December 2 - 9, 2007
December 2 - 9, 2007
SOLI/Update
How are you and your family coping with gift crisis this Christmas? Never heard of the gift crisis? Tsk tsk. Denial is the first sign of trouble.
It’s everywhere in our culture, and in fact is the underlying premise for most of the Christmas advertisements we hear on radio and TV, such as:
Male voice: “I can’t believe it’s only 11 days before Christmas and I haven’t found that perfect gift for Aunt Matilda. I’ve been shopping for days and days. What can I do?”
Female voice: “Why not head over to the Crap Barn? The Crap Barn has the widest selection of the finest crap from all over the world. At the Crap Barn, you’re sure to find the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list. And better, they’re conveniently located at Highways 9 and 14, right next to the Drive-Thru Liposuction Clinic! And at the Crap Barn, there’s always lots of free parking!
Male voice: “The Crap Barn! Why didn’t I think of that? I’m heading over to the Crap Barn today!”
Female voice: “You’ll be glad you did!”
Sound familiar? The fact is, the flip side to the annual Christmas gift crisis shows something quite remarkable. The flip side is simply this:
We are so blessed as a nation in material goods, it’s extremely hard work for many of us to come up with gifts for our loved ones that they actually 1) need, 2) want, or 3) can use. For most of the world’s population living day-to-day in poverty and despair, that would be a dream come true.
So when you hear those tacky ads for the countless Crap Barns all over our country, say a prayer of thanks. Then consider alternative gifts that will go to people really in need. For instance, make a donation or gift purchase for a needy person through one of the countless worthy and respected charities, such as your local Salvation Army, food bank or homeless shelter. Send your loved one a card explaining that this year, his or her gift is making a big difference in the lives of a needy family. Here are three links to get you going.
Heifer International – Buy a goat, pig or tree for a family in the developing world.
ELCA Good Gifts – Featured below, you can send a seminarian to school, help victims of natural disaster, sponsor missionaries – lots of alternatives!
Habitat for Humanity – Help build decent homes for hard-working families.
Generosity towards the needy who cannot repay you. That’s the Christmas spirit.
-Rob Blezard, editor and webmaster
The preceding was an archive column from 2004. Reprint rights gladly given to congregations for local nonprofit use. Just include this notice: “Copyright © 2004, The Rev. Robert Blezard, www.stewardshipoflife.org. Used by permission.”
New This Week:
The Principles of Financial Stewardship in Paul’s Letter to Philippians
As every pastor, Paul had to speak to his congregations about money. This essay looks at what today’s pastors can learn from Paul’s message to the Philippians. “Paul is writing to a congregation whose wholehearted, generous stewardship is beyond question. … He is writing to a congregation which seems to be a model congregation.” Click here for The Principles of Financial Stewardship in Paul’s Letter to Philippians, posted by Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.
Lifetime Learning
When it comes to giving, all of us have a lot to learn, but fortunately, we have a lifetime in which to learn it. The job of church leaders, then, is to teach giving! “So often we approach people’s giving habit as something that is a natural action that we just have to stimulate by mentioning a need our congregation has at the moment,” says columnist Tuck Aaker. In fact, giving is something that needs to be taught by leaders and learned by members. Click here for “Lifelong Learning,” from Stewardship Now, the column at ELCA Stewardship Resources.
What do you want for Christmas?
Because we are bombarded with images encouraging us to spend before Christmas, Advent is a wonderful time for Christians to think about their financial stewardship. In this reflection, the author took a disciplined approach toward spending – and found awareness about shopping and spiritual needs. Click here for “What do you want for Christmas,” from the Stewardship Sightings blog hosted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary, Canada.
ELCA Good Gifts
Forget about buying the “perfect gift” for your family member of friend who already has everything! Put your money to good use. Donate money to a worthy ELCA cause in the name of your cherished one. You can help a struggling retired pastor, assist victims of disaster, help start a new church. Imagine the good you can do. Click here for ELCA Good Gifts, from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Stewardship from the Lectionary
Looking for a way to put more stewardship into your preaching? Here is a great help -- a weekly commentary that highlights stewardship aspects in the weekly lectionary texts. Click here for "Stewardship from the Lectionary," from ELCA Stewardship Resources.