The Stewardship & Administration Committee facilitates spirituality and generosity of spirit among parishioners.
Summer 2023 - The Stewardship & Administration Committee Report
Stewardship and Administration - A Year Later
The Stewardship and Administration Committee has been actively engaged in initiatives to enhance stewardship within the parish community. The possibility of the position of Director of Stewardship and Administration was evaluated and approved, and the process moved forward.
Another project is a Stewardship Brochure, which aims to educate parishioners about the concept of stewardship and present various giving levels and opportunities. Additionally, we want to plan a "Day of Stewardship," providing parishioners with an immersive experience to explore the mission of the parish and ways to actively participate.
Bridge the Gap, we launched a final push for the 2022-23 fiscal year and explored strategies for implementation in the upcoming year. We worked on maintaining and increasing the fund that supports gatherings and events, ensuring that non-fundraising events could still take place.
The committee also highlighted diverse forms of stewardship beyond financial contributions. We are working with Fr. Ralph to develop a stewardship calendar that benefits both staff and parishioners, streamlining their efforts for greater efficiency and community engagement. How does the work of our committee affect the goals of becoming a missional church? A huge goal for us is altering the way people see, hear, and even feel the word “stewardship”. Stewardship is meant to reference a culture that focuses on stewardship as a way of life, not simply parish finances. Our committee is providing ongoing formation to continue growing a sustainable culture of stewardship in the parish, by collaborating with other parishes and the Archdiocese Stewardship Office to identify and implement the practices in stewardship and parishioner engagement. We are also assisting in strengthening parishioner and administration communications, all of which speak to the growth of a missional church.
SMM Parishioners Steve and Julie Kenney are currently working as the chair couple for this committee. Here is their Q&A:
Where are you from? What brought you to Omaha? What brought you to SMM?
Julie: “I’m from southern Illinois. I came to Nebraska to pursue my Master’s in Counseling at UNL. I got set up on a blind date with Steve, and we eventually married. When we purchased a home in Country Club, we became parishioners at SMM when we had our kids. It was really this part of town that brought us to SMM. I became very committed to this parish when I joined a Circle - that’s how I met friends, that’s how I felt involved.”
What drew you into your committee? Why?
Julie: “Steve and I are chairing this committee because Fr. Ralph asked us to. My husband is a partner at Lutz, an accounting firm, and he does work with people on estate planning. And, I have been involved in several fundraisers where I have had to ask people to support an event.”
How many S.M.A.R.T. Goals does your committee have? What are you most excited about in your committee?
Julie: “The committee has 14 S.M.A.R.T. Goals. I am most excited about my own personal re-engagement with the parish through this committee, and I am excited about fulfilling some of the vision of the strategic master plan that in a way is engaging and motivating for others, so that people will want to participate.
One of the things I am looking forward to is working with the SMM staff. They are so incredibly helpful and truly dedicated to the success of this project, not to mention their immense faith-filled spirits. It is a joy to reconnect with so many individuals we lost touch with in the past few years!”
Where does the Stewardship & Administration committee stand in the overall master plan process? What are the next steps in the process?
Julie: “Right now we’re in the beginning phases of the committee. We’ve identified some work to be done by sub-committees. We are analyzing data from the past several years to help establish the goals we need to set. We are excited about engaging additional parishioners within this committee.”