The Diocese of Rochester will hold its second annual Stewardship Day on Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Church of the Transfiguration, 50 W. Bloomfield Road, Pittsford.
Billed as a day of inspiration, practical advice and idea-sharing, Stewardship Day is intended to help people better understand stewardship as a way of life, said Mark Clark, associate director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship, Development and Communications.
“When you hear the word stewardship, you often think of money instead of time, talent and treasure. We’re hoping to broaden people’s understanding and awareness of the full nature of stewardship,” Clark said.
The day will begin with registration and a continental breakfast, followed by a welcome and prayer at 9:30 a.m. At 9:45 a.m., Bishop Matthew H. Clark will offer some personal reflections on stewardship, and at 10:15 a.m., Sister Patricia Schoelles, president of St. Bernard’s School of Theology and Ministry in Pittsford, will speak about the theology of stewardship. The Sister of St. Joseph will talk about the scriptural basis for stewardship and why it’s still important, Clark said.
Two workshops will be held simultaneously at 11 a.m., and participants will be able to choose which they want to attend. Jim Kelley, director of stewardship and development for the Diocese of Charlotte, N.C., will present the first workshop, titled “The Elephant in the Room: Stewardship and Asking for Money.” Kelley will talk about some strategies and approaches that may be useful when asking parishioners for money, which is often seen as the most sensitive element of the “three-legged stool” of time, talent and treasure.
At the second workshop, representatives from diocesan parishes with stewardship committees will talk about tools they have found useful, including a stewardship newsletter and a stewardship fair. The parish representatives will also discuss the pros and cons of hiring a consultant, and the roles and responsibilities of stewardship committees.
After a short lunch break, Kelley will give a presentation about sustaining and strengthening stewardship. Kelley has served on the board of the International Catholic Stewardship Council and is a frequent presenter at the council’s conferences, Clark said.
Stewardship Day is open to pastoral leaders and staff as well as lay volunteers and anyone interested in beginning or continuing a stewardship program, Clark said. The cost is $12 per person, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch.
To register for Stewardship Day, visit www.stbernards.edu/newev.htm and click on the link for 2006 Diocesan Stewardship Day. For more information, contact the diocesan Office of Stewardship, Development and Communications at 585/328-3228, ext. 1297, or visit www.dor.org/sd.
