The Episcopal Church Center's Office of Stewardship is presenting a three-day conference, "Will Our Children Be Stewards?" on July 14-17, at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Statistics show that children (through age 13) have some $40 billion in spending money and influence the spending of an additional $600 billion annually. Financial management resources available for children focus on saving and spending; however, little is available about giving and sharing.
The conference seeks to answer the question: “With our children receiving some 3,000 messages a day urging them to spend, where is the voice in the village inviting them to share?”
Church leaders, educators, parents, relatives and friends concerned about the growing effect of the commercial culture on family life and children are urged to attend.
"I am delighted at all who are coming [to the conference]," said Terry Parsons, missioner for stewardship in the Church Center and conference leader. "It's more than just Episcopalians, it’s ecumenical."
Featured speakers will include the Rev. David Bell of the Center for Christian Stewardship of the United Methodist Church; Nathan Dungan, founder and president of Share Save Spend, LLC, an organization that helps people of all ages develop and maintain healthy financial habits; author Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, director of Family and Congregational Initiatives and senior advisor to the president of Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Gary Ruskin, co-founder of Commercial Alert, a nonprofit organization that protects children and communities from commercialism.
Workshop topics include:
- Leaving a Legacy of Stewardship Through Your Estate
- Making Stewardship a Family Affair
- Confronting Commercialism through Media
There will also be a special presentation by Friends of the Groom, a Cincinnati-based theater company dedicated to communicating the Christian message in an entertaining and challenging format.
"I expect nothing less than revolutionary, so essentially anyone who is interested in writing the new agenda for children and stewardship ministry...ya'll come," said Parsons.
For additional information and registration email Sarah Johnson at sajohnson@episcopalchurch.org or call 800.334.7626 ext. 6283.
Note: The following titles are available from the Episcopal Book/Resource Center, 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017; 800.334.7626; 212.716.6118 or http://www.episcopalbookstore.org/
To Read: LIVING BOUNTIFULLY: The Blessing of Responsible Stewardship by Linda H. Hollies (Cleveland, Ohio: The Pilgrim Press, 2005; 105 pages; $16.)
From the publisher: This book is about responsible stewardship in every area of our lives. This book is about how we can extract principles from the folks who have 'been there, done that, and made it to the record book!' This book is about the freedom that we can experience, the lives that we can live and the joyous enthusiasm that we can spread as we apply God's economic principles in our lives."
Linda H. Hollies is an ordained United Methodist minister and a popular writer and speaker. She is one of the Pilgrim Press's bestselling authors. She is the spiritual director/pastoral counselor of Woman Space in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she resides.
To Read: GROWING UP GENEROUS: Engaging Youth in Giving and Serving by Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Elanah Dalyah Naftali and Laura Musegades (Herndon, Virginia: The Alban Institute, 2000; 197 pages; $17.95.)
From the publisher: This groundbreaking addition to Alban's acclaimed Money, Faith, and Lifestyle Series creates a mosaic of what is happening - and could happen - in American Jewish and Christian congregations to cultivate in young people a deep and lasting commitment to giving and serving. Based on a two-year project by the Search Institute, a nonprofit research and education organization that specializes in the healthy development of children and adolescents, Growing Up Generous recognizes and highlights the roles of various congregational leaders (not only youth leaders) in shaping the attitudes of young people.
Eugene C. Roehlkepartain is chief communications officer for Search Institute. He is author or co-author of numerous books and reports on youth, youth work, and congregational life.
Elanah Dalyah Naftali, a rabbinical student, is a former research scientist for Search Institute who was instrumental in the research process for identifying the congregations featured in this book. Her areas of expertise include outcome measurement, maternal and child health, child development, epidemiology, and nutrition and dietetics.
Laura Musegades is a licensed psychologist who served as a research assistant for Search Institute's Habits of the Heart project. She maintains a private psychology practice in St. Paul, Minnesota.
