Browsing Featured

5245827932_9e2411962f

Can I get a Witness?*

Lectionary Reflection for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 20, 2012
You are the witnesses, and Jesus covered you in prayer. Go forth in good faith with courage to share the good news. (Photo by Ashley Campbell used under Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

4417690366_67b3ccce56

Help Disciples See the Connections

Here’s a lesson from Wharton management professor Adam Grant about how to increase employee productivity by fostering relationship and a sense of purpose. See the possible connections to your faith community? These techniques can just as easily be  implemented to equip and inspire congregational volunteers, to increase stewardship, and to connect evangelism to everyday life.… Read more»

5740674897_20116f73a7

Got Life?

Lectionary Reflection for the Seventh Sunday of Easter May 20, 2012 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may kn0w that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13 Remember the famous Got Milk ad campaign? Created in 1993 by the advertising firm Goodby… Read more»

green cross celtic

Creation Care in Motion

Maybe your congregation has been looking for ways to join the “green revolution” and do your part for the environment. But maybe you don’t know where to start? This article will get you off square one and moving in the right direction. (Photo © Keller, Fotolia.com)

student debt cap bill

Student Debt: IN DEPTH

For years college costs rose faster than family income, and more recently states have cut back on public college funding. No wonder there’s a crisis?? The New York Times reports: Part 1 A Generation Hobbled by Student Debt Part 2: Slowly, as Student Debt Rises, Colleges Confront Costs (Photo (c) Supe87, Fotolia.com)

church steps

11 Steps to Stewardship Success!

The United Church of Christ has distilled their wisdom into snappy, easy-to-understand (and easy-to-follow up) steps. Good for a reality check or course correction, a must-read for stewardship committees and congregational leaders.

Digital Bathroom Scale Displaying OMG Message

The Weight of the Nation

HBO is taking a hard look at the growing epidemic of obesity in a four-part documentary. It shows how two thirds of Americans are overweight, and half of them are obese — bringing with it catastrophic costs. We must do a better job being stewards of health. The good news is HBO is making this available to everybody to watch by online streaming! (Photo © saje – Fotolia.com)

garbology book

We’re trashing ourselves!

“Americans generate more trash than anyone else on the planet: more than 7 pounds per person each day. And most landfill trash is made up of containers and packaging — almost all of which should be recycled.” Read more and listen to the Fresh Air interview with Edward Hume, author of Garbology.

flower

Creation Care Sermons

Make earth stewardship a regular part of your preaching. This trove of sermons will give you inspiration and ideas for how to preach about creation care from a biblical, faithful perspective. There are links to lots more, too! From Earth Ministry. (Photo by Larry Page, used by Creative Commons License. Thanks!)

dollar cross scripture

Carpe Tithem: How tithing can invigorate your faith

The vast majority of people in the world cannot even imagine the standard of living that most Americans take for granted. The truth is that we are called to worship God with our wallet as well as our body, mind, spirit and heart. Following are five ways to re-imagine the tithe so that we can see it as an essential expression of the life of faith. (Great article in the Journal of Lutheran Ethics.) Photo © Pei Lin – Fotolia.com