Browsing by Rob Blezard
EPA – Facts on Climate Change
Climate change has become a polarizing issue in our country. But the Environmental Protection Agency has some impartial, non-alarmist, authoritative, commonsense information about the science of climate change — and what we can do about it! (Photo © Dmitry Rukhlenko – Fotolia.com)
10 Deadly Mistakes in Church Grantwriting
OK, your church wants to apply for grant funding? Great! While doing so, be sure to avoid these common grantwriting mistakes. An informative article from the ChristanPost. (Photo © gunnar3000 – Fotolia.com)
Stewardship Bible Studies
Teach your congregation about stewardship with this wonderful collection of Bible studies from the Evangelical Covenant Church. The eight lessons, complete with leaders’ guides, will equip your educator to explore a good range of stewardship issues with your members. ( Photo © duncanandison – Fotolia.com)
Time Management: Do more! Be More Effective!
Do you ever wish there were more hours in a day? Or that you could just get more work done? Here are some amazing tips from a British group called MindTools, which offers a lot of free information about time management and other important skills. (Flickr image by alancleaver)
A Stewardship Focus for Holy Week
Let’s take a deep breath, stewards, especially those of us who are burdened with the financial stewardship of our institutions. For Holy Week let’s put aside our congregational balance sheets, tables of giving and charts of weekly worship attendance. Lent is the penitential time when Christians take stock of our lives of faith and embrace […]
Chilling Weather, Indeed
You can call me the Weather Grinch if you like, or maybe the Scrooge of Climate. But I find it hard to face so many people positively gleeful because the temperature in February has soared into the 50s, or even 60s. (Photo © Jan Will – Fotolia.com)
Lent’s Wake-Up Call
For me, exactly one moment in the entire church year awakens me to the urgent imperative of our Christian walk of faith. That moment comes when the pastor takes a muddy thumb and swipes it twice across my forehead with the words, “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.†(Photo © Tom Mc Nemar – Fotolia.com)
The Catholic Church and Climate Change
The Catholic Church hierarchy, beginning with the Pope more than two decades ago, has framed climate change as a moral issue involving ‘the future of God’s creation’ and one best viewed through four principles guiding Catholics’ worldview. Nice article from the Yale Forum on Climate Change and the Media. (Photo (c) Andrii Iurlov – Fotlia)
Lessons from ‘Financial Fasting’
Fasting is a time-honored spiritual discipline that helps people gain clarity of mind and spirit. Going without food for a certain period of time raises awareness and strengthens the will. When I went on a “financial fast” I was amazed what I learned about my spending! (Photo © Borys Shevchuk, via Fotolia)
Basics for a Year-Round Ministry of Stewardship
Sadly, for many churches stewardship campaign planning begins after Labor Day. A good stewardship ministry is a year-round effort. This free 16-page guide helps clarify ideas and misconceptions about stewardship as it provides a framework for planning a year-round stewardship campaign. (Flickr imge by alancleaver_2000, used by Creative Commons license)
