Stewardship Best Practices

Below is a list of “Best Practices” developed by Dr. Charles Zech in his book, Best Practices in Parish Stewardship:

  • Be a Welcoming Parish That Takes Community-Building Seriously
    • Try a variety of approaches; most successful used 4 or more welcoming activities
    • Examples: Greeters at Mass, parish picnics, potluck dinners
  • Appoint a Stewardship Council
    • A pastor cannot do it by himself
    • Leadership should be living a life of stewardship
    • Have a parish stewardship vision, be comfortable talking about money and recognize the importance of accountability
  •  Include Stewardship as a Vital Component of the Parish Plan
    • Stewardship must permeate the parish plan
    • Stewardship should be in the parish mission statement
  • Emphasize Stewardship in All Parish Formation and Education Programs
    • For both youth and adult programs
  • Provide the Opportunity for Lay Witness Presentations
    • Powerful impact on changing people’s hearts and minds
    • Should occur more than once per year
    • Stewardship is not just about treasure (money)
    • Lay witness speakers need to be credible
  • Encourage parishioners to Make a Commitment to the Parish by Pledging
    • Encompass all three components: time, talent, and treasure
  • Communicate With Parishioners on Stewardship
    • Inform of past and future needs
    • Use multiple tools: annual report, periodic newsletters, website
  • Good Stewardship Starts in the Parish House
    • If we want parishioners to be good stewards, leadership must be a model for them
    • Accountable and transparent in all financial dealings