Stewardship Committee

10/01/24

MEMBERS:
Tom Majeski
Jean Bayer
Sandi Kuritzky
Roy LeCates
Pastor Brown

Learning About Stewardship

The Stewardship Committee is presently a team of 5, one being Pastor Brown, and we would love to welcome more who are drawn by the mission of the group.

What is the primary mission of the group?

The official mission is:  Creatively educating and motivating the congregation of Hope in the spiritual practice of giving their time, talent, and treasure.

Who does the committee serve?

At Hope, the Stewardship Team encourages individuals of all ages to share their time, talents, and resources in small and large ways.  If we’re successful in our encouragement, those served is far reaching.

Tell us about a recent, upcoming, or annual event/responsibility of the group.

Each year beginning in late September, the Stewardship Team hosts the three-week annual appeal for the next year’s operating budget. Using testimonials from members and our new video technology, the Team works to shine a light on how members of Hope feel God’s calling to share their time, talents and resources, with so many unique and gracious givers at Hope, inspiration is everywhere.

From the monetary pledges received during the appeal, the Finance Team then begins work on the next year’s annual budget.

How does the committee serve those at Hope?

The annual appeal is a large responsibility of the team; however, inspiring the congregation to serve together as one body of Christ continues year-round.  We use the monthly “Gracious Givers” column to highlight service of individuals, families, and groups at Hope. The column is meant to create awareness and to inspire.

A Word from the Committee Chair

How long have you been Chair? How long have you been involved?

I (Tom Majeski) have been the Chair of Hope’s Stewardship Committee since 2006, so coming up on 20 years.  Prior to that, I served on the Stewardship Committee at Berkeley Hills Lutheran Church for over 10 years.

Why did you choose this group for service?

I have a background in Finance through my education and through the work that I do outside of the church as a Corporate Banker.  So when thinking about how to get involved in the church, I migrated to either Finance or Stewardship, and Stewardship was where the church had a greater need at the time. While we look to inspire people around financial giving, it equally requires us to give of our time and talents, which is always something I felt strongly about as I grew up in the church.   Becoming more involved in the church through activities and giving tends to lead to stronger faith, and visa versa.  Whichever comes first, the two are closely tied together.

What would you tell someone who is interested in learning more, but may be hesitant?

If you are hesitant to ask for or inspire people to give of their time, talent and treasure, know that it isn’t as hard as you think once you get connected with our Stewardship Team. And we equally need people that are comfortable serving more in the background through writing and/or creating ideas about how we can inspire others to give.

Interested in Serving with Stewardship

How can someone get involved in serving in this group?   

Stewardship is always looking for help in creating new ways to shine a light on the time, talent and resources being shared at Hope.  We welcome fresh ideas and interviewers for the Gracious Givers column.  If you’d like to be a part of this Team, please talk to a team member, or email the church office or Pastor.

If I wanted to be a regular volunteer of this committee, what is the time commitment?

The group meets monthly in a virtual setting for 1-2 hours.  If you volunteer to interview a Gracious Giver or a special project, you may need to commit 1-2 hours on your own to complete the task that month.