Diocesan stewardship conference a 'stunning' event
by Ana Watts
A New Day, the diocesan stewardship conference held in Sussex last 
Friday and Saturday (Oct. 16 and 17), inspired New Brunswick Anglican lay leaders, blessed Archbishop Claude Miller, and stunned conference leader Bishop Edward Salmon.
All morning and into the early afternoon Bishop Salmon stressed the importance of the stewardship of the Gospel and the stewardship of ordained and lay leadership. Like every other stewardship expert who has been to the diocese, he stressed the stewardship of money is only one part of the stewardship story.
“As people’s lives become rooted in scripture we see them change and the differences are stunning … our congregations need the stewardship of the Gospel, we need to know the scriptures, to worship and fellowship together. A lot of cultural understandings have replaced scripture, we need to be rooted in the gospel of Jesus,” he said.
When he launched into his presentation on the stewardship of money he referred to an “every member canvass,” a process of pledging employed by his Episcopal parish in Washington, DC in particular and the Episcopal Church in the United States in general. In the autumn of each year parishioners are asked to pledge their offerings for the coming year. The parish budget is calculated on the total of the pledges.
Many of the New Brunswick Anglicans sitting before him in Trinity Church, Sussex, were unfamiliar with the practice. Several said: “We don’t do that.”
“I’m stunned!” said Bishop Salmon. “Then what do you do? Just expect people to give what you need?” Then he went on to lament that one of the things that gets the church in trouble is the way our culture deals with money, and that’s by not dealing with it.
He took a moment to scratch his head, re-group, and resumed his friendly and often humorous presentation. “Our culture values money, bases opinions of people on their wealth.” Jesus believes God himself bestowed our value. The only way to have dominion over money is to let it go, to be generous.
“Your givings to the church have to be related to God’s generosity,” he said. Generosity multiplies itself and changes your 
heart. “That’s the longest journey in the world, you know, the journey from your head to your heart.”
He encouraged the more than 200 conference participants to let money be talked about in their churches. “Don’t be ashamed to tell how much you give. If money is taboo, it reigns.”
He also told them to examine their own givings. If all the people at the conference were to increase their givings by just one per cent it would make very little, if any, difference to their personal finances, but it would make a very big difference to the church. And it would be the same the next year; another one per cent in givings would have little impact on them and a huge impact on the church. In that way they can also work toward their tithe, the biblical standard of giving.
“And when you add that one per cent, add a prayer for your rector too.”
Bishop Salmon met with the clergy on Friday afternoon and evening. Their focus was on vision and strategies. The Saturday presentations to both clergy and lay often focused on attitude and behaviours.
“The vitality of every congregation is in the hands of the people there, but circumstances rob us of that vitality.”
Recent studies in the diocese indicate that many parishes are in maintenance mode; they work to keep the lights on, to pay the oil bill, to fix the roof.
“We are in difficult economic times but so what?” said Bishop Salmon. “Don’t retrench or react, get out there and look after each other. Startle your community with the power of the Holy Spirit. No matter what, do mission.”
He advocated honesty and solidarity among parish leaders, saying there is room for disagreement at the vestry table, but not in the parking lot. “We need disagreements in order to make good decisions,” he said and admitted to abandoning plans and strategies because he was convinced in discussion that they were not the right actions at the right time. “But once the clergy and vestry have come to a consensus and a decision is made, it must be supported by everyone at the table.”
And he challenged leaders to keep their contracts formal rather than tacit. If you ask someone to do something, it doesn’t get done, and you don’t do anything about it, you are tacitly agreeing that it didn’t need to be done or wasn’t important, he said.
“Set visions for the congregation and stand on the stewardship of the Gospel,” he urged.
When a participant asked how and where the conversation around a new stewardship attitude should take place, Bishop Salmon was quick with a doable answer — immediately.
“When people say to you ‘You went to that conference in Sussex, didn’t you?’ tell them yes indeed you did. Then proceed to tell them all about what we have discussed here today. It is good to talk about this. And let me assure you, if you tell just three people about what went on here this weekend, it will be all over the church by the end of the week!
“And when it comes to pledges, just tell people that Christian giving is a spiritual issue … we must be generous to God as he is generous to us.” We must give him our first fruits; give our 10 per cent to the Lord off the top. “Then tell the people in your parish what you plan to give. It is only when your vestry knows what people plan to give that it can set the budget.”
A random sampling of participants’ comments at the conference made it clear that Bishop Salmon had inspired them. Jocelyn Green of the Parish of Denmark said, “Bishop Salmon is a fantastic man! I have six pages of notes and agree whole-heartedly with what he says.”
Ruth O’Donnell of the Parish of Ludlow and Blissfield said, “He knows what he is doing and he has a good message — we need to put our trust in the Lord.”
Don Thompson of Campbellton said, “I’m sure every parish here wishes they could have him come and help them develop a vision. Fortunately all the parishes will receive a video of the conference and it will be up to us to do something with it.”
When he thanked Bishop Salmon at the end of the conference, Archbishop Miller said, “I have been blessed today.” The conference participants responded with might applause.
Last June’s synod called for transformational change in this diocese. Renewal as Christians and Anglicans; preparation of our leaders for change; mission and ministry in our communities; and a major stewardship initiative were named the highest diocesan priorities.
Bishop Edward Salmon is a retired bishop of South Carolina and was credited with a profound renewal of its ministry. He spoke at a Diocese of Fredericton clergy conference in 2008 and is credited by many with an amazing improvement in clergy relations. His practical experience, Biblical scholarship, no-nonsense attitude and engaging style made him a popular choice to lead the stewardship conference. With more than 200 New Brunswick Anglicans registered, it was the largest gathering ever planned in the diocese, with the exception of synods.
Diocesan Communications
20 October 2009
