Stewardship devotees should “start their engines” for the 2008 Regional Stewardship Conference, to be held in Concord, N.C., home of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, on April 19 at the Embassy Suites Hotel/Concord Convention Center. The conference will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and end with Mass at 4 p.m.

The event will be hosted by the Diocese of Charlotte and co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the dioceses of Raleigh, Charleston and Savannah. This conference has a proven six-year “track” record of energizing the hundreds of participants who strive to promote stewardship as a way of life in parishes throughout the Southeast.

This year the field consists of some of the best stewardship speakers in the country. The keynote speaker, Bishop J. Kevin Boland, of the Diocese of Savannah, is recognized internationally for his commitment to the stewardship way of life. He sees stewardship as a process of ongoing conversion and an invitation to experience the abundance of God’s love. His Irish stories and humor will drive home the real heart of stewardship.

Sharon Hueckel, director of parish administration at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Claremont, Calif., will speak on “Blending Multiple Cultures in the Parish.” Handouts for this talk will be available in both English and Spanish.

Father Eric Hill, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Decatur, will speak about his own parish’s stewardship journey. He said that his parish is a “parish in process.” Stewardship is an ongoing trip with joys and achievements as well as a few detours and even some blowouts.

Just as a good pit-crew is crucial to the success of a racing team, the success of a parish stewardship effort often rests in the hands of a good stewardship committee. Jeannette Vallee from St. John Neumann Church in Columbia, S.C., and Jack McGovern from Blessed Sacrament Church in Charleston, S.C., will share the ways they have developed their respective committees into a well-oiled team.

A good racing team brings their love of the sport into everything they do, just as a committed stewardship parish brings the message into all aspects of ministry. Msgr. Anthony J. Marcaccio and his team of stewards from St. Pius X Church in Greensboro, N.C., will share how to infuse the message and meaning of stewardship into everything from the weekend liturgy to elder ministry.

On race weekends it takes the combined talents of the driver, pit crew, the owners, promoters and even the hot dog vendors to provide a sensational racing experience. Everyone has something to offer. And so it is in the parish—everyone has something to contribute to the life of the parish. Leisa Anslinger, pastoral associate for evangelization, catechesis and stewardship at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, will explore ways to help parishioners identify their strengths and talents.

In the race for new ways to promote stewardship in parishes, why reinvent the wheel? The conference’s best practices roundtable discussions will provide a great time to share individual experiences and learn from the good work of others. Christine Heusinger, coordinator for stewardship from the Archdiocese of Atlanta, will facilitate this session.

Whether those working in stewardship are just spinning their wheels or out there in the pole position of the “Stewardship 600,” the 2008 Regional Stewardship Conference has something for all to bring back to their parishes. All are invited to tune-up their efforts to promote stewardship as a way of life in their own faith communities, especially pastors, parochial vicars, deacons, stewardship committees, pastoral council members, faith formation staff, catechists, youth ministers and lay ministers.

The Embassy Suites Hotel/Concord Convention Center is located at 5400 John Q. Hammons Drive, NW, Concord, N.C. The deadline for registration is April 5. The fee of $40 per person includes continental breakfast, conference materials, breaks, and lunch.