Stewardship workshops receive positive feedback
T
he Virginia Conference-sponsored series of church stewardship workshops in each
district is winding down, with two
more district gatherings remaining in
November.
The seminars, which have been
facilitated by Jim Klote and Adrian
— and from rural and
urban settings, telling
us repeatedly ‘what you
are teaching can work
for us!’ ”
The Rev. Hank
Teague, who is serving
The Bridge, a campus
of Monumental
UMC, Portsmouth
District, said the
seminar opened up
the possibility of
each local church
forming its own
“theologically and Participants listen attentively during the church
stewardship workshop at Wright’s Chapel UMC.
practically sound
stewardship program.”
ical without practical strategies that I
“In my nine years of the
can apply.”
pastorate, the one element that
The workshop has been videotaped
has been missing has been a
and will be reproduced on a DVD for
flexible, practical framework
churches that were not able to attend.
for educating, encouraging and
Klote, president and CEO of the
gaining commitments from the
company, said he’s been impressed
whole congregation,” Teague
with the level of dedication of church
said.
“In
my
current
setting
this
leaders from around the Virginia
Adrian Schoonmaker leads a stewardship
flexible
practical
framework
is
Conference.
seminar for the Ashland District at Wright’s
crucial.
Since
we
deal
with
many
“They’re committed to making their
Chapel UMC.
non-, new, nominal and ‘gun-shy’
local church ministries a priority in
Schoonmaker of James D. Klote and
Christians, I was hesitant to purchase
their lives,” he said. “Participants are
Associates, a Virginia-based profesany of the traditional annual stewwelcoming to new approaches and
sional consulting firm that works with
ardship campaign packages on the
eager to do a better job in engagchurches on fund-raising projects,
market.”
ing their congregations and creating
have been well attended. Response
“I never knew that we could get so
ownership in the annual ministries
from participants also has been posimuch useful information in that short
of their church. They have just been
tive. The Rev. Tricia Riggs called the
of a time frame,” said Kathy Dziagwa
outstanding, asking great questions
workshop one of the best training
of Aldersgate UMC in Norfolk. “It’s
and offering positive discussions.”
events she had ever attended.
too late to utilize the information for
Klote said after every seminar he’s
“Since when does stewardship have
this year, but we will be well prepared
led he’s been thanked for offering the
to be boring or shameful?” said Riggs,
for next year.”
workshop. “My response is to encourpastor at Foundry UMC in Virginia
Many attendees said that the thing
age them to thank the conference.
Beach. “This was the first time I have
they took
The workIt is such a joy to have clergy
seen stewardship taught in a practical,
away
shops
achievable fashion, where it was clear
from the
are a gift
and laity from churches of every
the stewardship is not all about the
seminar
to local
size. . . telling us repeatedly ‘what congregamoney, but all about making disciples
were the
for Jesus Christ.”
practical
in
you are teaching can work for us!’ tions
“I truly believe in the universality of tips.
response
these proven principles we are shar “I have attended many workshops
to their requests for annual budget
ing across the Virginia Conference,”
often leaving disappointed because
campaign support. . . . My firm is
said Schoonmaker. “It is such a joy to
I hardly learned anything new,” the
blessed to have this opportunity to
have clergy and laity from churches of
Rev. Hija Yu, pastor at Rectortown
help clergy and laity with their minisevery size — from 15 members in worUMC, Winchester District. “Too many
tries.” ❑
ship up to 1,000 members in worship
of these workshops have been theoret— Neill Caldwell
“
12
”
Virginia Advocate/November 2009