"We don't have to be scared during the chaos": Gratitude and fear

I am sharing some church stewardship links that I’ve found helpful recently, highlighting my favourite quotes.

A small generous church

I liked this story of a small Presbyterian church that has been giving back to the community for more than two centuries. They are anchored in hope and generosity.

“We don’t have to be scared during the chaos,” said Wiebe, the director of Special Offerings and the Presbyterian Giving Catalog. “We are invited to activate our best selves and see each other clearly.”

What a great reminder!

https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/more-than-two-centuries-of-giving-back-to-the-community/

How to talk about money and vision

This article comes from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. What grabbed me is this quote about vision:

“Keeping the church’s doors open is not a big vision. It’s all that’s left when all the other vision has left the building.” Alex Joyner

https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/5-ways-to-preach-about-money-more-effectively/

Unclench

Being grateful helps us unclench our closed fists. When we have open hands, we can share freely. And when we have open hands, we can also receive freely.

I looked to the lectionary and found Psalm 96. Verse 10 (NIV) reads:

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.

When we can remember that God is in charge, it helps us to rely on God instead of on ourselves. And then we can share, knowing that everything belongs to God in the first place.