Browsing by Rob Blezard
Am I Bad for Opposing the Church on Climate Change?
Like a lot of faithful Christians, one writer strongly disagrees with his church’s position that lifts up climate change as a human-caused problem that needs humanity’s concerted efforts to counter. He asks the Catholic webstie Crux if that makes him a bad Catholic. The website’s answer may speak to other climate-change skeptics as well. (Photo: […]
This Autumn, Be a Good Steward of Your Faith
There’s something wonderfully renewing about autumn, especially as it begins a new school year. It’s all about new beginnings. Maybe it has something to do with new classrooms, new teachers, the great smell of brand new shoes and the smooth touch of that new backpack, says this meditation from the International Catholic Stewardship Council. (Photo […]
Why Every Leader Needs a Coach
All the best athletes have a coach. Why? Because good coaches point out subtle flaws others don’t see. They suggest small measures that add up to big improvements, and they push athletes to work at their highest performance. Pastors and other church leaders need coaches, too, says this article from ChurchExecutive.com. (Photo: (c) 2005 OJ […]
Weekly Stewardship Bible Devotion
Keep your mind and heart focused on stewardship with this weekly Stewardship Bible Devotion from Crosswalk.com. Using the exampe of Paul in Acts 26:1-23, this week’s lesson explores the role of storytelling in faith formation and education. (Photo: Alvanman, Creative Commons)
Healthy Talk about Stewardship
It’s not hard to understand why talk about money and giving might make a congregation uncomfortable, and maybe even guilty and resentful. So how do we move to healthy ways of talking and preaching about money in our churches? This post from The Episcopal Network for Stewardship has some great ideas. (Photo: Fallonyates, Creative Commons)
Develop a Narrative Budget
Give people a line-item budget and either their eyes will glaze over or they’ll become obsessed with the bottom line. Many congregations are finding that they can better talk about their financial priorities with a narrative budget. The Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island has some good ideas. (Photo © trotzolga – […]
Awakening to God’s Call to Earthkeeping
Here is a real gem! This 50-page resource includes a leader guide and participant materials for use in a faith-based small group context: adult or older youth Sunday school, Christian Education classes, women’s circles, men’s groups, congregational “Green Team,” or in a retreat setting. (Also can be ordered for $5 from the ELCA Resource Catalog.)
Deadline is Sept. 15 for SOLI Grants!
Time’s almost up for applications for the latest funding round in the Stewardship of Life Institute’s grant program. The deadline is Sept. 15! Got a creative idea for stewardship education? SOLI is offering grants to help fund projects to advance stewardship in the ELCA. See details inside! (Photo:Stephen Depolo, Creative Commons )
Is it Robbing God to Tithe on Your Net Income?
It’s the question you frequently hear about tithing — do you base it on gross income? Or after-tax income? This feature presents different viewpoints from three writers — Frederica Mathewes-Green, David A. Croteau and Steve Stewart. Which viewpoint resonates with your own view? (Photo: Tax Credits, Creative Commons)
The Liturgy of Abundance, the Myth of Scarcity
One of Christian theology’s most prophetic voices offers a challenging biblical analysis of the role of money in our culture. Wealth in America, Brueggemann says, acts as a narcotic, numbing us. “The great contradiction is that we have more and more money and less and less generosity — less and less public money for the needy, less charity for the neighbor.” (Photo: Prisoner 5413, Creative Commons)