Overview

The Stewardship Team is a ministry group of the Church of the Transfiguration. The Team is responsible for executing the annual fall pledge drive, and for teaching and encouraging generous giving of time, talent, and treasure as a spiritual discipline as described in Galatians 5:22-23. This team assists the Rector and Vestry in devising strategies for specific giving campaigns and encouraging creative giving opportunities such as estate planning. Following the model of servant leadership, each member of the Stewardship Team is responsible for the effectiveness of our ministries, shaping and guiding them for the growth of the people of the congregation and for our mission to the community beyond our walls. Members of the Stewardship Team are also committed to personal growth as leaders and to ministering to one another in Christian community.

Terms of Office

Stewardship Team members normally serve a renewable three-year term corresponding to calendar years. Terms are staggered so that each year one-third of the team begins a new term. Vacancies can be filled by the team itself in consultation with the Rector. Youth participation is encouraged.

Meeting Times and Location

Stewardship Team meetings normally are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the lower level conference room. The team does not meet in December, and waives meetings from time to time based on workload and personal schedules of the members. The meeting time is subject to change based on the availability of the team members.

Ministry Roles

Each member of the Stewardship Team is asked to be both a planner and a worker, defining and executing tasks associated with the annual fall pledge drive and other initiatives of the team. Those tasks might include some combination of drafting written letters and brochures, making posters, hosting events in Leach Hall, addressing the congregation, and recruiting speakers. If the team decides to make direct appeals to parishioners, team members may be asked to participate in those appeals.

Qualifications

Stewardship Team members must be Communicants of the Parish in good standing. They must be current contributors of record. Team members should be men and women of prayer with gifts for ministry leadership. Those gifts may include creativity, wisdom, discernment, steadiness, administration, financial management, prophecy, patience, and others. Ideally, the team's members discern and draw out the generous gifts -- not just the financial gifts -- of others. No one member of the team has all these gifts, yet each member of the Body of Christ "joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love" Ephesians 4:16. Team members should have a passion for the mission and ministry of the Church of the Transfiguration and be willing to share that enthusiasm publicly.

Expectations of Stewardship Team Members

• Team members must attend team meetings regularly.

• Team members must be regular in worship.

• Team members must listen to the hopes and concerns of parishioners and help the team discern "the place where [our] deepest joy meets the world’s deepest need."

• Team members must provide leadership in the congregation’s stewardship efforts by pledging early and making incremental annual increases in pledges when possible.

• Team members must lead a life worthy of their calling, as described in Ephesians 4, and as promised in our Baptismal Covenant.

How to Get Involved

The Stewardship Team welcomes your interest and involvement. To become a member of the Stewardship Team, make your thoughts known to the Rector or to the chair of the Team, Melinda Moore.

Governing Documents and Recommended Reading

The Constitution of the Church of the Transfiguration

Callahan, Kennon. Giving and Stewardship in an Effective Church. Jossey-Bass, 1997. (Copies available at Transfiguration)
Hoge, Dean, Patrick McNamara, and Charles Zech. Plain Talk about Churches and Money. Alban Institute, 1998.
MacNaughton, John H. More Blessed to Give. Church Publishing, 2002.
McNamara, Patrick H. and M. Douglas Meeks. More than Money: Portraits of Transformative Stewardship. Alban Institute, 1999.

See also Stewardship Resources from the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago.
See also Stewardship Resources from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

Recommended Outside Training

Kennon Callahan conferences. See info for April 7-9, 2008.
Diocese of Chicago Leadership and Ministry Fair, normally held in the Spring. See info for April 19, 2008.
Reinventing Church conference at St. Bart's, New York, normally held in June. On hiatus for 2008.
Learning Opportunities at the Annual Convention of the Diocese of Chicago.