Posts by Betsy Schwarzentraub
First Fruits and the Church Budget
People may think that the church budget is a bone-dry instrument that just monitors church committees, but that’s far from the truth! It reflects its members’ values as surely as a person’s online giving or checkbook mirrors his or her priorities. So what does your congregation’s current budget say about first fruits living? Many church…
Read MoreDo What for Advent?
I know: theoretically you planned the fall annual stewardship emphasis back in the spring, but life often intervenes to upset even the best of plans. So now you’re looking for a stewardship theme to fit your revised schedule. And wouldn’t it be great if it had a creative approach and unique timing this year, when…
Read MoreBaptized into Wilderness
With all the political and economic threats to the environment these days, Baptized into Wilderness: A Christian Perspective on John Muir is an important reminder of why we care for God’s creation. This book of environmental theology by Richard Austin is a classic, using the life and thoughts of John Muir, supreme naturalist and activist,…
Read MoreA Living Legacy: Grace upon Grace
Even the most financially ambitious among us hunger for more than just the money standard in our lives. Somewhere along the way, we want the assurance that our lives have been not only successful, but valuable. Most people want to leave something behind that would be not just a money gift to a cause, but…
Read MorePlan Now for Health Day
In a delightful move, the North Georgia Conference and the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries have come together to sponsor a United Methodist Health Day this September 15. The in-person event will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. at Dunwoody UMC in Atlanta. Breakout sessions will include cooking demonstrations, health information, fitness fun,…
Read MoreSeven Attributes of Generous Churches
Patrick Johnson has worked with innovative U.S. churches for almost ten years, seeking to answer the question, “What does it take to create a culture of generosity in a local church?” In “Seven Attributes of a Generous Church,”1 he names seven common characteristics he has discovered. The more generous congregations he has encountered: 1. Are…
Read MoreGenerous Stewards — Compassionate and Caring
I listened to a fascinating TED Talk on National Public Radio about compassion a while ago.1 It featured political analyst Sally Cone, and journalist Christa Tippet. “Compassion [is] the ability to appreciate and respect another person’s viewpoint, even if it isn’t your own,” said Cone. It includes communicating that your feelings are valid, and…
Read MoreEven Better than a Birthday
Today we get to celebrate our youngest grandchild’s birthday! It’s amazing to think that he’s ten years old already. And of course we are bringing a small gift for him, which we hope he will enjoy. But we made a greater gift shortly after his birth, when we put some money aside to grow…
Read MoreThe Joy of My Heart
Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. . . . Your decrees are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. (Psalm 119:105,111) I stand within a tradition that understands God’s Word – God’s Living Word – as active at the intersection of reading the Scriptures…
Read MoreGenerous Stewards — Collaborative and Collegial
Generous stewards often seem to interact and engage in ministry through networks of diverse folks – more like being part of a movement than a single organization. For example: Cooking Up English, in Austin, TX, is a local church ministry that uses cooking to help non-English speakers learn more about the language, while building…
Read MoreA Tapestry of Grace
In a few months I will go to my fiftieth high school reunion. This is a courageous step, since I haven’t attended any of the previous reunion events along the way. But I’ve been curious to see what my classmates have done in their lives ever since graduation. Thankfully the organizers set up a website,…
Read MoreGenerous Stewards — Cooperative and Connectional
I got to thinking: What are the primary attributes of generous stewards, as they manage, share and use the gifts God has entrusted to them? For me, it comes down to four sets of “C”s. The first set is “cooperative and connectional.” Generous stewards tend to choose connection over competition with others. An intriguing article…
Read MoreGenerous Stewards — Curious and Creative
Who knew that curiosity might have anything to do with stewardship? I hadn’t thought about it that way. But some scientific studies approach curiosity not as a predilection or character trait, but as a behavior. As such, it shows our “stewardship of attention” 1 – how we choose to pay attention to certain people and…
Read MoreA Thank You Plan
Saying thank you is often a spontaneous thing. When someone does something for us, especially unasked for or at a cost to themselves, we naturally want to thank them, in words, by doing something for them, or by “paying it forward:” giving in some way to others. Most people don’t give in order to be…
Read MoreAssets and Liabilities
“Generosity is a spiritual disposition, not a quantifiable percentage of income,” said author James Hudnut-Beumler in Generous Saints. Generous people are grateful to God, affirming that “they know their worth comes from God, and not from money – not from money earned, hoarded, spent to purchase things, or used to exercise power.” 1 As I…
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