By the Rev. Ben Nelson
Priest Assistant, St. Paul, Chattanooga

Now for me, the most wonderful aspect of this prayer is that it never mentions things like our good moods or our happiness, only the things that connect us on a deeper level like bravery and patience. It talks about security and sustenance, but only gives thanks for that which we have been given.

It is, in my opinion, the ultimate prayer of “abundance” theology. God is good, and we have been blessed by all that goodness; now what in the world are we going to do with it?

My task for writing this article is to look at stewardship from a generational perspective. This year I’ll celebrate my thirtythird birthday, which in the eyes of some doesn’t qualify me as much of an expert on anything – nor would I ever lay claim to such a title – but nevertheless, I’ve been asked to reflect on “my generation’s” view of stewardship.

The simple answer is, I haven’t the foggiest notion what my generation’s view of stewardship is, but I know it’s complicated and full of paradox.

What I do know is this: Christians in general and Episcopalians specifically, have a whole lot to be thankful for, and out of that gratitude comes a life-changing experience that is called stewardship – an experience that is less about expertise and more about being open to new ways of expressing thanks.

Generally speaking, younger generations aren’t expected to take active roles in church leadership. Sometimes we aren’t asked to participate, and we aren’t always encouraged as the next generation of leadership because what we say and do might be a little bit different or scary (and certainly done and said without much expertise).

Now, there are notable exceptions, but when I look around committees and stewardship programs across the country, the rooms aren’t usually filled with Gen-Xers and thirty-somethings. So how do we do it? How do we engage the younger generations with the ideas surrounding stewardship? Again the answer, as I see it, is complicated and full of paradox, but based on the idea of expressing gratitude in our everyday lives.

It might be important to mention that I don’t see the work of other generations as broken or deficient. Many of our most valuable stewardship lessons are handed down from generation to generation, in simple and wonderful ways.

Having people who are willing to walk with different generations is a wonderful gift that expresses stewardship in a very real way. We don’t need more experts, just more companionship, more invitation, more open thinking to new and exciting ways of offering thanks to God with our lives. The diocesan stewardship commission has tons of resources for just this type of approach, and most of the time it takes the form of mentors and trainers who are ready and willing to walk with a congregation on their stewardship journey.

That wonderful prayer of thanks on page 837 in the prayer book has a phrase that I think is monumentally helpful when discussing stewardship in any generation. We offer our thanks “for minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve” hoping that each part of who we are will be used fully in our stewardship of time, talent and yes, treasure.

Sure, we’re all at different places in our stewardship journey, but no matter what the generation, our journey is often challenged by our relationship to the “stuff” we have.

Every generation needs to realize that we can’t make the journey alone. I need you, and you need me to fully realize our roles as a people of radical thanksgiving.

Like our relationship with one another, our relationship with stewardship will always be complicated and full of paradox, but with open minds, and joyful hearts, we can find new and exciting ways to work together in God’s kingdom.

The hope I have for my generation – and for every other generation – is that we will continue to make stewardship about gratitude for the blessings that have been so freely bestowed upon us, and that we, as a church, will continue to encourage new ways of expressing this thanks in all that we do.

For more information about stewardship in the Diocese of East Tennessee, contact Herb Berl, the diocesan stewardship officer, at stewardship@etdiocese.net or 865-966-2110.