Centering (5 minutes)

This is a time to make the transition from the busy world to the group experience. A member of the group may read these words from Unitarian Universalist minister Richard Fewkes:

For the sun and the dawn which we did not create,
For the moon and the evening which we did not make;
For the food which we plant but cannot grow;
For friends and loved ones we have not earned and cannot buy;
For this gathered company, which welcomes us as we are, from wherever we have come;
For all our free churches that keep us human and encourage us in our quest for beauty, truth, and love;
For all things which come to us as gifts of being from sources beyond ourselves;
Gifts of life and love and friendship
We lift up our hearts in thanks this day.

Check-in (10 to 25 minutes)

Each person in the group has the opportunity to share something about his or her life. What significant events have taken place recently in your life? Have you accomplished something meaningful to you? Have you experienced any losses or setbacks? Have you had any insights or new ideas?

Group Discussion (45 to 70 minutes)

Our spiritual theme for this month is Stewardship. We will explore the spiritual theme of Stewardship by asking questions such as these: What is the difference between stewardship and ownership? What would it mean for us to think of ourselves as stewards of the earth? As stewards of our bodies? As stewards of our financial resources?

For group discussion, please consider the questions associated with one or more of the following numbered sections. You need not address all of these sections, and you need not address them in this order.

1.What does it mean to be a steward of something rather than an owner? Suppose you adopted the attitude that you are the steward of your body and your possessions and your financial resources rather than the owner. How would that change your life?

2.Suppose you adopted the attitude that you are a steward of the earth. How would that change your life?

3.Suppose you adopted the attitude that you are a steward of the human family. How would that change your life?

4. Bill McKibben wrote, “The story of the twentieth century was finding out just how big and powerful we were. And it turns out that we’re big and powerful as all get out. The story of the twenty-first century is going to be finding out if we can figure out ways to get smaller nor not. To see if we can summon the will, and then the way, to make ourselves somewhat smaller, and try to fit back into this planet.”

Would you agree? Does practicing good stewardship at this time include making ourselves somewhat smaller? Does practicing good stewardship at this time include trying to fit back into this planet?

5. Are you comfortable with the amount of your household income that you give away? What would persuade you to give away more of your household income?

6. The Unitarian Universalist tradition does not insist that church members tithe, that is, give away ten percent of their household income to support their congregations. How would our churches be different if we did follow this practice? Some Unitarian Universalists try to manage a “liberal tithe,” which means giving five percent of their household income to their church and five percent to worthy institutions in the larger community. What do you think of this?

Conclusion (5 to 10 minutes)

What will you take away from this discussion? What would have made this time together more meaningful or satisfying to you? What did you enjoy? A group member may share this message from an anonymous source:

Our typxwritxr brokx whxn wx startxd this articlx and wx had to finish it with an old onx. It works quite wxll xxcxpt for onx of thx kxys. Who’d think that onx kxy would makx such a diffxrxncx, but it doxs. Xvxry kxy is nxxdxd working with thx othxrs to do thx job. Maybx you fxxl somxtimxs that bxcausx you arx only onx of sxvxral hundrxd mxmbxrs that you arx not important to thx succxss of thx church. You ARX! It is thx good work of xvxryonx, xach doing his or hxr sharx, that kxxps this church alivx and hxalthy.