoons to be used in the bulletin and/or newsletter publications
- Episcopal Charities Endowment Fund: Invests in communities of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, supporting church-based outreach ministries, serving the poor, and working toward the alleviation of domestic poverty.
- Episcopal Relief & Development: Episcopal Relief and Development is a compassionate response of the Episcopal Church to human suffering around the world.
The Diocesan Canon for Development, the Rev. Canon Chris Gray, is available to assist congregations in areas of stewardship training and education. |
Director of Congregation Support |
Stewardship News & Resources
Stewardship: A Way of Living
September 08, 2022
PARRISH - Kline Hall was packed as clergy and parishioners representing 33 congregations from across the diocese gathered for the 12th Annual Stewardship Retreat led by Canon Mary MacGregor. The retreat focused on four ways your church can approach its stewardship efforts: faithfully, personally, congregationally, and practically.
"Saturday’s conference had a big impact on Nativity’s leadership. They are raving about it, they adopted 'More than Enough' as their theme for 2022, and one of our members has already downloaded ALL the materials. Please pass along our thanks to Canon Mary for a job well done." - The Rev. Canon Michael Durning, Interim Rector, Church of Nativity, Sarasota.
Key takeaways from Canon MacGregor's presentation included:
- Faith - Your stewardship efforts should create a connection with the theology behind giving.
- People - When approaching your congregations have a clear understanding of what might get in the way of someone's practice of stewardship.
- Congregation - Stewardship will improve as you create a culture of generosity in your church.
- Application - Don't recreate the wheel, learn what resources are available to you to build an effective stewardship campaign.
- Redefine - The practice of effective stewardship helps everyone understand that stewardship is EVERYTHING after one says, “I believe in God the Father Almighty..." Remember to present it in such a way that it is life-giving, transformative, spiritually challenging, and inspiring.
Stewarship Resources from 2020 Retreat
September 03, 2020
PARRISH - Each year, the Diocese of Southwest Florida assists parishes in their stewardship efforts through our annual Stewardship Workshop.
2020 Stewardship Worshop Set for August 22
June 03, 2020
PARRISH - The Stewardship Workshop, this year set for Aug. 22, 2020, helps prepare congregation leadership in the Diocese of Southwest Florida for their upcoming stewardship campaigns.
2018 Stewardship Workshop Materials, Power Points, Available
August 27, 2018
PARRISH - Resources from the 2108 Stewardship Conference, held Aug. 25 at DaySpring Episcopal Center, brought clergy and lay leaders together for workshops and talks.
August Stewardship Workshop Prepares for Annual Giving
June 28, 2018
PARRISH - Practical advice for annual giving campaigns will be the subject of the annual Stewardship Workshop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, set for Sat. Aug. 25, 2018.
Proper Church Mission Central to Stewardship Message
August 29, 2017
PARRISH - Stewardship is not always about money. Instead, it is about helping people to find their Baptismal ministry. That according to Rev. Canon Lance Ousley, Canon for Stewardship and Development at the Diocese of Olympia. Ousley spoke Aug. 26 at the annual Stewardship Workshop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, held at DaySpring Episcopal Center.
