Print Issue: May 9, 2002

Catholics From Atlanta Province Ponder Stewardship Ideas

Jim Kelley, director of development for the Diocese of Charlotte directed the workshop, "Forming Stewardship Committees" at the Province of Atlanta Stewardship Meeting in Charleston.

By Jordan McMorrough, Special To The Bulletin

COLUMBIA, S.C.-What started out as a discussion at a national convention eight months ago came to fruition April 27 as 350 people from the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the dioceses of Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte and Raleigh gathered for the first Province of Atlanta Stewardship Day.

Stewardship and development leaders from Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina planned the program to promote and nurture stewardship efforts, which they hope will ensure the strength and stability of Catholic parishes throughout the region.

Ansley Murphey, development director for the Atlanta Archdiocese, said coming together as a province led to a stronger program.

"We were able to offer two keynote speakers and seven breakout sessions. The event lasted from 9 to 4 and we had a panel discussion at the end for questions. Each attendee was given a binder of handouts and materials from the sessions to take home," Murphey said.

Sixty people, most lay people, from 22 North Georgia parishes were among those who attended.

"The feedback I received was that it was extremely beneficial for them . . . It really gave the parishes that attended from our diocese a lot of information to take back to their parishes to enhance their stewardship programs. The committee of directors is right now talking about doing it again next year. We were thrilled," she said.

A strong advocate for the promotion of stewardship, retired Bishop John Snyder from the Diocese of St. Augustine, Fla., presented one keynote address titled "All Is Gift."

Following his 1979 installation as bishop of St. Augustine, Bishop Snyder immediately created a committee to analyze the needs of the diocese. The group recommended that a development office be established and, following a yearlong search, Dutch Schultz and his wife Barbara were hired as the first co-directors.

The bishop said the duo bought home to him that stewardship was not primarily about raising money.

"They helped me to see that stewardship was about putting God first in everything. I had to learn that nothing is mine," he said. "Everything we have is a gift. It's all a gift."

Bishop Snyder said that before embracing stewardship he would contribute funds to his favorite causes, but always at month's end after all bills had been paid.

Then he began to slowly implement his tithe. "Each year I asked, 'Can I take another step?'" he said, describing the stewardship process as lifelong.

This was also integrated into the bishop's prayer life. "We have to give some quality time to the Lord to see into our hearts. We are here as disciples of the Lord," said Bishop Snyder, adding, "I began to see the Lord touching me more deeply through needy people."

Stewardship efforts began in full in St. Augustine in 1984, and Bishop Snyder listed examples of the impact it has had. He cited a "Guardian of Dreams" program that supports two inner city schools, a commitment to justice regarding teacher salaries, which are 90 to 95 percent of that paid in public schools, and a recently completed "Opportunity of a Lifetime" diocesan campaign which raised $38 million.

"Hospitality is the key to all of this. A welcoming community reaches out. It's easy for a bishop or priest to turn inward. A stewardship parish reaches out and looks for opportunities to share gifts they have received," he explained.

The bishop closed by asking, "What do I need to do to express my gratitude to God?"

Rosemary Bisig Smith, executive director of the Office of Stewardship and Development for the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky., focused on stewardship efforts for children and teens.

"Family life is a treasure I will never be able to thank God for," said Smith. "I'm always aware how much I need my family."

The mother of six and grandmother of five said many adults are busy being friends with their children instead of being parents.

"Children think they want, but all they need to remember is what they have," she said. "Children are unique individuals that need to be guided through life."

Smith, who also conducted a workshop on stewardship for children and teens, emphasized that stewardship builds self-esteem in young people, who need a strong attitude and faith in God to get through life.

"We must teach them the things they need are provided for them and the things they want they don't really need," she said.

The Louisville native stressed her belief that stewardship helps teens counteract negative and unreal influences.

She asked the question, "Young people need to be connected to someone all the time, why not be connected to God?"

At left, Rosemary Bisig Smith, executive director of the Office of Stewardship and Development for the Archdiocese of Louisville, talks following her keynote speech at the meeting.

Smith, who initiated a children's stewardship education process which includes three books for elementary, middle and high school students, said "gratitude is a solid foundation for what you want to do for young people. Giving of oneself should not be an obligation but a celebration of life."

Following each of the keynotes, breakout sessions were offered for participants to hear insights and expertise on stewardship from a myriad of speakers across the province.

Jim Kelley, director of development of the Diocese of Charlotte, N.C., presented a workshop on "Forming Stewardship Committees."

"All we have is from God," Kelley said. "The difficulty is that most people do not see that they are blessed. There are a lot of things you can be grateful for."

Kelley described stewardship as planned, proportional giving. He recommended that parishes have an active stewardship committee, hold a two or three weekend stewardship effort every single year, and conduct awareness activities 12 months a year.

"Stewardship is about putting God first in your life. It is proactive, not reactive," he said. To see where you put your time and money, Kelley suggested that people look through their calendar and checkbook over the last six months to see where God fits in.

"Stewardship is about spiritual change," said the development director. "Nurture a way of life in which people get closer to Jesus and their communities."

Terry Jackson, director of evangelization for the Diocese of Raleigh, N.C., spoke about "Stewardship and Evangelization: Two Sides of the Same Coin."

"You can't evangelize without stewardship. An evangelizer is a messenger of good news," said Jackson, who currently serves as vice president of the National Catholic Committee on Evangelization.

He led a brief power point presentation on "Go and Make Disciples," a national strategy for evangelization developed by the U.S. bishops in 1992. The Raleigh Diocese was one of the six original dioceses to implement the evangelization program "Disciples in Mission" from the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association.

Currently the dioceses of Charleston and Savannah are in the preparation year for the effort.

Also from the Diocese of Raleigh, Franciscan Father Daniel Quackenbush, pastor of St. Julia, a majority Latino parish in Siler City, led a workshop on "Stewardship in the Hispanic Culture."

The Diocese of Savannah was represented by Father James P. Costigan from St. Mary on the Hill Parish in Augusta who discussed, "Pastor's Role in Stewardship." Father Jerry Schreck, Margo Truett and Phyllis and Bob Deslauriers, all from St. Anne Parish in Columbus, gave an "Advanced Parish Stewardship Profile." Simon Bula and Roy Elmendorf from Precious Blood of Christ Church on Pawley's Island presented, "Beginning Parish Stewardship Profile."

Jordan McMorrough is editor of The New Catholic Miscellany, newspaper of the Diocese of Charleston, S.C.