Dollar signs tend to go off in our heads when we hear the “S” word. But stewardship is a whole-life proposition. We acknowledge that God has given us everything—our time, our talents, our possessions, our very selves—by giving back a portion of all these things to serve God’s kingdom. To quote a stewardship campaign from a few years back, it’s about “your money and your life.” There’s no rule that all this has to involve St. Stephens, but if you’re looking for something you can give, consider offering:
Your Time
Volunteer to serve in outreach, on a committee, or in a Sunday service role. You’ll see many opportunities on this site.
Your Ideas, Skills, and Creativity
Do you have a great idea for how we at St. Stephen’s can serve each other or the community better? Got mad skills you could put to work in God’s service. Can you sew, knit, do woodwork? Click here to access the parish suggestion box or talk to the interim rector. We can use whatever you have to offer.
Your Prayers
Don’t underestimate the power of prayer for our church, our community, and the world. Whether you join the St. Stephen’s prayer circle or simply pray on your own, your prayers make a difference.
Food for the Salvation Army Pantry
In addition to helping staff the Salvation Army food pantry (click here for more information), we at St. Stephen’s try to stock their shelves on a regular basis. Bring nonperishable food items to church with you and deposit them in the basket under the little table just inside the main entrance. (An usher will show you where it is.) Click here for a list of most-needed items. Be on the lookout for great sales so we can stock up. If you prefer to give money, you can put a check in the collection basin marked “Salvation Army Food Pantry.” We’ll make sure it gets to the right place.
Tag Sale Donations
Our annual spring tag sale is our biggest annual fundraiser, with proceeds earmarked to support the Salvation Army summer food pantry. We also consider the sale itself a ministry to those who need items for less. We are always looking for gently used furniture, clothing, toys, housewares, electronics, books and media, seasonal items. Whatever we don’t sell goes to Goodwll consider St. Stephen’s a first stop when you’re gathering stuff to give away. We can accept and store items year round. If you have items to donate or need more information, please call the church office or click here.
School supplies
In the summer we collect school supplies for the Salvation Army Back-to-School Drive. New crayons, glue, tablets, even backpacks are helpful. Many of us look for sales year round and stock up. You can also write a check earmarked “Salvation Army Back to School” and we’ll see that it gets to the right people.