Charge to All Stewards
PASTOR: Today is a day of celebration in the life of (church name) because today we remember that each and every one of us — young and old — is called by God to be stewards of justice, stewards of creation, stewards of peace, stewards of this family of faith. Stewards give from all aspects of their lives. As we accept this call to be stewards, we each become a living example of Christ’s gospel, proclaiming faith through all that we do and all that we give. As it is written in I Peter, “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.” (I Peter 4:10) And so, people of God, I ask you now, do you promise to enter into this covenant together to be God’s stewards with all your mind and heart? If so, please answer, “I do.”
Litany of Commitment
(Invite the congregation to stand.)
PASTOR: Gracious God, you have made a world for us and given us incomparable gifts: air and water, family and friends, your steadfast love and forgiveness, and your son Jesus the Christ. For all the gifts and wonders you have bestowed on us.
PEOPLE: We thank you and worship you with renewed gratitude.
PASTOR: O God, you created us to love one another as Christ has loved us. We are concerned about all your children, those who live near us, and those who live far away. We are eager to participate in the work of the whole church and to further the ministry and service of this congregation.
PEOPLE: We are called to be your stewards. We thoughtfully shoulder our personal share of responsibility, and we pledge to witness to the good news of Christ with our hearts and hands and voices.
PASTOR: We are confident in your love and care for us.
PEOPLE: We gladly give back to our Gracious God our whole lives, our time, our talents, and our financial resources.
The Commission
O God, throughout the ages you have challenged your people to step out in faith and follow you. You have put purpose and direction in the lives of your people. We have before us a new direction and a new purpose. We have set our feet on the pathway. Be our guide. Whisper in our ears when we need to make decisions. Hold us up if we start to stumble. May your Holy Spirit lead us in joyful song and fill us with eager anticipation. You are our vision, O God; lead us on our journey. Amen.
Submitted by Rev. Elsa Peters, The United Churches of Olympia, WA.
Elsa,
I totally adapted this for our Stewardship Dedication Sunday. AND, a member of the stewardship committee reached out personally to thank me for what I had said. Now I pass the thanks along to you. Thank you!
Rev McC
This was really great! I used it as a template to write some things that were more suited for our context. Here are my edits in case you are interested.
One: Gracious God, you have made a world for us and given us incomparable gifts: air and water, family and friends, your steadfast love and forgiveness, and your son Jesus the Christ. For all the gifts and wonders you have bestowed on us,
Many: we thank you and worship you with renewed gratitude.
One: O God, you created us to love one another as Christ has loved us, and so we are concerned about all of your children, those who live near us and those who live far away. We are eager to participate in the work of the whole church and to further the ministry and service of this congregation.
Many: Your grace and mercy and providence call us into responsible relationships. We are here to respond thoughtfully, prayerfully, and faithfully, as we make dedicate our lives and resources as a witness to the good news of Christ. Today we respond to your grace with our hearts and hands and voices.
One: We are confident in your love and care for us.
Many: We gladly dedicate our whole lives – our time, our talents, and our financial resources – to our Gracious God.
Let these symbols of our faith and belief be dedicated to the purposes of demonstrating your love in our community and throughout the world. Let them reflect a deeper commitment to care for the earth and all of creation as a testament of our love for you. Let them be used for equitable practices of staffing to support our corporate lives of faith and care for one another, and for facilities with which to welcome, share and proclaim your grace.
Many: Let them be symbols of the love we have received, the justice we will work toward, and the tender mercy in which you hold us now.
One: Above all, O Lord, receive them as a testimony of our gratitude for the love that sustains us, restores us, and gives life meaning and purpose. Amen.