Browsing Blezard, Rob

Use that Nasty ‘S’ Word

Has stewardship become a nasty term in your congregation? When it’s mentioned, people avert their eyes, hold onto their wallets and run for the door? If so, here are some ideas for you! (Photo © BortN66 – Fotolia.com)

Away from the Noise

We can pray anywhere, and God is always around us all the time, but it’s easier to connect with the Divine One when we find moments of silence. It’s no wonder the world does everything it can to keep silence at bay. (Photo (c) dampoint – Fotolia.com)

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)

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)

Resolutions for These End Times

In recent years we have been deluged with “end-times” paranoia, ranging from vague and scary apocalyptic prophecy to specific day-and-hour predictions. Even so, I’ve created my own “end of world” prediction – one that is entirely true, based on Scripture and scientific evidence. And based on my prediction, I’ve crafted New Year’s Resolutions for 2013. (Photo © rolffimages – Fotolia.com)

Hope, Peace, Joy and Love

Advent is the time of waiting, but what are we usually waiting for? For presents? Parties? Santa Claus? Winter vacation from school? Travel to Grandma’s house? Dinner with family? The after-Christmas sales? The answer is yes, and no. (Image © Elena Schweitzer – Fotolia.com)

How Much We Take for Granted!

One moment you’re in your warm house on a blustery October evening, seated at your computer writing emails and listening to storm coverage as your evening cup of tea cools. The next moment your house is as dark and as silent as midnight, oozing heat to the eager cold. There’s nothing like a power outage […]

Celebrate the Harvest, Especially This Year

Where I live, it’s easy to remember the cycles of nature and the joyous, bountiful season of harvest. Mile after country mile in Adams County, Pennsylvania, brings you past apple orchards where the fruit, sometimes clustered like grapes, pulls the branches of the trees way down low, so the leaves sweep the ground. The harvest […]