GENERAL INFORMATION

The Stewardship Committee of St. Paul’s meets regularly to designate and promote special offering and outreach projects for our congregation.   We hope to raise awareness that stewardship of our time, talents, resources and money is vital to who we are as people of God. 

Each year the committee sets up a monthly schedule of programs, agencies and ministries which we support through our first Sunday of the month Sunday School offerings.  In the past we have supported Our Daily Bread, Open -HIV/AIDS of York County, Cancer Patient Help Fund of York, S.O.A.R. (Support our American Recruits), The Lehman Center, the Salvation Army, Access York, the American Red Cross and York’s Helping Hands for the Homeless and others.

We also set the calendar for our special offerings lifted up during worship. These worship offerings include the 4 all church that the UCC promotes – One Great Hour of Sharing, Neighbors in Need, Strengthening the Church, and Veterans of the Cross.  Other agencies that we traditionally support include Lancaster Seminary, Homewood (Mother’s Day), York Habitat and Heifer Project.  Promoting these offerings takes a good bit of our attention. 

Our committee makes recommendations for monies from the Planned Giving Committee. Over the years we were able to give additional gifts to OGHS, Hartman Center, Beecher Memorial Church in New Orleans, and our York Association’s work with the Micro-Lending program.  We have used portions of this money to create matching gifts for our 4 Our Church Campaign. 

We encourage giving in ways other than financial.  We continue to support West York Church of the Brethren’s food pantry, both with grocery cart contributions and financial gifts. This spring we will again coordinate the collection of items such as soap, wash cloths, hand towels and toothbrushes to be distributed through Church World Service to people all over the world who are experiencing hard times due to natural or human-made disasters.   In 2009 we were able to create 70 kits this year.   We hope to surpass this in 2010!

In the fall our committee gets busy again, as we co-ordinate our next year’s budget planning and budget presentation.  Using a percentage of our budget we set the amount of money that our congregation contributes to Our Church’s Wider Mission through the Penn Central Conference of the UCC.  

Our goal for 2010 is to see improved financial support for our current expenses as well as continued support for our benevolent outreach.

Objectives:

1. To create an environment in which Christian stewardship is understood as a response to the Gospel’s call for Christians to be stewards of all of life
2. To provide opportunities for members to respond as stewards through their personal participation and financial support

Function:

1)  Stewardship Education    Provide opportunity for Stewardship education in various parts of the church life    Co-ordinate with other committees to see their work as aspects of stewarding the Gospel2)  Mission Interpretation    Interpret the mission of our church    Find resources about mission    Learn how to discover stories of mission currently being done3)  Financial Development    Responsible for securing financial support for the church’s work    Prepares the benevolent section of the budget to be presented to the budget committee    Plan the method present the budget to the congregation    Promote year-round mission events.    Designate the first Sunday of the month Sunday school offering    All church offerings: O.G.H.S., N.I.N., Peace, Christmas Fund, Family Thankoffering    Special Regional Offerings: Mother’s Day to Homewood, Christmas to Hoffman Home    Special offerings    Designate offerings from Lenten Services, Advent Services and special services    Provide fruit baskets for shut-ins    Recommend budget amounts to budget committee by September meeting    Administration of the missionary fund – copy of missionary fund attached

CHAIRPERSON

1. Serve a one-year term beginning in February
2. Prepare agenda and preside over committee meetings
3. Communicate actions of the committee to Consistory
4. Work with the Pastor and church staff
5. Communicate actions and coordinate efforts with the other standing committees when necessary and appropriate

SECRETARY

1. Serve a one-year term beginning in February
2. Take minutes at committee meetings
3. Ensure that a copy of minutes are given to church secretary by the Wednesday before Consistory meeting

MEMBERS

1. Serve a two-year term beginning in January; can serve consecutive terms
2. Evaluate committee membership needs as directed by Consistory
3. Half of the committee’s terms expire each year
4. One youth delegate

MISSIONARY FUND

To quote from the introduction of our policy “Whereas, Our Lord has shown us by His Life and teaching that we are to care for others in their need and share the saving truth of the gospel, AND whereas, there are many people who have serious spiritual, physical and educational needs AND whereas, there are people in our congregation who could serve our Lord and needy people in a variety of settings, therefore be it resolved that the ‘Missionary Fund’ of St. Paul’s UCC, Stoverstown be established to promote and support local individuals, groups or families who are called for Christian service in the needs of others.”

If you have any questions, please see any member of the Stewardship Committee.