Overview
One of our greatest resources is each other. When we pool our gifts, the Church benefits greatly. The purpose of this Preaching Stewardship Ministry is to share the greater gifts of stewardship proclamation with each other. This is just one component of an overall stewardship emphasis that we encourage congregations to conduct at least annually. Stewardship is more than a program. Biblical stewardship is a lifestyle. We are stewards of God’s gifts daily, and are called to equip our congregations to be faithful stewards of all God has entrusted to them.
The Suggested Parameters
You are encouraged to engage a visiting minister who will preach a sermon as part of a stewardship emphasis in your congregation. You will find an initial list of preachers (attached) who have agreed to avail themselves (as schedule allows) to proclaim a biblical understanding of what it means to live life as stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. They would come to your congregation and preach at your regularly scheduled worship services at an agreed upon date. Again, this particular date should be part of a series of a few worship services where stewardship as a whole, and in particular financial stewardship, is emphasized. Additional details include:
- The home pastor is present and leading worship with the visiting preacher. In other words, this is not a pulpit exchange.
- In dialogue with each other, the home pastor and the visiting preacher will share mutual expectations in planning for the stewardship worship event.
- The host congregation will pay for the supply minister that will be needed at the preaching minister’s home congregation.
- The preacher is compensated only for mileage if the preacher is currently under call (remember you are compensating the supply minister on the visiting preacher’s behalf).
- If the visiting stewardship preacher is retired or on leave from call (in other words, not vacating a congregation in order to participate in the stewardship event), then normal supply compensation should be extended to the preacher.
- Any compensation should be in keeping with posted synod guidelines, including mileage for travel.
Possible Stewardship Resources
When deciding what possible programs and resources to use when planning your stewardship program, pick one that seems to match with your congregation. Whatever program you pick, do your best to follow it completely. This will give you your best results. If you would like assistance in choosing a program, feel free to contact the Pacifica Synod office and Pastor Tom Goellrich (your Director for Evangelical Mission) will be happy to assist you. You can reach Pastor Tom on his cell at 714.478.2753 for the quickest connection.
Resources to Consider Include:
- Herb Miller’s, New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program, revised (available on Amazon).
- Numerous resources on the web at http://www.elca.org/resources/stewardship
Ministers Who Have Made Themselves Available
The following list of names are those who have agreed to be available (as schedule permits) to bring a stewardship message to your congregation. Again, this is part of a planned program you are doing in your congregation. Advance planning is critical to secure a person given their complex calendars.
If you are a rostered minister and would like to make yourself available to others by being added to this list, please contact Pastor Tom at the phone number listed above.
This list will be sent out periodically as it is updated.
Hawaii
- Pastor Kathryn Zurcher – St. John, Kailua
- Pastor Jeff Lilly – Lutheran Church of Honolulu
San Diego Area
- Pastor Laura Ziehl – Bethlehem, Encinitas
- Pastor Dave Nagler – Christ, San Diego
- Pastor Jonathan Doolittle – Clairemont, San Diego
- Pastor David Jorstad – San Marcos Lutheran
- Pastor Larry Hand – Calvary, Solana Beach
Inland Empire Area
- Pastor Derek Fossey – Hope, Palm Desert
- Pastor Agapito Aviles – First, Ontario
Orange County Area
- Pastor Kinndlee Lund – King of Glory, Fountain Valley
- Pastor Brian Taylor – Our Redeemer, Garden Grove
