Stewardship Ministry

Financial Stewardship Ministry Team

All that we have and all that we are comes to us through the grace of God.  The use that we make of our resources, time and talents reflects our awareness of our responsibility as faithful stewards. The Financial Stewardship Ministry Team helps each of us recognize the abundance God has given us, and helps us explore the faithful ways we are called to respond to God’s abundance.

Gifts For Ministry

This ministry focuses on the talent aspect of stewardship by helping people discover their spiritual gifts.  Different methods can be used to discover one’s gifts.  One method is with members of this ministry leading classes in gift discovery.  Another method is through the use of questionnaires that aid in gift discovery.

The ministry team also focuses on aiding church members in finding ministries in the church in which to use their spiritual gifts.  To this end, the ministry team updates and maintains the “Ministry Inventory”.  This inventory is sent out during the stewardship season to be filled in with your pledges of time and talent for use at the Church of the Good Shepherd.  The inventory may be obtained at any time of the year from the church office.  Please contact any of the ministry members regarding discovery of your spiritual gifts and how they can be used at the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Planned Giving Ministry

The Planned Giving Ministry at Good Shepherd was organized in 1999 in response to an invitation by Bishop Warner to participate in a diocesan Bishop’s Society honoring those individuals who have contributed to their parish’s endowment fund or who have made provisions to do so in their wills.

The first task of the ministry was to create a Planned Giving Manual and to distribute information in a variety of ways to the parish.  The response led to the creation of the Good Shepherd Arbor Society, which began with more than 50 charter members.  The ministry also organized will seminars using the volunteer services of an attorney who is a member of the parish.

Since the inception of the Planned Giving Ministry, the Good Shepherd Planned Giving Fund has been managed by the directors of the Diocesan Investment Fund.  In time, income derived from our investment will be used to provide for the long-term needs of the parish and, in particular, for special programs and projects specified by the donor or authorized by the vestry.

In 2007 the Planned Giving Ministry, in response to changes in the organizational structure of the vestry, was transformed into an appointed Planned Giving Board that will have the responsibility for the preservation and growth of the fund.