| Thought | |
"To celebrate is
to share in a greater joy,
to participate
in an eternal drama.
In acts of consumption
the intention is
to please our own selves;
in acts of celebration
the intention is
to extol God, the spirit,
the source of blessing."
- Rabbi Abraham
Joshua Heschel
(1907-1972)
|
| Join Our List | 
This e-resource
is a ministry of
American Baptist Churches USA
|
|
|
Greetings!
Welcome to the late spring issue of GNERO$ITY, an American Baptist e-resource for pastors and church leaders who are involved in the important ministry of "nurturing generous disciples to serve as the hands and feet of Christ."
Perhaps like you, I watched with fascination as the end of the world, as prophesied by Harold Camping, drew near. I confess to offering more than a few sarcastic comments in the days leading up to May 21st, and even posted a photograph on my Facebook profile the next morning that pretty well summed up my thoughts.
We know that Camping and his followers were not the first to try to predict events based on their understanding of scripture and the signs of the times. After Christ was raised from the dead his early followers began to assimilate his life with the Hebrew scriptures, through the lense of the Resurrection. Still, they asked in Acts 1, "Is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" The Risen Christ gently chided them, reminding them that it wasn't really their place to know what God has planned for a particular season. He then continued by offering these words of instruction, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:6-8, emphasis mine).
For followers of Jesus - whether or not we believe the end is near - the call to be witnesses has not diminished even though our world is vastly different from what our spiritual ancestors experienced in the first century. The celebration of Pentecost (June 12) is an opportunity to participate in God's generosity. When the needs of the world, both near and far, seem overwhelming, the testimony of scripture reminds us that we have already been empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the ministry to which we have been called. We witness both in word and deed, drawing upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the resources available to us. We have received and so, out of gratitude, we give, allowing the never-ending cycle of divine generosity to continue. Someone will always be asking, "is this the time?" One response can be that it is time to to serve, to rise up as faithful and generous disciples who are willing to serve as the hands and feet of Christ. May it be so.
Soozi Whitten Ford, Stewardship Facilitator Mission Resource Development American Baptist Churches USA |
Book Review
| | Whose Offering Plate Is It? New Strategies For Financial Stewardship by J. Clif Christopher, reviewed by Dr. Judy Allbee, Executive Minister, American Baptist Churches of Connecticut.
There are two things that are crystal clear in J. Clif Christopher's book, Whose Offering Plate is It? The first is that stewardship is not a financial issue, it is a spiritual issue. The second is that the pastor needs to be the lead person in teaching and leading the congregation in this spiritual matter...There are some things that Christopher suggests that pastors can and should do in these tough economic times...(more)
|
| Pentecost and United Mission | |  Thanks to Ron Vallet's for sharing his insights connecting Pentecost with United Mission:
The question is often asked, "Is the church changing?" I believe it is, with the leading of God's Spirit. I believe that God is leading the church to "be church" and not merely a "social club." In these difficult times, God continues to call the church to be more about doing God's mission and less about survival for its own sake. Yes, we need the church - the church that remembers who it is and whose it is... (click here to continue reading).
Click this link for an insert connecting themes of stewardship and Pentecost, suitable for use with worship bulletins or inclusion in a newsletter. |
The New Normal
| | |
For those who are planning to attend Celebrate/Celebrad 2011, an event on Thursday and Friday may be of interest. "The New Normal"  will reflect on the impact of culture on ministry, which has implications for issues of generosity and stewardship. On Thursday afternoon, the event will feature Dr. Peggy Kendall, associate professor of Communication Studies at Bethel University, and author of Reboot: Refreshing Your Faith in a High Tech World. (Click here for Dr. Kendall's website on technology and faith.) Friday morning's session will feature Dr. Gary Nelson, urban missiologist and president of Canada's Tyndale University College and Seminary. Dr. Nelson is the author of Borderland Churches: a Congregation's Introduction to Missional Living. Both sessions of "The New Normal" will encourage conversation among Dr. Kendall, Dr. Nelson and those in attendance.
"The New Normal" will precede the American Baptist Biennial on Thursday afternoon, June 23 and Friday morning, June 24, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Ministers Council, ABC Region Staff, Mission Resource Development and American Baptist Women in Ministry offer this opportunity to learn about coping with current cultural changes in the day-to-day work of ministry. For more information and to register, visit Celebrate2011. For the entire press release for this event, click here.
.
|
|
|
