From January 2009 Newsletter:
Stewardship Missions to parishes have begun! The parishes of Our Lady of the Annunciation, Malgre Tout and Our Lady of the Assumption, Hague on the West Demerara were the first to experience the Missions during September 2008 under the general theme, “One Spirit, Different Gifts, Various Services”. On each of the four Mission days, specific sub-themes were “Discipleship”, “Jesus the Way”, “For God So Loved the World” and “Stewards of the Church and the World”. Instead of the East Bank communities as was previously advertised, the Mission moved on to Holy Spirit, North Ruimveldt from November 02—05, 2008. This was followed by the next Mission at St. Pius X, West La Penitence from November 23—26, 2008. After each Mission the Council worked along with members of the planning committee of the parish, to make short presentations on Stewardship for four consecutive Sundays. The Council hopes that each community will form a parish Stewardship Committee to further explore this spirituality. As His Lordship Bishop Francis explained, the Missions are organised to assist communities to explore the spirituality of Stewardship for the revitalization of parish life. The Stewardship enterprise follows on the heels of ’restructuring’, during which appeals were made and invitations issued by His Lordship for the faithful to become more involved in church activities and parish life i.e. to live more fully their Baptism and their status as disciples and stewards and to do so with enthusiasm, imagination and creativity. The Stewardship initiative took its queue from a Pastoral Letter on Stewardship issued by the Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference in September 2003. The full title of the Pastoral is Stewardship and the Revitalization of Parish Life in the Caribbean. His Lordship encourages all to make every effort to attend the Missions as it comes to your parish community! The Pastoral and other Stewardship material are available at Bishop’s House.
