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Giving REALLY is Better than Receiving!

“Human generosity, far from being a thin veneer of cultural conditioning atop a Machiavellian core, may turn out to be a bedrock feature of human nature,” concluded UC-Santa Barbara psychologists in a recent study. Writing in Scientific American, author Maria Konnikova cites research supporting that it is more blessed to give than to receive. (Photo: Asenat29, Creative Commons)

Does Your Congregation Celebrate Generosity as a Way of Life?

Author Tim Shapiro suggests six measures for whether your congregation is celebrating and cultivating generosity as a way of life. How is your congregation stewarding the call to help people develop lives of deep faith and generosity? (Photo: taxcredits.net, Creative Commons)

Avoiding the Summer Giving Slump

True, summer is almost over, but now’s the time to begin working on avoiding a giving slump next summer. This short article from echurch.com will give you some ideas. (Photo: stuart, Creative Commons)

Bridging the Generation Giving Gap

You can engage both young and senior givers in your congregation. Check out these ideas on how to nurture a both-and climate for generosity in your context. (Photo: © Chariclo – Fotolia.com)

Tools for Engagement

Looking for ways to better engage your congregation on Sunday morning? Check out these six simple suggestions, and choose even one to get started. (Photo: Brayden McLean, Creative Commons)

13 Reasons your Church Needs a Planned Giving Strategy

Planned giving plants seeds that will yield a bigger harvest. A planned giving strategy is a wise investment in your congregation’s ministry, mission, and future.Share this article with congregational leaders to start the conversation about why this needs to be an integral part of your stewardship ministry. (Photo: Ken Mayer, Creative Commons)

What if the Church Tithed?

What a wonderful world it could be if our hearts and eyes were in sync! This article offers some good food for thought about how tithing could make a real difference if the entire Church decided to do it. (Photo: Evan Jackson, Creative Commons)

Intro to Planned Giving Webinar

Wondering how to tackle even the basics of planned giving to ensure your congregation’s future ministry and mission? Check out this informative webinar from the Episcopal Church Foundation!

Spread a Little Joy and Downsize

Lloyd Alter shares his story of downsizing during the renovation of a three-story house into two units. Instead of having a garage sale or selling on ebay, he and his wife gave their excess possessions to many different people. For the Alter family the experience was both liberating and joy-filled. (Photo: Stephan Dann, Creative Commons)

A “Path” to More Effective Giving

Although not a “churchy” article, Wharton Management Professor Adam Grant’s interview with Nicholas Kristof about a “path” to more effective giving is sure to spark some ideas about how to ignite congregants’ passion for ministry and mission opportunities. (Photo: opensource.com, Creative Commons)