Stewardship

Serving Our Parish with Good Stewardship

The Stewardship Committee, known in Arabic as Lijnat Al Waqf, is a dedicated group of parishioners who work alongside the Parish Priest to ensure the responsible management of the Parish's temporal goods, finances and assets.

Appointed by the Bishop, the Committee serves as an advisory body to the Parish Priest, providing governance, oversight and professional expertise to support the ongoing mission of Our Lady of Lebanon Parish. Through careful planning and responsible stewardship, we help ensure the Parish remains financially sustainable and well-positioned to serve our community for generations to come.

Our Purpose

The Stewardship Committee is committed to ensuring the Parish has the resources it needs to support its pastoral, spiritual and community mission. Our responsibilities include:

• Managing and safeguarding all Parish properties, land and assets.
• Ensuring Parish resources are used responsibly and effectively for the benefit of the community.
• Honouring the intentions and wishes of our generous benefactors and donors.
• Supporting the long-term financial sustainability of the Parish.
• Providing sound advice to the Parish Priest on financial, property and governance matters.

What We Do

Behind the scenes, the Committee undertakes a broad range of responsibilities that help ensure the smooth operation of parish life including:

• Supporting the Parish Priest with financial, administrative and operational matters.
• Overseeing the collections, recording and management of donations, offerings and pledges.
• Managing the maintenance and improvement of Parish buildings, offices, facilities and grounds.
• Ensuring the church's liturgical infrastructure, including lighting, sound systems and musical instruments, is maintained to a high standard.
• Supporting the welfare and living requirements of our clergy.
• Assisting in the planning and delivery of major parish and liturgical celebrations.
• Overseeing the cleanliness, presentation and upkeep of parish facilities.
• Maintaining accurate financial records, asset registers and expenditure reports.

How the Committee Operates

The Stewardship Committee operates with accountability, transparency and professional governance.

• The Committee is chaired by the Parish Priest and includes a Coordinator, Secretary, Treasurer and Advisers.
• Members are nominated by the Parish Priest and formally appointed by the Bishop for a three-year term.
• Members are practising parishioners of good standing who bring professional expertise in areas such as finance, accounting, law, construction, engineering, business or property.
• The Committee meets monthly to review finances, discuss strategic priorities and oversee parish initiatives.
• Decisions are made collaboratively, with the Parish Priest exercising leadership while considering the views of the Committee.
• A summary of the Parish's financial position is published regularly to keep parishioners informed.
• An independent external audit of the parish's finances is conducted annually to ensure financial integrity and accountability.

Our Commitment

As faithful stewards of the parish's resources, the Committee is committed to serving with integrity, transparency and accountability. Every decision we make is guided by our responsibility to support the mission of the Church, preserve the generosity of our parish community and ensure that Our Lady of Lebanon Parish continues to flourish for future generations.