Browsing by Rob Blezard
Rogation: Celebration of seedtime
Rogation is the Eastertide celebration of the fields and orchards during planting time. Why not use it as a way to honor the earth at Springtime? It’s traditionally held the sixth week of Easter, but anytime’s appropriate to honor the processes of life. Here is a Rogation Service you can adapt for your own context: […]
Grace & Gratitude Grow Givers
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and […]
A Steward’s Take on the Apostles Creed
For me the Apostle’s Creed is a starting place for this personal witness, for this living out of the Christian faith, because in the Creed I state personally — as well as corporately and publicly — what I believe. It’s an oral confession. My life must be “in sync” with what I confess in the Creed. (Photo by Graye, used by Creative Commons license. Thanks!)
Five Principles of Stewardship in the Congregation
The stewardship of the gospel begins where we are. It is within and outside the congregation that we share the responsibility and accountability with other stewards of the gospel. And it needs to be said as forcibly as possible that what we do is as important as what we say. Someone has wisely observed that “It is not enough to talk the talk, unless we also walk the walk.” (Photo by Sultry used under a Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
Lighting the First Candle
We shall never know the true meaning of being faithful stewards until we are prepared to risk the transitory for the sake of the ethereal. In other words, there has to come a time when we are willing to turn on all the lights and burn all the candles for the sake of the least of these. (Photo by allegri used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
The Church’s Call to Environmental Stewardship
Many people throughout the church are concerned about ecological issues. The health and well-being of our planet affects everyone. What does the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the ministry of his church, have to offer a world concerned about its natural environment? (NASA photo taken by astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.)
The Stories of Isaiah and Pepe
You and I learn much about living as faithful stewards from the examples of others. For example, let’s examine the calls of two men, hoping thereby that we can examine, accept, and renew our own calls. (Illustration is Michaelangelo’s depiction of Isaiah at the Sistine Chapel.)
The Positives of Pledging
By Clint Schroeder In my 30-plus years of being involved in stewardship programming across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, I have heard a lot of comments about pledging. Many were negative. Let me proclaim the positives of pledging: Pledging is spiritual Pledging is discipline Pledging is practical Giving the first fruits […]
Zacchaeus, Patron Saint for Stewards
When Zacchaeus encountered Jesus, he did not promise to read scripture more faithfully nor to attend the synagogue more regularly. On this occasion he was not pledging his time or his talent to the programmatic mission of the faith community. Worthy as those are — and necessary for the life of the people of God — this visit was about something else.