Stewardship is a common thread in church life – and beyond that, it is basic to life with God. All that we have – time, relationships, resources, our very being itself – are gifts from God.  When we give gifts of time, talent and treasure to our church community, we are doing far more than “keeping the lights on.”  We are taking part in the quest to connect our own small life with God’s Life.  Allow this essay to weave one take on this theme.

Questing can be an expression of stewardship. How so?  Questing can be defined as an exploration of who you are and what gifts you’ve been given. And stewardship can be defined very simply as wisely using and protecting God’s gifts.

Have you gone on a Quest?  Do you want to? How have you grown in the wise use and protection of whatever gifts you’ve discovered - from your own Quest or from someone else’s?   

The Quest is an archetype of the young-adult journey into maturation and adulthood. Quests can be internal or external; close to home or far away. They can be physical, emotional, or spiritual – or all three.  Quests share a common purpose: exploring new places in search of something.  What difference do I make?  Where do I fit in the world?  How do I fit into God's plan?  But Quests are not just personal. They have an effect on the people around you – questions and new insights can arise for everyone involved. 

This summer I completed my Master's thesis on the effect that Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) missionaries have on the communities they leave at home.  Missionaries do not only enter into new communities – they also leave a community at home. My research showed that these communities at home learned and grew from the experience of having a missionary abroad. In other words, the personal quest is not entirely personal! 

If questing is a journey you take with the support, love, and interest of family, friends, and church, then it is a journey that affects that community.  Your journey, properly stewarded, will teach, inspire, and motivate your home community.

Knowing many YASC missionaries personally, and having been one myself, I believe it safe to label participants of this program Questers.  My research found the following specific effects these questers had on their home communities:

• People in home communities were more likely to go on mission themselves after the experience of supporting a missionary;
• Religious community engagement in mission increased when missionaries either (1) sent more frequent updates or (2) taught about mission in the updates;
• People in home communities were better able to define mission after the experience of supporting a missionary.

Not everyone can or wants to go on a Quest.  Those of us who do undertake a quest journey have a responsibility as faithful Stewards.  It is our responsibility as a Steward of God's gifts to bring along our whole person on the journey.  And the whole person includes our communities.  Share the gifts we’re given of curiosity, adventure, challenge, and growth with not only those we find along the way, but also with those we leave behind.  

Go forth then and Quest.  And as far as you can, take the people of God along for the ride!

By Kai Harris, Diocese of California

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