Category: Uncategorized
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The Art of Gift Planning: The Family
Imagine you are grocery shopping at Christmas time. As you approach the door to the store you hear the familiar bell ringing. Without a second thought you donate to the Salvation Army (A highly respected charity). Later that night, you and your spouse of 40 years engage in a conversation about your life together, and
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Discerned Giving, Inspired Solutions
THE DISCERNMENT PROCESS: The Quadrilateral, based on the work by John Wesley, used in spiritual formation provides the basis and framework for discerning our philanthropy. This back to basics approach connects personal dreams and goals to social needs, both locally and globally. Using scripture, tradition, reason, and Christian experience in the philanthropic discernment process draws upon
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Ode to Loren Meade
Some will remember Loren Mead as the person who founded the Alban Institute, others may remember him as an author. A couple years after he wrote “The Financial Meltdown in the Mainline” in 1998, he was the keynote speaker at the Northeast Ecumenical Stewardship Council event in 2000. Twenty years ago, Loren Mead predicted with
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Voluntarily Involuntary
There are many things you and I do voluntarily: taking a walk, listening to music, going to church, to name a few. There are some activities that are involuntary, but that I can control. I can hold my breath – but only for a short period of time. Actors can train themselves not to blink.
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Cravings
The Covid virus has disrupted much of what and how we live. It has also provided space to examine things like my cravings. Somehow craving is a notch up from desiring. Often a word used in the field of addiction, craving suggests a driving force, not to be stopped until satiated. Chocolate lovers know what
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Funding Ministry in 2021 Will be More Difficult Than Ever
The Foundation and Joe Park of Horizons Stewardship are ministry partners that help serve local churches throughout New England. Never in the 20 years since I left my role as a bank CEO and followed a call into ministry, have I seen anything approaching the level of exhaustion, stress, anxiety, and depression among pastors and
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The Happiness Quotient
I have been reading Paul Schervish’s book, “Wealth and the Will of God” and I highly recommend it. There are many aspects of wealth, and one that Mr. Schervish explores is the concept of happiness. A recent conversation with a pastor about a donor proved this book timely and formative for my own thinking. I
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Finding C.O.V.I.D. in Your Annual Finance Campaign
As I write this, very few people are sitting in the pews of our faith communities (and won’t be for weeks), and there may be growing angst about the annual fall finance campaign. Sure, we can do the awesome stewardship sermons and watch videos of lay people giving thanks to God for their blessings and
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Of Birthdays
Well it is almost here, another birthday to celebrate. At 63 I am still considered a young man by some readers and approaching geezer status by others. I miss not being able to call my mother on my birthday to say thank you. She gave me life and instruction and meaning for living. Her memory
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How to Tackle Grant Writing: A Story
Grant writing can be incredibly fruitful. Also, it can and is often INCREDIBLY stressful and daunting. In 2014, Old West Church (OWC) was told that we would need 5.6 million dollars in renovations done to our building. These costs came from a lot of deferred maintenance compounded by the fact our church is a historic