Browsing Links
Attitude of Gratitude
“Stewardship in the broad sense is how we respond to what God is trying to show us and tell us and teach us. Our response can open the door to God’s multiplying our gifts,” writes Demi Prentiss in the Episcopal Church Foundation website. Her essay is chock full of insight. (Photo © DOC RABE Media […]
How to Turn Around the Incredibly Shrinking Church
What’s happening to today’s Mainline churches has a lot to do with cultural trends, but more important is the birthrate, argues this writer in EthicsDaily.com. Do you agree? What is affecting your church?
Check out the Global Catholic Climate Movement
The Global Catholic Climate Movement seeks to rally the world’s largest Christian denomination behind care of God’s creation and the fight to stop climate change. Started only in January 2015, it has already gathered dozens of partner groups across the globe. Be sure to read their statement. (Photo @ Keller, Fotolia)
Greening Your Office
With simple steps that are easy to implement, you can make your office more energy efficient and cut down on waste. How many can you achieve by next week? From LutheransRestoringCreation.org. (Photo by Zhao!, used by Creative Commons license)
Unleashing Our People’s Generosity
Here are questions you frequently hear: “What is the secret to creating a culture of generosity in my local church? Why does stewardship come so easy to some congregations but is so hard in mine?” This article from the United Methodist Church provides some insight. (Photo © laurent hamels – Fotolia.com)
Serving God, Saving the Planet Film Series & Study
Blessed Earth and Dr. Matthew Sleeth offer a twelve-part study series with two films “Hope for Creation” and “Hope for Humanity” designed to help disciples dig deeply into issues of creation care. Check it out here. (Photo: Michael 1952, Creative Commons)
“This Will NEVER Work”— Why Congregations Resist Change (and How to Respond)
Every congregational leader has had this experience: A well-presented great idea — bold, creative, innovative and missional — is met with a tsunami of resistance. This article from ChurchLeaders.com talks about the top pretexts for resistance and how to handle them.
Generative Leadership and Stronger Stewardship
Miguel Angel Escobar, writing in “ECF Vestry Papers,” shows how applying generative leadership principles can help congregations move toward stronger stewardship and creative ministry. (Photo: laffy4K, Creative Commons)
Dealing with Christmas Debt Hangover
Church attendance goes up in January but giving goes down as people begin to pay off the Christmas spending. The Rocket Company offers four ideas for how to help parishioners avoid debt hangover in the future and become better stewards. (Photo: Mike Kline, Creative Commons)
MLK: Beyond the Dreamer
As the country marks Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, a veteran activist explains why it would be a mistake to remember King as only a great civil rights leader. In his final years, he began to move toward an ever-more-profound and radical understanding of what would be required to deal with the nation’s domestic and […]
