In
Methodism
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's br ...
, a steward is a member of a
local church Local church may refer to:
* Church, a congregation meeting in a particular location
* Local churches (affiliation), a Christian group founded by Watchman Nee
* Parish church, a local church united with other parishes under a bishop or presbyter
* C ...
who is elected by the congregation to help in the practical life of the church. The position of stewards is a hallmark of classic Methodism.
__NOTOC__
General characteristics and duties
Stewardship is a
voluntary role. Duties include greeting all those who attend church upon their arrival, assisting in the distribution of
Holy Communion
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...
(in which they are known as
communion stewards), counting the
tithe
A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more r ...
s and
offerings given to the church, and ensuring that the
local preacher
A Methodist local preacher, also known as a licensed preacher, is a layperson who has been accredited by the Methodist Church to lead worship and preach on a frequent basis. With separation from the Church of England by the end of the 18th century ...
is cared for when he or she arrives to preach at a church.
This may involve the steward providing a travelling local preacher with a meal at the steward's home after the
service of worship
A church service (or a service of worship) is a formalized period of Christian communal worship, often held in a church building. It often but not exclusively occurs on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sa ...
as historic Methodism teaches
Sunday Sabbatarianism
Sabbatarianism advocates the observation of the Sabbath in Christianity, in keeping with the Ten Commandments.
The observance of Sunday as a day of worship and rest is a form of first-day Sabbatarianism, a view which was historically heralded ...
, which prohibits dining at restaurants on the
Lord's Day (cf. ''
outward holiness
Outward holiness, or external holiness, is a Wesleyan–Arminian doctrine emphasizing modest dress and sober speech. It is a testimony of a Christian believer's regeneration, done in obedience to God. The doctrine is prevalent among denominations ...
'').
Subsets of certain Methodist
connexions, such as the
Wesleyan Methodist Church, historically included
circuit stewards,
society
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...
stewards, chapel stewards, poor stewards (who counted the offerings), and communion stewards.
The 1908 ''
Book of Discipline
A Book of Discipline (or in its shortened form Discipline) is a book detailing the beliefs, standards, doctrines, canon law, and polity of a particular Christian denomination. They are often re-written by the governing body of the church concerned ...
'' of the U.S.
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...
provided the following standard to be used in appointing stewards, which continues to be found in the Book of Disciplines of certain successor connexions today: "Let the Stewards be persons of solid
piety
Piety is a virtue which may include religious devotion or spirituality. A common element in most conceptions of piety is a duty of respect. In a religious context piety may be expressed through pious activities or devotions, which may vary among ...
who are members of the Church in the
Charge, who both know and love Methodist Doctrine and Discipline, and are of good natural and acquired abilities to transact the temporal business of the Church."
Role in examining probationary members
In the historic Methodist practice concerning
church membership, probationers seeking full membership in their Methodist connexion, after their six-month proving period, sit before the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting of the local congregation, which consists of
class leaders and stewards, where they are to provide "satisfactory assurance both of the correctness of his faith and of his willingness to observe and keep the rules of the church."
Following this, the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting approves the probationer for full membership in the church.
This traditional practice of the Methodist Episcopal Church in admitting full members continues in many Methodist connexions today, such as the Lumber River Conference of the Holiness Methodist Church and the
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
African or Africans may refer to:
* Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa:
** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa
*** Ethn ...
.
See also
*
Churchwarden
*
Class leader
*
Deaconess
*
Itinerant preacher
References
External links
{{Wiktionary, steward
Church Stewards - Stratford Methodist ChurchWesleyan Methodist Stewards
Methodist ecclesiastical offices