OK, so you’ve known for a long time that your congregation really needs someone to step up and run the stewardship ministry, but what are the qualifications and what would the person actually do? Or, is the person currently in that position understand the full potential of the task? The United Methodist Church posted this […]
This is a great all-in-one resource for your congregation’s monthly stewardship communications. You’ll find “cut-and-paste” short “Stewardship Snippets” tied to the RCL readings for every Sunday’s bulletin, articles for your monthly newsletter or website. Not only that, you’ll find links for resources to “Teach,” “Preach,” “Lead,” “Think’, and “Do” stewardship. Prepared by SOLI web editor […]
3rd Sunday after Pentecost, Year A, June 25, 2017: What’s a preacher supposed to do with these “hard” lessons for this week? If we set the discipleship bar too high, won’t that alienate the folks who want an easy life? Easy is not always the answer. In fact, most things truly worth having require expenditures of time, effort, and energy. Why should we expect the journey of faith to be any different? If Jesus’ life and ministry and the paths of his early followers are our model, most of us are in real trouble! (Photo: Barbara Kruger, Modern Art Oxford Creative Commons)
Benchmarks are useful for measuring progress or setting standards in lots of fields of endeavor, including athletics, work and education. Yet many Sunday schools and faith formation programs do not have benchmarks. For example, what can one expect a 12-year-old to know about the Bible? What about a 6-year-old? A 30-year-old? This article from buildingfaith.com explores […]
Think of all the offering dollars your church spends just to keep the building cool in the summer and hot in the winter! Certainly your congregation can use that money for better expenses, such as expanding mission and outreach! Now that summer’s here, it’s a good time to make your church energy efficient, and the […]
This is a great all-in-one resource for your congregation’s monthly stewardship communications. You’ll find “cut-and-paste” short “Stewardship Snippets” tied to the RCL readings for every Sunday’s bulletin, articles for your monthly newsletter or website. Not only that, you’ll find links for resources to “Teach,” “Preach,” “Lead,” “Think’, and “Do” stewardship. Prepared by SOLI web editor […]
For folks who an in-depth understanding of stewardship and how it relates to theology and church life, here’s a wonderful free series of six lessons that provide everything you need! Each lesson begins with a 15-minute video talk from Dr. Joel Biermann of Concordia Seminary and has a study guide to let you take it […]
Lent is a perfect time to embrace spiritual disciplines that will sharpen our awareness, clear our mind, strengthen our self-control and help bring us closer to God. This year, instead of the usual painless disciplines of giving up chocolate or swearing for Lent, consider a discipline that will challenge your will and make a big difference — financial giving.
The deadline is looming — March 15 — for applications in the latest funding round of the Stewardship of Life Institute’s grant program. SOLI grants provide money to help plan and implement projects to advance stewardship in the ELCA. Applications are submitted online. See details inside! (Photo by FrankieLeon, used by Creative Commons license.)
In her message, ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton writes, “Christmas can carry so much emotional freight. We must be merry and filled with good cheer. We are driven to get everything perfect by the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve. We are filled with wistful longing. But what are we longing for?” Click to find […]
