Today’s young adults resonate with a holistic conversation about stewardship- a conversation that isn’t limited to how much of one’s money to give to the church annually.  Young adults are more likely to give financially to organizations in which they are personally involved- whether this connection is through volunteerism, leadership, or personal benefit from the organization’s mission.  This connection between one’s finances and one’s skills, talents, passions and finances provides the church with an immense opportunity to reorient our congregational life around a broad understanding of stewardship – stewardship that permeates every aspect of the community and stewardship that is not limited to the October month-long beg-a-thon that so many of our parishes practice.

I am currently helping Church of the Apostle’s (COTA) in Seattle create a stewardship program.  COTA is a diverse community, but one whose average age is in the mid 20’s.  Some of the members of the community come from Evangelical backgrounds, some from mainline traditions, and some from no religious practice at all.  Most of these young adults are highly creative, deeply spiritual, and struggling with limited financial resources.  We are seeking ways to create a culture of stewardship among the community.

What do we mean by a culture of stewardship? We hope that it will recognize where the young adults of the community are – struggling with finances, struggling with commitments, struggling to find their places in the world.  We are looking at ways to talk more about leadership and volunteerism, and finding new ways to invite community members into both.  We are experimenting with shorter pledge periods- such as 4 months or 6 months instead of a year.  These will allow people to experiment with financial commitments to the church, without having to commit to a full year.  Hopefully this will lead to longer-term pledges that represent an increasing amount of their financial resources.  In addition to speaking of the 10% tithe, we will also speak of giving in terms of more tangible sacrifices-  eating out one fewer time each weak, ordering one less coffee drink each weak, etc.
        
We also hope to help young adults as stewards of their own finances.  Young adults in today’s world live with unprecedented levels of personal debt.  Recent studies have also shown that young adults, as a generation, tend to have little understanding of personal finance.  Providing opportunities for young people to better understand how to manage their resources and their debt will be a fundamental part of the culture of stewardship.

But church and personal stewardship are not the only forms of caring for what we’ve been given.  We must also inspire and encourage young adults to care for the world around them- the environment, their communities, our children – All that we have been given.  And any culture of stewardship should include all of these.

by The Rev. J.R. Lander, Diocese of Olympia

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