Lent can be a fruitful time of new learning, as God’s people open their hearts and minds to new insights and realities. This free Lenten devotional from Luther Seminary reinforces 10 stewardship principles through Bible study, prayer, and reflection. Produced for 2012, the dates are easily converted for use in 2018. (Photo: bhsher, Creative Commons,)
Teaching a holistic view of stewardship can be challenging, especially when parishioners may assume stewardship is simply a thinly-veiled appeal for increased offerings. Dr. Nan S. Duerling suggests several easy ways to incorporate year-round stewardship into faith formation for all ages. (Photo: minkymonkeymoo, Creative Commons)
In a culture where Sundays have become just like our busy weekend Saturday, it’s important to remember that keeping the Sabbath day holy is not just a good tip for your mental and physical health, it’s a commandment — one of the Big Ten! Make it a part of your 2018 Christian education plan to […]
Not all lessons are learned in Sunday school. Storybooks that your children will cherish can teach them important lessons in generosity, abundance, sharing, community, family and other stewardship topics. Instead of buying the child on your list the latest toy du jour that will be forgotten by New Year’s Day, consider these suggested by Familius. […]
We live in a culture where instant gratification is the norm; even our children learn to expect immediate reward at an early age. Presbyterian Pastor Christopher Edmonston writes eloquently and persuasively about the power of Advent to slow us down and teach us the grace of delayed gratification. Take a deep breath, slow down, and […]
Maybe we’re all in this kind of a bind: At the same time that we want to give our children things that they desire, we also want them to grow up grateful and not take for granted the things they have. Writing in The Atlantic, Jenn Choi describes how she found ways to instill these […]
Youth are not the church of tomorrow; they’re the church today. Be sure to include your congregation’s youth in every aspect of your year-round stewardship teaching and programming. This downloadable PDF document from the Texas Methodist Foundation will give you some good ideas that you can begin to implement now. (Photo: Wayne Miller, Creative Commons)
Many churches are facing financial difficulties, and increasingly we have turned to applying fundraising techniques to help bolster sagging bank accounts. And it really hasn’t worked that well, argues Loye Young in Catholic Stand. What’s needed instead is a return to teaching about the basic Christian and biblical principles of stewardship. (Photo: Quinn Dombrowski, Creative […]
In our hyper-consumeristic North America we can’t teach enough about faith and money.We are bombarded by messages about money — not only from advertising, but also from media, friends, families, and so on. Church is often about the only place folks don’t hear about money. From the Anglican Church of Canada here is a series of […]
If we want to have stewardship-minded adults who are generous with their time talent and treasure, the place to start is to teach them as children. Here is a fun guide that has bible-based activities and lessons on generosity that you can use in Sunday school or a special session to accompany your stewardship campaign. From the Salvation […]
Embracing stewardship through discipleship
The Stewardship of Life Institute (SOLI) is based at the Gettysburg, PA Campus of United Lutheran Seminary. Our mission is to serve stewardship in the ELCA through its seminaries.
