Lectionary Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 6, 2012
How does your stewardship garden grow? Are you cultivating generous disciples? This week’s lessons offer fertile soil to talk about fruitful and faithful communities deeply rooted in the way of Jesus. (Photo by Amanda B. Slater used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
A clever bumper sticker speaks wisely: “Tithe if you love Jesus. Anyone can honk.” If that nugget of wisdom holds true, we have to ask, “Do Mormons love Jesus more than other Christians?” An impressive 79 percent of Mormons tithe their income — giving 10 percent to their church, according to a recent article in […]
Lectionary Reflection for the Second Sunday of Easter, April 15, 2012
No doubt about it, this Sunday is a great day to talk about stewardship and generosity. The lesson from Acts lifts up a model for Christian community that is both controversial and compelling. Are you up to the challenge? (Photo by stephen.willis used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!0
‘Tis the season of gift-giving, but what about the rest of the year? Jeremy Adam Smith offers seven tips to foster giving every day of the year. Imagine how the lives of individuals and congregations might be changed by placing an emphasis on these simple principles. Click here to read Smith’s article on The Daily […]
The spiritual practice of discernment may be a useful tool for congregations when it comes to matters of stewardship of money. Check out this article by spiritual director Teresa Blythe on the Patheos website. (Photo by hickory hardscrabble used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
4th Sunday of Easter, Year A, May 15, 2011
How’s your faith community doing in terms of joy and generosity? Why not use this Sunday’s texts to challenge them to look with fresh eyes at how your congregation rates in terms of having glad and generous hearts? (Photo by purplbutrfly used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
Is it possible to let one’s feet do the talking when it comes to justice and equity? Or is going barefoot for a day merely a form of “slacktivism”? (Photo by pineapple9995 used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
When Zacchaeus encountered Jesus, he did not promise to read scripture more faithfully nor to attend the synagogue more regularly. On this occasion he was not pledging his time or his talent to the programmatic mission of the faith community. Worthy as those are — and necessary for the life of the people of God — this visit was about something else.
Valentine’s Day may be just a memory, but the disciple’s call to lavish love is an everyday reality. What does it mean to practice lavish love? Read on and see what this week’s lectionary texts have to say. (Photo by rococohobo used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)
By Clint Schroeder In my 30-plus years of being involved in stewardship programming across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, I have heard a lot of comments about pledging. Many were negative. Let me proclaim the positives of pledging: Pledging is spiritual Pledging is discipline Pledging is practical Giving the first fruits […]
