Father Robert A. Schremmer, Vicar General, is excited about this conference and suggests that there will be something of benefit for everyone attending. The mix of language and presentations, along with some not so common stewardship topics such as "socially responsible investing" and "discerning our gifts and charisms," promises to add to one’s understanding of stewardship and how God is calling each person to steward those gifts He has entrusted to each one of us.

The registration fee for the day is $10, which includes lunch and break refreshments. The deadline for registering is Aug. 20. The day will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude with the regularly scheduled English Mass at the Cathedral at 5 p.m. Bishop Gilmore will be the celebrant and homilist for the Mass.

Parish leadership, including school councils, parish councils, finance councils, and all other councils, are encouraged to attend. Teachers, staff, religion teachers as well as those wishing to enhance their understanding of stewardship, are also encouraged to attend.

Stremel, who has been assisted in planning this day with Father Schremmer and other members of the diocesan stewardship committee, believes that the day will be very worthwhile.

"The day is intended to be one of many ongoing efforts on the part of the diocese to continue to spread the stewardship message and to provide educational opportunities for those who want to become better stewards," Stremel said. There are several other stewardship-related sessions in the planning stages, including a stewardship day with the priests, and a short video regarding the stewardship effort that will be played in parishes in the fall.

The day will include several presenters, both priests and lay men and women, who will relate their stewardship experiences. Rev. Jerome A. Beat, Priest Moderator - Cursillo Movement and Chaplain at Via Christi Medical Center, St. Joseph Campus in Wichita joins the conference and will relate a message of stewardship with the Spanish speaking audience. Rev. C. Jarrod Lies will also present a witness talk to the English speaking audience and brings a stewardship perspective to the conference with emphasis on family and his own vocation. He currently serves as Chaplain at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Wichita.

Witness presentations will be given by David and Glenna Borho from Sacred Heart Parish in Pratt, Deacon Oscar and Marta Rodriguez from St. Anthony Parish in Liberal, and Jose and Maria Sanchez from St. Mary Parish in Garden City. Jodi Olivarez, Director of Administration and Stewardship at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Dodge City, together with members of the parish stewardship committee, will offer a workshop about practical stewardship initiatives that have been successful at the cathedral parish.

Diocesan leaders who are involved with the Called and Gifted process through the Catherine of Sienna Institute will lead a workshop that will focus on discerning our gifts and charisms and how we are all called to use them in service to God and to others. Gary Bartak, Senior Institutional Consultant with Smith Barney, and diocesan investment consultant, will present the workshop topic "Socially Responsible Investing". This workshop will help us as individuals to compare Catholic moral teachings to our own investment philosophies and how each of us as Christian stewards can be better stewards with our own investments.

Stremel will present a workshop on the stewardship effort in the Diocese of Dodge City and will focus on where we have been, as well as help explain the recent changes in the process. He will also offer implementation ideas for parish leadership. A similar presentation will be offered in Spanish as well. Looking at stewardship from a Hispanic perspective will be another workshop topic offered during the afternoon.

In 2001, the diocese began the implementation of a three-year process in which the Diocesan Stewardship Appeal was phased out in favor of parish stewardship contributions. Beginning with the July 1, 2004 fiscal year, all national and diocesan collections have been eliminated and parishioners are being asked to support the parish with their gifts of treasure, including those gifts previously given in support of the national collections and the Diocesan Stewardship Appeal (DSA). The parishes, in turn, will be submitting 10 percent of their envelope and loose collections to the diocese to be used to support both diocesan ministries and the many national collections that exist.

The diocese regularly submits contributions in lieu of a collection to each of the national collections from a portion of the parish stewardship contributions. These changes will be explained and discussed further during the "Where are we now?" workshop session.