Steward (Methodism)
In Methodism, a steward is a member of a local church 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. 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 (in which they are known as communion stewards), counting the tithes and offerings given to the church, and ensuring that the local preacher 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 as historic Methodism teaches Sunday Sabbatarianism, which prohibits dining at restaurants on the Lord's Day (cf. outward holiness). Subsets of certain Methodist connexions, such as the Wesleyan Methodist Church, historically included circuit stewards, society stewards, chapel stewards, poor stewards (who counted the offerings), and communion stewards. The 1908 Book of Discipline of the U.S. Methodist Episcopal Church provided the following standard to be used in appointing stewards, which continues to be found in the Book of Disciplines of certain