Stewardship
Stewardship Prayer
Oh Lord, giver of life and source of our freedom, we are reminded that Yours is “the earth in its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it.” We know that it is from your hand that we have received all we have and are and will be. Gracious and loving God, we understand that you call us to be the stewards of Your abundance, the caretakers of all you have entrusted to us. Help us always to use your gifts wisely and teach us to share them generously. May our faithful stewardship bear witness to the love of Christ in our lives. We pray this with grateful hearts in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Stewardship invites us to grow in faith by prayerfully reflecting on the choices and commitments we make daily in our lives. Choices about how we spend our time, utilize our talents, and spend our money. Such a reflection can be affirming and challenging. Affirming in that it helps us realize the many ways big and small that we respond to God’s call by providing for ourselves and our families, contributing through our work, and participating in our community and Church. Challenging in that in listening to God we can discover new ways in which God is calling us to follow and share our unique gifts.
When you are ready to make a commitment, please fill out the STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT FORM.
Consider these ways:
Stewardship of Time
A fulfilling prayer life steeped in a sense of gratitude for all that we are and have, can be a wonderful legacy you build for your loved ones, the community, our church, and yourself. There are many opportunities for personal or community prayer at St. Julie.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
How do we grow in our relationship with God without spending time in prayer or in activities that nurture our knowledge and faith in God? Stewardship of time, involves thinking about the many different ways we use our time in light of what God is asking of us.
There are many ways we can grow by making a specific commitment of time towards our spiritual growth and development.
Stewardship of Talent
Through our baptism and confirmation we are called to be Disciples of Christ. Empowered by these sacraments we are called to carry God's message out into the world by sharing our talents and our time in justice and in love where they are needed.
Jesus said to love God with our whole heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. As a parish community there are many ways we express our love of God and neighbor; through gathering for worship, nurturing faith with the next generation, sharing with the poor, working for justice, reaching out to those in need, being good stewards of our resources, and celebrating our rich diversity. There are opportunities to serve within the parish which require a few hours a week and others only a few hours a year. These commitments to service contribute to the health and vitality of our parish, neighborhoods and the wider community.
Reflect On The Question: “How is God inviting me to serve the community with my talents?"
If you are ready to make a commitment, please contact Fr. Angelo David
Stewardship of Treasure
"I am convinced that if we can make stewardship part of our faith life we can truly change the world. We can make this a much better place in which to live - not just for us, but for everyone. I am convinced of this because I am convinced that it will attack the selfishness that besets all of us. It turns the mine to ours; it turns self to others. It turns us from just loving ourselves to loving others as Jesus loves them." - Bishop John J. McRaith, Diocese of Owensboro, Kentucky.
Each autumn parishioners are provided the opportunity to make a financial commitment for the coming year through St. Julies Parish Community. Our commitment of our pledge of money is an acknowledgment that all we have is a gift from God, and we are choosing to honor God by returning to God a portion of what we have received for the work of Jesus Christ through our parish community.
Gifts for the general fund of St. Julie Billiart Church enable our parish to fulfill its mission "to bring His message of hope to the world." Regular offerings through the financial stewardship program support the operating budget, which is made up of annual expenses that support the many ministries of the parish, including liturgy, music, adult and youth education, social justice programs and outreach activities. Gifts for the general fund can help the parish enhance and expand these important ministries.
Weekly Envelopes
All registered parishioners have the option of giving through weekly/monthly envelopes. We will send out a packet of envelopes each month along with a newsletter and calendar of events. The Offering Envelope Program is a great way to make your regular intentioned commitment to St. Julie Billiart Parish Community. To register to receive Offering Envelopes please contact the Parish Office at 408-629-3030
Online Giving
St. Julie's offers secure online giving for both monthly and one-time donations without writing checks. It also allows you to donate to specific ministries, funds, or campaigns.
To donate online through OSV Online Giving Program, click here.
Building Fund
To keep the church looking its best requires ongoing attention to capital needs. Donations to the Building Fund have been used for projects such as physical plant repairs, refinishing the church floor, improving the church sound system, and others.
Outreach Fund
The Outreach Fund provides ongoing support for the parish outreach programs that assist individuals, families and communities in the midst of extremely difficult circumstances. The parish assists people directly and through contributions to:
- Food Pantry
Donations to the Outreach Fund are used strictly for these purposes and not for general operations. Helping our brothers and sisters is central to the calling of our faith, and we are all blessed by the care that St. Julie’s parishioners have for others.
Lay Endowment
One of the greatest strengths of the St. Julie’s community is active participation by so many of our volunteers. The Lay Endowment was set up to provide financial assistance for those seeking to build up their leadership and ministry skills. Strong and well-trained leaders will continue to build up our own community and provide outreach to the greater community. Educational grants from the Lay Endowment Trust are available to active volunteers and staff of the St. Julie Billiart Parish Community. For information on how you can support the Lay Endowment, please contact the Parish Office 408-629-3030.
Memorials
A wonderful way to remember a loved one or special friend is by making a memorial or tribute gift. Gifts may be made in any amount to remember a deceased loved one or to honor a birth, anniversary or other special person in your life. Send your donation to St. Julie’s along with the name of the person you want to remember. Please provide an address and St. Julie’s will send a memorial letter to whomever you designate, informing them of the gift.
