The Next Step: Honoring Our Legacy of Stewardship - Part I
The Next Step: Honoring Our Legacy of Stewardship - Part II
Community, Contribution, and Commitment
0f What Are We Stewards
Pledge Form
PAR - Pre-Authorized Remittance

"It is not enough for the Church simply to "keep on keeping on". We need to permit ourselves to dream, to surpass the status quo and to ask what we could and should be doing. To realize our deepest vocation we will surely need to develop ourselves as stewards. Indeed, while the gifts we give will never save us, our acts of stewardship, in so far as they are in keeping with God's plan for humanity, do offer us the dignity of participation in God's plan of redemption."

Our Founding

The inaugural service of Riverbend United Church was held on Thanksgiving Sunday, October 12, 1980. The setting was the music room of a neighborhood elementary school- A motion passed at the annual meeting of St. Paul's United Church, January 30, 1980, had preceded this early step in the journey of our congregation. By that motion, the St. Paul's congregation committed itself to fostering development of a new church in the rapidly growing Riverbend area. At the time, seven other United Church congregations were being established in new neighborhoods springing up across Edmonton. Riverbend, however, was different. From the beginning, the dominant vision of the congregation was a traditional church structure - a dedicated home for the new congregation, Edmonton's eight new congregations heard different calls - Riverbend heard a call to build.

Build It - They Will Come

Reverend Malcolm Profitt, who came to serve the Riverbend congregation in 1984, would trumpet that call. The congregational roll at that time totaled only 50 families. However, Rev. Profitt was convinced that the vision of a church building could and should become a reality. He warned that going forward was the only possible direction. He believed that simply "keeping on” in a school setting would ultimately result in burnout of the founding families. At the same time, he stressed that the lack of visibility associated with a school setting would surely stunt future growth.

Emboldened by Rev. Profitt's exhortations, the Riverbend congregation embarked on a building campaign. With the support of Edmonton Presbytery and the national church, the Riverbend congregation raised money, volunteered countless hours, and donated supplies and materials. Through giving of their "time, talents, and treasures", our church home became a reality. In March 1989, the first service was held in our beautiful sanctuary.

Honoring Our Legacy

Those who founded the Riverbend congregation, constructed our sanctuary and built today's ministry were stewards. Their gifts of time, talents and treasures alloyed with faith and hope transformed a vision into reality. Today's congregation is now called to demonstrate its faith through honoring that legacy of stewardship. Like our church founders, we face only one viable direction - to move forward. Simply keeping on is not enough. In that regard, we face two clear challenges: we need to attend to our inheritance, and we need to renew our congregational vision.

Faith, Finances, Furnaces and Forecasts

As good stewards of our inheritance, we need to adopt an attitude of abundance. Stewardship committees can often feel overwhelmed when they calculate the time, talent and treasures required by the church. Scarcity of financial resources can easily become the dominant perspective. But Riverbend United serves one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world. Financial resources are not scarce - we are simply called to put our faith into action through stewardship.
Our challenge to demonstrate our faith is made tangible by the need to replace our furnaces. The furnaces underscore the reality that our building is aging. Over the next few years, we will be consistently called to acknowledge our legacy of stewardship through the need for capital funding to replace / upgrade the capital plant. With regard to forecasts, it is likely that it will cost somewhere in excess of $950.00 a day to support our ministry.

"Isn't it the duty of churches, religions, humanitarian organizations, social workers, schools of thought, and local governments to create situations, places of belonging and of dialogue, where we can discover that we can grow in love, finding healing for our hearts, and do something worthwhile for others?"

The Ad Hoc Committee

In early 2002, a group of communicants came together to review the status of stewardship and finance at Riverbend United. This ad hoc committee discussed a variety of challenges confronting Riverbend United. They included:

• An aging facility that required a capital replacement program ·
• An expanding and increasingly diverse congregation with specific needs ·
• A staff budget that provided minimal levels of compensation ·
• A relatively low level of average giving per household ·
• A relatively low number of households on PAR ·
• Wide fluctuations in giving from season to season ·
• Challenges in cash flow in the summer months, and a high dependency on givings during the Christmas season ·
• The trend towards social events becoming fundraisers ·
• An ongoing need for volunteers (e.g. ushers, teachers of Sunday School, members of committees)

The ad hoc committee decided on the following:

• To carry out a visitation of those households which were not currently pledging
• To encourage households to both make a pledge, and to utilize PAR
• To encourage contribution to a new Growth Fund which would provide for capital replacement and new equipment
• To provide a commitment form where communicants could pledge their time, talents and treasures in one place. The form would also provide for special contributions to the Growth Fund and enrollment in PAR.

The visitation was carried out in the spring of 2002, and it was generally successful. A good start was made on the Growth Fund and more households enrolled 'in PAR. Gifts to the Growth Fund and PAR commitments proved to be very helpful in managing cash flow crunches in the summer months.

Stewardship Beyond Finance

In the fall, a revamped Stewardship and Finance Committee met to evaluate the work of the ad hoc committee, and to plan a more comprehensive approach to stewardship. During a series of meetings held throughout October and November, the Committee determined:

• That development and transmission of a message that stewardship was more than finance was an imperative.
• That the Stewardship and Finance Committee needed to open a dialogue with the congregation
• That a communication strategy outlining the financial status of the congregation was an imperative.

Having determined that stewardship needed to be defined in a broad way, the Stewardship and Finance Committee initiated discussion on the question," of what are we stewards?" Among other things, the Committee felt our stewardship responsibilities included the following:

• The legacy of Christ's teachings. Central to this legacy is Jesus' exhortation to love one another,
• The legacy of the Christian Church - a responsibility we acknowledge on All Saints Day
• The legacy of the United Church of Canada, and its founding faith communities - Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregationalist
• The legacy of the founders and builders of Riverbend United
• The core strengths of Riverbend's ministry – worship, music, outreach, parish nursing, Sunday School and youth ministry
  With this five point focus in mind, the Committee reflected on a renewed vision of stewardship within Riverbend United.

A Connected Congregation

During these reflections, the Stewardship and Finance Committee recalled some of the findings from last year's focus groups. These groups had convened to discuss the question "What does it mean to be a member of Riverbend United Church?" Those findings included a perceived drift to anonymity - as our congregation has grown, we have lost the personal connection to each other, which was a strength in our past. Focus group observations also included a reference to "knives and forkers" - a metaphor borrowed from service clubs where a portion of membership limits its connection to attendance at monthly luncheons. The Committee also reflected on the centrality of participation in a faith community - a shared sense of spirituality.
With these discussions in mind, the Committee is considering the following questions:

• How can stewardship be made an integral part of our church life as opposed to a fund-raising campaign?
• How can we engage the congregation in dialogue on entrancing connectedness between individuals, families, and households on the one hand, and the Riverbend United faith community on the other?
• How can we connect the spiritual journey of Riverbend United to the spiritual journey of those who worship there?

A Committed Congregation

At the same time that the Stewardship and Finance Committee reflected on connectedness, the Committee was reminded of the need for commitment from our congregation. Committee members discussed the importance of acknowledging the stewards of the past, and were also mindful of the need to foster the growth of stewards for the future. Finally, the Committee recognized the tangible financial challenges of the present.

The Stewardship and Finance Committee is therefore inviting the congregation to demonstrate its commitment to the Life and work of Riverbend United in a variety of ways. These include:

• Making or renewing an annual pledge
• Enrolling in PAR (PreAuthorized Remittance)
• Making a gift of time and talent as a volunteer
• Making a contribution to the Growth Fund
• Making a contribution to the Furnace Fund

What is Stewardship?

Stewardship is a way of life through which we express our faith in Jesus Christ, our calling to ministry and our commitment to support His church.

Stewardship focuses on three particular aspects of stewardship:

• A celebration of community
• An opportunity to contribute
• A commitment of financial support.

Through Stewardship we hope to achieve the following:

• Obtain sufficient pledges to meet our annual commitments.
• Build a Growth Fund totaling $150,000 in pledges.
• Develop a full roster of volunteers.

Through Stewardship, the congregation of Riverbend United Church has an opportunity to celebrate and renew its commitment to community. We express this commitment in the following ways: ·

• Inclusion:
  We at Riverbend United celebrate the fact that we are an inter-generational congregation. We believe that seniors, adults, youth, and children are all vital elements of a healthy Christian community.
• Diversity:
  Many members of our congregation have deep roots in the traditions of the United Church of Canada. Many others, however, have their origins in other cultures and fai traditions. At Riverbend United we believe the interaction between these different faith traditions enhances our understanding of God and renews our faith in Jesus Christ.
• Caring.
  We are a caring community at Riverbend United. We express this caring through communal worship, pastoral care programs, and a ministry of parish nursing. As a church we are committed to providing support to one another as we face both daily stresses and the intermittent crises that punctuate our lives.
• Outreach:
  We are committed to reaching out to the disadvantaged both within our locality and the global village. At Riverbend United we are called to reach out at home and abroad.

Through the physical presence of its building and through its action as a faith community, Riverbend United symbolizes the contributions made by members of its congregation. Our church's founders struggled to build a beautiful facility. Today's members contribute through their gifts of music, teaching, serving on committees, ushering worship services, and organizing social events. As our congregation grows and the facility ages, we need to enhance the contributions made by the congregation. This growing opportunity for individuals and families to contribute to their church includes the following areas:

• An aging facility - as our building ages we must anticipate major expenditures such as replacement of flooring, roofing, and exterior fascia. Responsible stewardship requires dealing with physical deterioration of the facility. Funds are needed for ongoing maintenance and replacement.
• A growing congregation - as our congregation grows in size and diversity we need to provide enhanced accommodations. ·
• A responsible employer - with the challenges of growth greater demands are placed on our staff. As we value our staff and their well being and are committed to social justice we must be prepared to support and fairly compensate our employees.

Stewardship invites you to make your personal commitment of support. Stewardship provides an opportunity for making that commitment in three different ways. They are as follows:

• Support the Growth Fund - provide a contribution to a fund dedicated to the ongoing enhancement, renovation, and maintenance of the church facility.
• Serve as a Volunteer - offer your commitment to usher on Sunday, serve on a committee, teach Sunday school, etc.
• Pledge a Monthly Gift - make your commitment of support to the ongoing ministry of Riverbend United.

Stewardship continues the spiritual journey of Riverbend United under the theme "Of What are we Stewards?"
Through reflection and discussion on this question members of Riverbend United's faith community are challenged to:

• Discern their personal calls to stewardship.
• Commit their time, talents and treasures to this call.
• Deepen their attachments to the faith community they have chosen as their spiritual home.

• Inclusion
  We at Riverbend United celebrate the fact that we are an inter-generational congregation. We believe that seniors, adults, youth, and children are all vital elements of a healthy Christian community.
• Diversity
  Many members of our congregation have deep roots in the traditions of the United Church of Canada. Many others, however, have their origins in other cultures and faith traditions. At Riverbend United we believe the interaction between these different faith traditions enhances our understanding of God and renews our faith in Jesus Christ.
• Caring
  We are a caring community at Riverbend United. We express this caring through communal worship, pastoral care programs, and a ministry of parish nursing. As a church we are committed to providing support to one another as we face both daily stresses and the intermittent crises that punctuate our lives.
• Outreach
  We are committed to reaching out to the disadvantaged both within our locality and the global village. At Riverbend United we are called to reach out at home and abroad.

• Serve as a Volunteer – offer your commitment to usher on Sunday, serve on a committee, teach Sunday School, etc.
• Support the Growth Fund – provide a contribution to a fund dedicated to the ongoing enhancement, renovation, and maintenance of the church facility.
• Pledge a Monthly Gift – make your commitment of support to the ongoing ministry of Riverbend United.

• Obtain sufficient pledges to meet our annual commitments
• Build a Growth Fund over the next three years totaling $150,000 in pledges
• Develop a full roster of volunteers.

Call the church office at 430-7275 to obtain a copy of the Pledge Form for your use. Please complete and return it to the church office and help make Stewardship this year a great success.

”Whether or not I am there … my church has on-going commitments every week that need my offering. My church is important to me, and so is my financial commitment to its work. That is why I use the PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance) system to fulfill my commitment."

If you have automatic cheques going to your bank account to pay for insurance, cable TV, taxes, fuel, or mortgage, then you understand the PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance) principle. It means regular contributions throughout the year.

Many people use the PAR system for their church offering, finding it a convenient way to take care of their regular commitments to the church month by month. You can participate in this program.

Your account will be debited on or about the 20th of the month and your congregation's account credited with the amount payable from all members who participate.

There may be a small administrative fee, for each entry, and each cheque processed.

How to get involved:

Riverbend United Church, under The United church of Canada does participate in PAR. If you are going to participate, then you:

1. Decide the amount of your monthly offering.
2. Fill in the Authorization Card and attach a sample cheque from your account marked "Sample" or "Void".
3. Give both to Alex Cooper, Treasurer, or Teneke Baayan, Office Administrator-Finance, or place both stapled together on the offering plate.

1. Regular support of your church in the amount that you choose.
2. Continual support of your church when you are away.
3. Avoidance of "catch-up" periods.

1. Regular, dependable flow of contributions
2. Reduction of paper work and bookkeeping
3. Reduction in bank overdrafts

The basic purpose of the program is to ensure regular monthly givings to help pay church expenses. The more people on the program the more valuable and viable it will be.

Please give this serious consideration and help us achieve a higher level of participation in the PAR program. You can take the next step by obtaining the registration form (PAR Authorization Card) from the church or Contact Us to have it mailed to your e-mail address.

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