Stewardship

“ What shall I give to the Lord in return for all His benefits towards me?” (Ps 116:2)


The Holy Eucharist is called Holy Communion because it unites us as the Body of Christ. The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word for thanksgiving. This is what we do when we celebrate the Divine Liturgy – we are giving thanks. The Eucharist – the sacrament of Holy Communion – is the focus of our parish life. It is through the Eucharist that we take on our true nature as the Church of Jesus Christ. We are transformed from a human community into the Body of Christ.

Stewardship is our response to God’s grace and moves us from grace to gratitude. Just as we love because God first loved us (I John 4:14), we give because God first gave to us. The question of the Psalmist “What shall I give to the Lord in return for all His benefits towards me?” (Ps 116:2), is answered in every liturgy when we pray, “Let us offer our- selves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.”

Through Holy Communion, we are drawn out of ourselves and embrace the mission of our parish. We carry the fire of God’s love within us with the power to renew all things. When we understand the true meaning of the Holy Eucharist, we bridge the gap between liturgy and life, between the love of Jesus on cross and our daily lives, between our beautiful theology and practical stewardship. As Eucharistic Orthodox Christians, we see the world as God’s gift. We offer the world back to God in thanksgiving with the words, “Thine own of Thine own we offer to Thee....”


What is Christian Stewardship?

Christian Stewardship is…

  • Learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ’s Church; it is learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church work, for in Her dwells the fullness of the Spirit of God.

  • Our active commitment to use all our time, talent and treasure for the benefit of humankind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ’s redeeming love.

  • Caring for the needs of others.

  • Offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us.

  • What a person does after saying “I believe…” as proof of that belief.

  • Devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as diocese/metropolis, as national Church and as Church universal.

(GOARCH Stewardship Ministries)

The continuation of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Wilkes-Barre is dependent on the will of our parishioners. The stewardship program provides parishioners with the opportunity to support the church according to each person's specific circumstances and financial status. Thank you in advance for all your support of the continued operations of the parish.

The 2020 Stewardship Form is attached below. By filling out the stewardship form, the church's files containing your information will be updated. After completing the stewardship form, please give it to a member of the parish council or mail it to the church.

If you have any questions, send an e-mail to GreekOrthodoxChurch@hotmail.com .