What Stewardship Means to Me

 By Lexa Shontz

 When I was young, I didn’t know what stewardship was.  I thought you paid your dues and were a member of the church.  The church was there more to serve me, rather than me serve the church.    But being a steward is so much more than that…it is a way of life in which God is at the center, recognizing that everything we have comes from Him above.  As a steward, I have the opportunity to give back what God first gave me, and it extends beyond my treasure to encompass my talent and my time.  None of which I would have if not for the grace of God.  

Practicing stewardship has helped me grow in my Orthodox faith.  It is not only a reminder of gratitude for all the blessings God has given me in my life, but it keeps me grounded in the knowledge that my purpose on earth is to grow more in His image.  Christ came into this world not to be served, but to serve.  If our goal as Orthodox Christians is to become more “Christ-like” then we too are called to serve.  We can do this by being good stewards, taking care of God’s house and each other.  And when we give of ourselves, whether it be treasure, time, or talent, it’s important to remember the spirit in which we give.  As 2 Corinthians 9:7 states:  “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”   

Even still, it is easy to get caught up in the temptations of our material world, wanting to store our treasures like the rich fool who stored his grain.  Before sharing that parable, Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”  When I examine where I spend my money and my time, does it truly reflect the love that I say I have for God?  Not always.  And that is another blessing of stewardship—it calls us to tithe or give back to God so that we don’t let greed or selfishness become a stumbling block in our faith journey.   

During this Lenten Season, it is a perfect time to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice God made for us out of His infinite love.  He sent His Son for each and every one of us and through His glorious resurrection, He has destroyed death and given us the hope of eternal life with Him.  When considering the magnitude of God’s love, it seems natural that we would want to give back to Him.  And in this cheerful giving, we receive so  much more than we can imagine—a contentment and peace in knowing we are doing God’s will for our life. 

“What does Stewardship mean to me?“

Part 1- Background, misconceptions, and what Stewardship is to me now.

Mr. Basil Moutsatsos, a steward of St Nicholas

I grew up in the Tarpon Springs community and like so many others I was an active member of the church. From altar boy, GOYA, Greek School, and volunteering, I knew I was a member of the church.  But when the word “Stewardship” came around, I admit I thought it was the same thing.  In fact, as the years have gone by, I never really understood what Stewardship really meant until recently. 

For a little background, I was the kind of person who was lumped in with my family when it came to being listed with the church, which continued as I went to college.  My parents paid my dues and kept me in good standing.  Eventually I needed something from the church when I was going to be a godfather, but I realized that I hadn’t been paid up to date on my dues with the church.  I was still active when I came home from college, came to church on holy days, and reveled in being a part of this community, but I was not a real member.  I paid my annual dues and started that tradition for my own life.  I was proud of myself for doing the right thing and I thought I was a good member of the church. 

Notice that I keep using words like “dues” and “member”, as though the church was a kind of social club.  Lately I have been coming to terms with the belief that I have been a “member” but not a true Steward of the church.  Stewardship to me means for each of us to take a responsibility to the church not as a member but as a way in having the church be a fundamental part of our lives.  The church is God’s house, but we as Stewards keep it for him as if it were our own.  Like with our own homes, we either do the upkeep ourselves or we need to pay to have something done.  To make sure we have money to pay for things we cannot do ourselves, we try to save money in case of emergencies.  When money is too tight in our lives, we look to do the work ourselves or get help from friends and we repay them some way we can help them.  For me, Stewardship works the same way, but to plan well as Stewards we need to make a specific commitment to the church to let everyone know what we are going to do for the church to help out. 

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“What does Stewardship mean to me?“

Part 2: Issues that come with change and a plan I am going to try to follow 

Last week I discussed how Stewardship is different than being just a member and ended with a call for letting our community know what we are going to do for the church to help out.  This is where I always ran into a problem.  I personally did not want credit for any of my good work because I wanted the work to get done, or money donated for good cause, but I did not want to be boastful of what I did.  I gave for God because it was right, and that did not need credit for my own advancement.  With different kinds of donations, I can still see where this mentality can work, but with Stewardship what I am giving, in either money or volunteering, is not a donation. 

For me now, Stewardship is not a gift, but it is my part of being a family committing to take care of each other in our joined love for our faith, our church, and our community.  When it comes to volunteering, we all need to know what we are all doing so we don’t all show up to do the same one thing as we need 1000 things throughout the course of a year.  When it comes to making a commitment of money, it is not a donation, but a pledge told to the church specifically, so the Church Board and Clergy know what to expect for the year as a budget.  The church can plan to fix what is needed in a responsible way and not have to cry out for an emergency fix. 

So, what does someone pledge to the church?  I have started to think about how I pledge to take care of my own home and immediate family.  I used to pay rent and now a mortgage, and I am ashamed to admit that I never gave more to the church for my yearly monetary donation as I did in paying my rent/mortgage for one month of that year.  At times I just couldn’t, other times when I could afford to give more, I kept giving the same.  But I always saw it as a donation.  Now, I am starting to see it differently and by pledging to the church what I plan to do, I feel more connected to the church. I also don’t want to let the church down, so I am going to start slowly and build into a more connected life with the church by trying to be a good Steward.  I still may not have it right, but I think I am on a better path.  It will take time and I know we are all here to help each other like a true community.

Mr. Basil Moutsatsos, a Steward of St Nicholas

Are you ready to make a difference in our church this New Year?

Are you short of time, but big on wanting to serve God in a meaningful way?

Do you enjoy and care about people and are committed to your Orthodox faith?

Come and be part of the Welcome Ministry as a Greeter or an Usher. All you need is a few Sunday mornings a month, a ready smile and a servant’s heart.

If you would like to know more about volunteering at St Nicholas Cathedral please contact Lexa Shontz at lexashontz@gmail.com or cell (727) 418-4811.

Saint Nicholas Kitchen is an outreach ministry of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral that provides hot meals, helping hands and meaningful relationships to the impoverished in our community. The heart for this ministry is illustrated in the book of Matthew 25:35-36:

 “….For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me….”

St. Nicholas Kitchen will continue preparing the Monday meals from 7:30 – 11:00 am. The meals will be delivered Monday's to the new Hope Center at the Sheppard center where the meals will be given to those in need by their, and our volunteers. We still need volunteers, food and monetary donations. Meals will be served from 11:00 – 12:00 pm. For further information, please call Chris Palaidis at (727) 808-3895.

Join us on Zoom for a group lesson grades K-5 every Sunday at 11:30 am. Looking forward to seeing everyone!

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