In the warmer, longer, lazier days of summer, life feels less hectic, and even adults tend to adopt a “school’s out!” attitude in summer. That’s why this is a perfect time to improve your health in a fashion so seasonally laid back you’ll barely notice the effort. Eight tips from WebMD. (Photo: 19melissa68, Creative Commons)
“We need to create opportunities to give that enable us to appreciate our shared humanity,” says social psychologist Elizabeth Dunn. Research shows that giving to others does make us happier, but it matters how we help. Learn more by watching Dunn’s TED Talk and reimagine how you, too, can be a more joyful giver. (Photo: Kregg Steppe, Creative Commons)
Many of us suffer from “plant blindness,” according to botanists Elisabeth Schussler and James Wandersee. By being “blind” to the plant life around us, we can miss the importance of plants to the overall biosphere and human existence. How might one counter such “blindness”? Learn about plants! Read on to get started. (Photo: Lance Cheung, USDA, Creative Commons)
Putting some simple stewardship practices into place can help your congregation both avoid the summer giving slump and prepare for strong fall season. Rich Birch of Unseminary shares his five best ideas that you can use or adapt for your context. (Photo: Joao Lavinha, Creative Commons)
Pediatricians are sounding the alarm that too much screen time is unhealthy for infants, children and youth, and so is inappropriate or poor quality content. What’s a parent to do? This article from the Mayo Clinic offers great tips on how to handle the challenge. (Photo: Treehouse1977, Creative Commons)
Based on congregants’ collective experiences and common wisdom, every congregation has underlying assumptions about what constitutes good financial practices. A wise leader who recognizes the patterns is able to more easily bring about positive change. From Christianity Today. (Photo: Anssi Koskinen, Creative Commons)
Because July is the month of Independence Day, the July Toolbox theme is “Stewardship of our Civic Freedoms.” You’ll find a Word file with newsletter article, RCL-based bulletin “stewardship snippets,” and web links to resources to help your congregation celebrate the theme. All for free.
Operation Noah offers a list of actions, ranging from beginner to advanced, to educate and equip congregants to become more engaged with environmental stewardship issues, including climate change. Visit Operation Noah’s website and download a PDF for use in your context! (Photo: Michael Livsey, Creative Commons)
Pastor and author Carol Howard Merritt believes the first rule of stewardship planning is to have fun. “Stewardship should be a time of great celebration, where we can tell the story about the church and have a party,” Merritt says. Read on for ideas on putting the fun in fund-raising. (Photo: Rona Proudfoot, Creative Commons. Thanks!)
How you breathe is critical to health and wellness. This article explains the science behind breathing and how it can promote wellness while also suggesting exercises that may help reduce inflammation, high blood pressure, digestive upset, and other conditions. (Photo: Shawn Rossi, Creative Commons)
