Stewardship

STEWARDSHIP 2024

Welcome to Stewardship 2024, and thank you to those who have pledged so far. Our new church management system, One Church, is now ready to accept online pledges. By now, parishioners should have received an email from us with instructions on how to log on and pledge to the One Church platform. Nevertheless, you can still use a paper form if you wish. Please fill it out and leave it in the offering plate or send a photo of it to the Business Office. If you have questions please contact Hugo Banda, our Business Manager, at 713-821-916.

As you will see in the narrative budget, there is so much impactful ministry happening together at St. Stephen’s—we are feeding our neighbors, educating children, making music, inviting our neighbors to dance, bearing witness to the dignity of every person in a culture which says otherwise, and offering heartfelt prayer which strengthens us in our daily lives. Life is full.

We are entering a season in our parish life when we reflect and act upon God’s transforming power. God’s revelation to us in Christ inspires us to give witness through acts of generosity. It is good for us to be here. Over the next several weeks, leaders of our stewardship team will assist us in engaging the account of the transfiguration of our Lord in Matthew 17:

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

Each of us has had a moment in our life when we have experienced transformation of some kind—the joy of learning to ride a bike, making a new friend, having a brush with death through addiction and coming to sobriety, finding love. These are glimpses of God’s presence in our lives that give us a taste of glory.

Over the next five weeks, please consider how you will share that presence through your gifts and offerings of your money and yourself to our ministry at St. Stephen’s.
It’s good for us to be here.