Becoming a congregation of generous, praise-giving people focused on God, not budgets, at the Prospect Congregational Church, United Church of Christ

The Prospect Congregational Church, United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Church with an active membership of 272. The church is located in Prospect, Connecticut, a Waterbury suburb, with a population of slightly less than 10,000 residents.;For many years the Prospect Congregational Church associated stewardship with money and budgets. We used a variety of stewardship programs, and spent time and money preparing stewardship material with clever themes that were designed for particular stewardship seasons lasting four to eight weeks. These publications raised awareness of relationship between the people and God. However, the goal was always the same, to meet a particular financial goal, or budget. Clergy fail to preach about money. We believe our congregations will not come to church if we speak that language.;As I experienced stewardship in my tenure with this church, I saw a formula for disaster. The Good News is we have learned a new way to praise God year round with our time, talent, and treasure. We were transformed by changing our language, and the way we have "always done" stewardship. We learned how to become faithful, generous, praise-giving disciples who understand we belong to God as we live in covenant relationship with God and one another.