4/26/10
Speaker offers tips for increasing stewardship By Jennifer Burke/Catholic Courier It isn't necessary to make major changes in order to implement effective parish-based stewardship programs. In fact, many parishes could increase parishioners' gifts of time, talent and treasure simply by incorporating stewardship principles into such current offerings as parish newsletters and adult-education opportunities, according to Charles Zech, director of the Center for the Study of Church Management at Villanova University. Zech was the keynote speaker for the Diocese of Rochester's sixth-annual Stewardship Day, which took place April 24 at Church of the Assumption in Fairport. Zech's keynote presentation on "Myths and Realities of Catholic Giving" was broadcast live via the Internet along with several other talks and presentations, including Zech's workshop on "Common Parish Activities to Enhance Stewardship." Video of the keynote and some of the workshops soon will be available on the diocesan Web site, www.dor.org. During that workshop, Zech told participants that in a typical parish, the average annual household contribution is $517 and that approximately 27 percent of parishioners volunteer their efforts for the parish. The number of active volunteers and the contribution amounts both increase substantially in parishes that are viewed as welcoming communities, he said. Zech, who has studied stewardship at diocesan and parish levels for more than 18 years, said stewardship seems to increase at parishes that utilize such practices as having greeters at Mass and presenting welcoming receptions for new parishioners. "I can't over-emphasize the importance of your parish being viewed as a welcoming community. If your parish is not being viewed as a welcoming community, think about stewardship -- it's not going to work," Zech said.
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2010 Media Report Villanova School of Business