The Stewardship & Generosity event worked to confront a silent crisis in many churches across the conference. When congregational finances become a primary source of stress, leadership decisions are often shaped more by fear than by faith. When churches are only able to plan year to year, anxiety begins to rise. As they feel more comfortable with a longer-term view, the ministry begins to gain stability and freedom.
“Stewardship has always been about something deeper than meeting this year’s budget,” Johnson said. “In a connectional church, we are not stewarding resources for ourselves alone. We are caretakers of something we inherited from those who came before us, and we are strengthening it for those who will come after us.”
The day was structured around conversations rather than a lecture format, because these topics aren’t solved in isolation. Rev. Ron Carlson, Conference Treasurer; Rev. Dr. Mike Janes, lead pastor at Ankeny, First UMC; and Rev. Alexis Johnson, lead pastor at Oakwood, Pleasant Hill, UMC, spoke on ways to help churches begin to move away from a traditional single campaign model for fundraising. They talked about ways to help aim for more of an ongoing culture rooted in sustainability, mission, and trust.
With an audience of 30-35 participants representing each district in the Iowa Conference, they concluded the day with worship and Communion to help ground their conversations in the deeper truth that stewardship is ultimately about tending something that belongs to God and will outlast us.
“I’m grateful to Rev. Lilian Gallo Seagren for the original encouragement that sparked this idea, to our presenters for sharing their experience, and to Jennifer Etter, our office administrator, along with several lay leaders from St. Luke — Karen Clark, Peg Ehler, and Barb and Mike Kaldenberg — for making hospitality possible,” Johnson said.
For more information about hosting a Stewardship and Generosity event in your congregation, contact Rev. Mark Johnson