RCL reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year C. Dec. 22, 2024. The meeting between Mary and Elizabeth stays with us not only because of its uniqueness – two women pregnant with miracle babies – but also because it reveals much about the priorities of God that their sons will bring to birth. Deacon Timothy Siburg explores. (Photo: Garon Piceli, via Pexels)
An old truism states, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” With that in mind, it may be a good idea to sketch out some ideas, goals and strategies that your congregation wants to achieve in the next year. Smart Church Management can get you started. (Photo: Creative Commons)
The dramatic quote above is from the United Nations report predicting a continuing rise in plastic production. Humans now yearly create 57 million tons of plastic waste that winds up in waterways and landfills. The Associated Press reports. (Photo: Bo Eide, Creative Commons)
Not everybody can afford to tithe, but plenty of Christians who could simply don’t. The newsletter article in the January Stewardship Toolkit urges God’s people to commit to tithing. In the kit you’ll also find RCL-based snippets for the Sunday Bulletin. (Photo: Ken, Creative Commons)
RCL reflection for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year C. December 15, 2024. The Advent themes of Joy, preparation and transformation are front and center in this week’s epistle and gospel readings. They call for us to steward our lives of discipleship wisely and responsibly. The Rev. Micah Krey explores in his debut reflection. (Photo: Creative Commons)
Do a deep dive on Christmas themes with a free Bible-study bundle from Christianity Today. The five-part series includes leader and participant guides and includes sessions about Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds and angels. Usual cost $19.95, but CT offering at no cost. (Photo: Creative Commons)
No time in the church year besides Christmas presents a better opportunity for invitation and outreach. Is your congregation ready? This article from Crosswalk.com offers commonsense advice for making the most of Christmas. (Photo: Son of Groucho, Creative Commons)
Dec. 31 marks the end of the financial year for most congregations, so it’s important that your finance team close out the books properly. But how? So much to think about. FreeChurchAccounting.com has a checklist to guide you. (Illustration: AJ Cann, Creative Commons)
New research affirms that xercise adds years to your life and life to your years! Scientists crunched the numbers to come up with the single best predictor of how long you’ll live—and arrived at a surprisingly low-tech answer. (Photo: Photo: Andrea Piacquadio, Creative Commons)
A big and complex piece of legislation, the U.S. Farm Bill sets policy and priorities for American Agriculture. Not surprisingly, it has a great impact on the environment. It is up for renewal. The Nature Conservancy explains and explores. (Photo: Andrew Stawarz, Creative Commons)
