Stewards Not Owners: A Downton Abbey Lesson

I began last week’s reflection with a quote from Downton Abbey. The context of the quote is from Robert Crowley, the Earl of Grantham, responding to his mother Violet, the Dowager Countess, after she asks him if he cares about Downton, i.e. the estate. His answer was, quick, direct, and emotional: “Do I care? I have given my life to Downton. I was born here, and I hope to die here: I claim no career beyond the nurture of this house and the estate. It’s my third parent and my fourth child.”

Because Downton Abbey is held in a trust, Robert Crowley is not the owner. His role is of a trustee, a steward holding all the weight of responsibility. This is the same relationship we have with our church buildings. We are not owners, we are stewards. For many longtime members, the church is a second home, it is their “third parent and fourth child.”

As a steward Robert Crowley faced all the challenges of managing property during a changing society and a changing way of life. After WWI, the position and role of the aristocracy was in steep decline. Robert Crowley resisted the change at first, but later was persuaded to adapt to a new world and restructure the estate to be self-sustaining. And while Downton Abbey is a fictional TV series, it provides a blueprint for churches exploring how to manage today’s changes.

Fortunately, your Foundation has created the Wesley Community Development Corporation. Now churches have access to experienced advisors to call upon as they explore how they will manage change and build a sustainable future. Times change, and just like the mansions in England, the need for large old church buildings that are hard to heat need to be repurposed and re-imagined. If your church needs help adjusting to today’s challenges, call us, we can help.