Authors: KariAnn Lessner, Minister for Children and Families, and Marcia Quintanilla, Minister for Youth
As we enter this incredible stewardship season, we have found a meaningful opportunity to engage even our youngest theologians in understanding and practicing the principles of giving and community. Stewardship is an essential part of our spiritual journey as God’s children, and we believe that teaching its importance early on can have a lasting impact.
By inviting children and youth into age-appropriate ways to participate in the stewardship campaign, we hope to help them understand that money has value, that their gifts have value, and, more importantly, that God calls us to share our treasures with others. Including them in this way helps them feel a more profound sense of belonging and belovedness within our community, providing a solid foundation for their faith journey.
Here’s what we planned:
- We created unique stewardship cards (see attached—they are postcard size) for children and youth, designed to teach them about the importance of stewardship and community in an engaging and fun way.
- Invited a Stewardship Council member to speak with the children and youth about stewardship during Sunday School. We provided space for council members to offer their insights and guidance as an invaluable voice in shaping their understanding of this vital aspect of our faith.
- Invited the children and youth to turn in their pledge cards alongside the adults, allowing them to feel part of this formational faith community tradition. By doing this, they see themselves as active participants in the church’s mission and learn that their contributions, no matter their size, make a difference.
- Of course, we know how important it is to say “thank you”! We ensured a personalized thank-you letter from the Stewardship Council for each child and youth as a beautiful way to recognize their participation.
We’re thrilled to offer this initiative to our community, and we believe it will significantly and positively impact the lives of our youngest members. As we always say, we are blessed to minister to some of the coolest members at the Cathedral, and we think this is just another way to show them how special they are.
Resource adapted from The Diocese of Washington.
Additional Resources:
- Building Faith https://buildfaith.org/children-stewardship/
- Episcopal Diocese of Washington https://edow.org/children-and-stewardship/
- Church Publishing https://www.churchpublishing.org/siteassets/in-service/sept-16/stewardship_with_childre n.pdf
- Episcopal Diocese of Central New York https://cnyepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/childrens-stewardship-resources.pdf
- Sparkhouse https://blog.wearesparkhouse.org/involving-children-in-conversations-about-stewardship
Formation 