Category: Uncategorized
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Stewardship as a Spiritual Discipline
How a pastor reframed the annual campaign, and why it worked. Hear from Rev. Dr. David Abbott.
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From the Vine to Foundation: A Full-Circle Story
A dentist named Thomas Welch had a problem. It was 1869 and his Methodist church still served wine at communion even though he’d sworn off alcohol after watching what it did to families and communities. Welch had been reading about Louis Pasteur’s new theories on germs, and he wondered: what if he cooked the juice from the Concord grapes in his Vineland, New Jersey backyard, sealed it, and heated it again? Would it stay unfermented? It did. Welch called his creation “unfermented sacramental wine,” and soon neighboring Methodist churches were asking him to make it for them too. His son…
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The Beggar at the Church Door
“If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door you will not find him in the Chalice.” – St. John Chrysostom This quote – a mere 1650 years old, give or take 10 years, is worth a lifetime of reflection. What jumps out is the connection and juxtaposition between the beggar at the church door, and Christ in the Chalice. Jesus has a preference for people who are poor, so it makes sense that one of the greatest preachers of all time would make this connection. What brings life to this quote is the word “find”. The word…
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What Then?
Let’s face facts, the topic of money dominates most church council meetings. “How many fundraising activities will it take to balance the budget this year?”, or “How much money can we withdraw from church investment accounts?” are typical discussion starters. Suppose for a moment that a new whiz-bang stewardship program unlocked our wallets, and the money overflowed our cups. Imagine for a minute that you have more than enough money. All the bills are paid and you even included a handsome raise for the staff this year. What then? I’m not sure if we would know where to begin to…
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Something About Him
I’m an old, retired donkey (and for the record, I’ve already heard all the jokes). I used to give the kids rides when they played soldiers. Last Sunday, two guys pressed me into service to give this guy a ride into the city. He must have been important because there was a crowd of people cheering and covering the road with palms. At first, I thought they were cheering for me, after all, I was chosen among all the other donkeys. But then I got this strange sense that I knew this man on my back. Funny, as old as…
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Investing in My Life
I was reflecting on a celebration and memorial service for a dear friend. Flo lived 86 years. Underline “Lived.” Living life is an intentional action. Flo was a remarkable person who embraced those around her as her own family. Somehow, she managed to knead humor and compassion into her version of the bread of life that she served at her table. Growing up during the great depression, she and her family were poor. At the service it was said by a cousin that she did not dream of a life she did not have, rather she invested in her own.…
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Of Moral Hazards
During my adult life I have experienced 3 major banking crises. The first dates back to the Savings & Loan crash of 1987. The second was the credit default fiasco of 2008-2009 that crushed the Lehman Brothers firm and also tanked the S&P 500 by -49.9%. Now we have the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Signature Bank, and Credit Suisse sending shock waves throughout the banking system. All three crises, it seems to me, have some degree of moral hazard. Wikipedia defines economic moral hazard as: “In economics a moral hazard is a situation where an economic actor has an incentive…
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A Prayer Reflection
Each morning, the New England Annual Conference sends out a prayer. On Monday March 20, 2023 – the first day of Spring, Bishop Johnson’s prayer (see below) was shared. It appears to be based on Ezekiel 37 and the valley of the dry bones. As I read it, I also envisioned the words as a sign of new life for all congregations. That’s not to mean that suddenly money and attendance woes will be gone. Rather as we witness new life in nature, as faith communities we might pray this prayer for our congregation and its ministry in, and with,…
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Are We Fundraising or Faith-Raising?
The task of a fundraiser is to connect the donor with the mission of the organization. The fundraiser knows the more I’m connected, through annual giving and volunteering, the better chance of a larger major gift down the road. And, if I’ve given annually for several years, even small amounts, there is a chance of a bequest to the organization – if I’m asked. All this is true for the church as well. Fundraising principles and techniques work wherever they are implemented. However, if all the church does is fund-raise, it misses the essence of the “ask.” If fundraising is…
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Heart Blockage
At church during prayer time, someone asked for prayers for a person with a heart blockage. As usual my mind went off in another direction. A blockage in the heart is serious business. I wondered if the person had a family history of heart issues and inherited the problem. Was it caused by a poor diet and lack of exercise? Knowing why does not help the person, but it gives me a sense of order. Soon my line of thinking went to the spiritual realm. St Paul said, “…because if you confess with your lips and believe in your heart…