I thought I would write about what I noticed in just one day here at Prince of Peace. These are the many ways people are practicing stewardship here, and it show there are many good things happening and many ways for you to allow stewardship to be your way of life.
The day begins with a group praying the Rosary in Church at 5:30 am before going to work. We have daily Masses, and not only are there over 100 people in attendance at both, but we had volunteers to set up and clean up, to serve, proclaim the readings and help with communion. Once school starts I see parents arriving to help in the classroom and to chaperone some students on a fieldtrip. I wonder who had the most fun?! There was a Bible study going on late morning, and it had several participants and a parish volunteer to lead discussion and sharing.
It's fun to visit the students in the lunch room - it tends to get a little rowdy and loud when I am with them for some reason, and there are always parents helping or joining their student for lunch.
When I arrived home from the gym, there was a parish volunteer spreading fertilizer on the grass, and soon another volunteer came to water the flowers. I noticed she was replenishing the two pots of flowers in front of the church for fall - beautiful! When I returned to the office there was a volunteer helping with some data entry, to help us keep up with changes of address and contact information needed to keep member information current.
Late afternoon, when I arrived to begin the evening activites, there is one of our young adults receiving an organ lesson from one of our great organists. Later, I know one of the choirs will be rehearsing at 7:30 in the Church, as well. Hopefully they won't sound too beautiful so those members constantly praying in the Adoration Chapel would hear them, but they do sing like the angels, so that would be ok. I'll be teaching RCIA tonight, and there are several members who help a staff member with set up and act as small group discussion leaders. There is CYO in the gym tonight with our Virtus trained volunteer coaches, and some Lifeteen parents and students will be meeting to pray the Rosary in the conference room.
When I looked through the mail, I found that the estate of a longtime member who had died last year left our parish a gift of $10,000 in her memory. What a loving gift.
There are so many examples of stewardship every day here at Prince of PEace. Thanks to all who love their God and our faith and parish so much that they make stewardship a way of life. Join in on the goodness!