Quietly worshipful and noisily grateful. That's the people's response to Jesus' miracle of raising the widow's son back to life. What does it mean for a church to be quietly worshipful and noisily grateful?

Hope, adventure and promise. Words to live by! Not nostalgia for a past that will not return - falling prey to nostalgia could trap Anglicans into thinking that turning out the lights is the only option. Bad jokes don’t tell the whole truth. Hope does not disappoint us.

Does your congregation ever talk about how members can leave a gift to the church in their wills? Christians can be downright offended when someone tries to talk about money or death in church!  However, Scriptures are full of references to both death and money.

I love the Psalms, not just the poetry and beauty of the words, but the honest emotions.  I heard Psalm 112 read aloud a few weeks ago and it struck me that this Psalm talks about how generosity continues beyond the life of the donor.

If a single person at your church gives $10 weekly, in a year that’s more than the average Canadian single gives altogether. If a couple gives $100 monthly to your church, in a year that’s more than the average Canadian couple gives altogether.

If Matthew, a twenty-something male, makes an online donation to your church, what happens next? Generosity demonstrates trust. Matthew is telling you that he trusts your church enough to make a financial gift. There’s many, many voices calling for his money. He chose to give the church. That’s a big deal.

Gratitude? With the news as bad as it it, and people being stuck at home for endless months? Or not stuck at home, but working in the midst of a pandemic?

We're reminded to be thankful in all circumstances.  But sometimes our circumstances can seem overwhelming! I offer this short reminder of three things a church can always be grateful for:

Churches everywhere are 100% comprised of humans, which gets messy. When I asked a friend if my book about church and money should have conflict, she asked me, “do you want anyone under 40 to read the book?” A shiny, polished view of the church won’t ring true.

A quick primer on ways churches can collect the offering when they can’t pass the plate

If you can’t pass the plate, you can still celebrate the offering during a livestream or virtual worship service. Start with gratitude to God, the giver of every good thing.

How does the church encourage the spiritual discipline of giving without the offering plate?

Every church in Canada which is a registered charity can receive gifts online, either through the CanadaHelps website or through a donate button powered by CanadaHelps on your church’s website.