Stewardship Reflection for June 29, 2022   “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather serve one another through love.” - Gal. 5:13 We like to celebrate that we are free to “live the good life.” We can do what we want, anytime we want, with no regard for laws. But, Jesus calls us to a different kind of freedom. St. Paul reminds us that by imitating Jesus we are freed from becoming a slave to our own self-interests and desires, so that we can serve one another. We are free to share our gifts and promote God’s work on earth to glorify His name and nor honor ourselves.

Stewardship Reflection for October 31, 2021  “And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:33) Of all the gifts that God gives us, the one He wants the most is our heart. He wants us to share out of our love for Him, not out of obligation. Using our talent in parish ministry and contributing money to support our parish mission is important, but it’s more important to spend time in prayer with God daily and discern how He is calling us to be generous with all of our gifts. Not just the visible ones, bu

Stewardship Reflection for May 2, 2021  “Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.” -1 John 3:18 Regarding our Catholic faith, do you “walk the talk?” Do your actions reflect what it means to be a good disciple? Are you an active participant at Sunday Mass? Are you joyful when participating in parish ministry? Do you give gratefully and generously with your financial support to your parish and other Church needs? If not, it’s not too late to start!

Stewardship Reflection reflections for April 18, 2021   “Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ But they were startled and frightened…” - LUKE 24:36-37 Throughout the day we have many opportunities to “see the face of Jesus” in others and to “be the face of Jesus” to others. Do we take that opportunity to provide “peace” to those we encounter or are we afraid of what others will think of us and do nothing? Pray for the strength and courage to l

Stewardship Reflection for March 21, 2021  “I will be their God and they shall be my people.” - JEREMIAH 31:33 What does it mean to be God’s people? It means we recognize that everything we have and everything we are belongs to God. We aren’t “owners” of anything, we are merely “stewards” of the gifts God has given us. It means we are willing to use our gifts and our lives to care for our family, our neighbors and for people we don’t know, just as God cares for each of us.

Stewardship Reflection for February 27, 2021  “’Here I am!’ he answered.” - Genesis 22:11 It is easy to say, “Here I am, Lord,” when we are kneeling in church. But how easy is it to say “Here I am, Lord,” when a neighbor needs our help, when we are invited to join a parish ministry, or when we are asked to provide financial support? Often times we are called when it’s not convenient for us. Discipleship is not always easy, most of the time it will make us uncomfortable and vulnerable.

Stewardship Relfection for January 24, 2021  Jesus’ call to “Follow me” is a call to all Christians! The call is in the here and now, in our present circumstances, not when we think we are “ready” or have everything in order. Good stewardship of our God-given gifts means that things aren’t always going to go according to our schedule and that God has a much better plan in store for each of us.

Stewardship Reflection for January 10, 2021  “And a voice came from the heavens, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” - Mark 1:11 Through our baptism, we too, are daughters and sons of God. We are disciples of Jesus. As true disciples we are called to actively participate in our Catholic faith, not just be mere bystanders. This means working in collaboration with the Holy Spirit and discerning how we are being asked to use our gifts. Using our gifts for the benefit of others and not just for our own interests and comfort.

Stewardship Reflection for January 3, 2021 “..they fell down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh...” - Matthew 2:11 Notice the order of events in the Magi’s visit. First, they knelt before Jesus and prayed to Him. Then they presented Him with their gifts. We, too, must take time to pray before we present our gifts to the Lord. We never know what God may be asking us to share!


Stewardship Reflection for December 20, 2020   Jesus, we look to Mary as an ideal steward. Her entire life was lived in obedience to God’s call. Mary teaches us to live with joy for all we have been given. Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, Mary reflects the light of Christ. Like Mary, we are called to reflect Christ’s light to the world through our gratitude and generosity

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for December 13, 2020  “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16 - 18 This scripture reading sums up Stewardship. “Rejoice always” means place your trust in God; He will provide all that you need. “Pray constantly” means prayer should be a running conversation with God throughout the whole day, every day. “Give thanks in all circumstances” means even in bad situations, thank God. Suffering a little bit helps build empathy for others in similar situations and shows our dependence on God.


Stewardship Scripture Reflection for December 6, 2020  “Prepare the way of the Lord…” - Mark 1:3 We are all called to live a holy life. We are all called to invite others to live holy lives. Living a stewardship lifestyle, being grateful and generous with our gifts, puts us on the path to holiness and is an example for others to be holy, too. We are responsible not only for our own lives, but for the lives of others as well.

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for November 29, 2020  “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.” - Mark 13:33 We all take things for granted. In particular, we take time for granted. We make our lives too busy. We plan our time, our days, weeks, months, even years in advance. Remember, our time on earth is a gift. None of us knows how long we will be here. Start today and begin thanking God for each and every day. Take time in silence, every day, and listen to how God is calling you right now to help build His kingdom on earth.

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for November 22, 2020 “…whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40 Most of us are generous when it’s convenient for us. We are generous when we have the time or the money. But, generosity is the opposite of that. It means giving of one’s time, money, compassion, forgiveness or mercy when it’s not convenient; when it’s not on our schedule, but on the other person’s schedule

Stewardship Reflection for November 7, 2020  “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” - Matthew 25:13 Many of us have put off doing something because we think we are too busy. We’ve all said, “I’ll do it later when I have time.” Unfortunately, too many of us apply this attitude to our Faith. Jesus’ call is urgent, in the here and now, in your current circumstances. Don’t delay. How is God calling you to use your gifts today? None of us is guaranteed tomorrow.

Stewardship Reflection for October 25, 2020   “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” – Matthew 22:37 Do you put other “gods” before God? Is your love of money, power, status, comfort or some personal possession greater than your love for God? Do you really recognize that everything you have and that everything you are is a gift from God? The good news – it’s not too late to put God first in all things in your life.

Stewardship Reflection for September 27, 2020 “Do nothing out of selfishness; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves…” Philippians 2:3 Pride and ego are hard things to control. We see how others act or dress and think we are superior to them. We idolize our own self-image. But, if we truly believe everything is a gift from God, we recognize all the people that God has put into our lives as gifts! We are grateful for how they enrich our lives. Pray every day for the people in your life: your family, your friends, and those who make you angry.

Stewardship Reflection for September 13, 2020  “For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Romans 14:8) This is the essence of stewardship – everything we have and everything we are is a gift from God. We aren’t “owners” of anything, we are merely “stewards” of the gifts that God has given us, especially our very own lives. Pray to God daily and ask Him how He is calling you to live the life that He intended for you.

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for August 23, 2020   “Or who has given the Lord anything that he may be repaid?” Romans 11:35 St. Paul reminds us of a central fact of stewardship. We cannot give the Lord anything - God already owns it all. God made everything. All we can do is return a portion of God’s many gifts back to Him. Sincere gratitude for our gifts opens our hearts to joyful generosity! Through your generous sharing, you just may be the answer to someone’s prayer. Thank you for your continued contributions to our parish. Your financial support, especially at this time, is so greatly appreciated


Stewardship Scripture Reflection for August 16, 2020  “For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29 God has a special mission in mind for each of us. He has given us the gifts we need to accomplish that mission. We are called to be good stewards by using those gifts to do the work that He has planned for each of us. If we deny our gifts or fail to use them as God calls us to use them, then some part of His work will be left undone.

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for August 2, 2020   “Jesus said to them, ‘There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves’.” (Matthew 14:16) This is what Jesus said right before he fed the five thousand men. How often do we really place our trust in Jesus when the situation looks grim? With Jesus, no gift is too small or insignificant when offered with love. But, we have to do our part. We should trust that Jesus will provide all that we need. We need to believe that Jesus has a better plan in store for us.

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for July 26, 2020  “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28 Do you really trust God? Do you really believe that God will provide all that you need? Faith is a challenge for everyone at times. Putting our trust in God, in everything we do, in good times and in bad, means that God’s plan for our lives may be quite different than what we planned. When one door closes, another one opens. Trust in God, His plan is always better.

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for July 19, 2020    “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field…He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom.” Matthew 13:24, 37-38 As children of God, we are all “good seeds.” We are blessed by God with the potential to accomplish much good in the world. We fulfill God’s plan when we spend time in prayer every day, use our skills to help others, and share our financial gifts to help build God’s kingdom on earth. Through our example of gratitude and generosity we sow “good seeds” on earth and ultimately help each other get to Heaven!

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for July 12, 2020   “The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word but then the cares of the world and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit.” Matthew 13:22 Does the lure of riches and material goods choke God out of your life? Are you so caught up in earthly activities that you have no time for God? Gratitude and generosity are virtues that we should strive to do on a daily basis. Every decision we make either takes us one step closer to God or one step further away. What we receive at Mass every Sunday should be shared with others all the other days of the week as well. 

Stewardship Scripture Reflection for July 5, 2020   “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11:30 When we think of being good stewards, we may think that God is asking too much of us when He calls us to generously share our time, talent, and treasure. However, we must remember that we are not “owners” of anything, we are mere “stewards” of the gifts God has given us. All He is asking is that we give back a small portion, in gratitude, of what He has already given to us.

Stewardship Ministries
Stewardship Ministry focuses on welcoming parishioners and providing a forum where they can spiritually grow and build upon a sense of community in the parish.  By communicating and educating about parish operations, finances, and volunteer opportunities we hope to encourage participation.  This transparency allows for open communication about the needs of our parish and is the basis for asking for your time, talent, and treasure.  The Stewardship Committee hosts several “fun”-raisers and fund-raisers throughout the year.  All parishioners are encouraged to participate in some or all forms of parish life whether it is liturgical, social, music, ministerial, etc.  ALL ARE ENCOURAGED AND WELCOMED to share their time, talent, and treasure with the greater parish community!  The Stewardship Committee meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month.  
 
Time is precious and we never seem to have enough.  Each of us is called on to discern if perhaps even a small part of our time can be given to the many opportunities and ministries available in the parish. 
 
Talent is in abundance in our parish.  Your talents are much needed by the parish community.  There are so many opportunities to give back by sharing your talents in one of the many ministries that are listed in this packet.
 
Treasure is last, but not least, in our stewardship tripod.  The stewardship of treasure is a challenge to prayerfully examine the financial support we offer to our parish and to the wider Christian community.  We are called by God to carefully examine our personal situation and challenge ourselves to exercise the stewardship of our resources.
 
You can financially support the parish in two ways: 
1. Envelopes:  If this is your preference and you are not already getting envelopes, please contact the parish office to be added to the list or
2. Online Giving:  a safe and easy way to electronically contribute to the parish.  You can sign up at St. Mary’s website:  www.staryswatchung.org  or for assistance, call the parish office.
Stewardship is a way of life, a “life-principle” that touches every corner of our interaction with others.  The stewardship principle invites involvement in the parish community as “thanks-giving” to God for the many blessings we have received in life.  The principle is based on the understanding that everything we possess is a gift of God. 
 
Stewardship Ministry provides a warm and welcoming feeling to all who enter St. Mary's – Stony Hill.  
 

Lord Jesus Christ, Send your spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing, so the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord and your church. With renewed enthusiasm bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed and restore sight to the blind. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.