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A Challenge
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Are you not a robber, you who consider your own that which has been given you solely to distribute to others? This bread which you have set aside is the bread of the hungry; this garment you have locked away is the clothing of the naked; those shoes which you let rot are the shoes of him who is barefoot; those riches you have hoarded are the riches of the poor."
Basil the Great
(330-379 A.D.)
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American Baptist Churches USA
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Greetings!
Welcome to the Lenten issue of GENERO$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. You may b e aware that I am in the process of transitioning from one ministry setting to another. Along with the excitement about all that is before my husband and me, I am in the midst of sharing many special times with those in this place who have walked beside me during this phase of my journey and, indeed, have been used by God to prepare me for the path that is ahead. These are tender moments, filled with memories of special times and events, hopes and good wishes for the future, and lots of joy, laughter, tears and hugs. Sunday was like that. My dear friend and colleague, Rev. Carol Teare, invited me to bid farewell to her congregation, First Baptist Church of Waterloo, Iowa, with whom I have enjoyed a warm relationship. Part of the farewell included a presentation by Marcia Street on behalf of Mid-American Baptist Women's Ministries and, among other things, Marcia gifted me with a "gratitude journal" with an invitation to record each day several things for which I am grateful. As I enter the Lenten season on this Ash Wednesday, I join many of you who will ponder again the meaning of Jesus' life and death as we anticipate a grand celebration on Easter Sunday. I intend to use the new gratitude journal as part of my spiritual discipline over these next forty-seven days, reflecting with gratitude on both the meaning of Jesus' journey to the cross and the moments of my days. Although I don't know for sure, I suspect that approaching Lent from a perspective of gratitude may bring new insight and wonder as I read and reflect. Likewise, I trust that I will marvel at God's unfolding grace as I make the transition from a setting I love to a new place I will grow to love when my heart is tuned to gratitude. So...will you join me in a Lenten journey of gratitude? Take a moment each day to make note of three to five things for which you are grateful. Use a special journal, a simple notebook, or a plain piece of paper. We may all be amazed at the new insights - and new beginnings - that arise from these daily expressions of gratitude. Soozi Whitten Ford, Stewardship Facilitator
Mission Resource Development
American Baptist Churches USA
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| Sharing in Mission: A Gift of Love | |
 | The Prayer Partners
Third Baptist Church
Saint Louis MO
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The Prayer Partners is a class led by Howard and Linda Roos comprised of differently abled persons who love God, each other and the larger world. A few weeks ago the class presented Dr. Molly Marshall, President of Central Baptist Theological Seminary, with a very special gift. Prayer Partners has a practice of contributing spare change to a common fund that is designated for a missional purpose. Over the years, the class has contributed well over $4000 to varied initiatives, creatively making a significant impact. The class recently presented an absolutely stuffed spaghetti jar to Dr. Marshall containing $99.85, mostly in coin saved from bus fare change. It was a hefty offering! They knew she was preparing to go to Myanmar once again and wanted to share out of their substance for the needs there. Members of this class have little margin to be generous, yet by faithfully joining together, over time their funds have been - and will continue to be - transformative.
Note: Click here to read Dr. Marshall's blog post about her visit with The Prayer Partners.
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Book Review: In Search of the Almighty's Dollar
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Reviewed by Rev. Greg Mamula, now serving as Associate Executive Minister with American Baptist Churches of Nebraska.
 ...I have learned quite a bit about giving in a regular way to the basic needs of the church, giving to support our various ministries not written into the budget, and giving with joy to needs beyond ourselves like our local homeless shelter, the stranger in need of steel toe boots to work at the local rail-yard, or the various disaster relief efforts across the globe. All of this has been learned from my wife, these people, and this church staff. The church itself is an example of tithing for it gives at least ten percent of its received gifts to missions in our denomination.
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Lenten Journeys in Scripture
| |  Reading the Bible in 2012
While there are many ways to be attentive to our spiritual journeys during Lent, there is simply no substitute for exploring the biblical text during this important season. If you are at a loss as to where to begin, or simply would like more structure to your scripture reading plan, consider exploring the resources at YouVersion. While there are many plans for reading all of scripture as well as partial sections, there are also plans designed specifically for Lent and Easter. You can find them by clicking here.
(Note: YouVersion offers apps for all your devices.)
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| American Baptists United in Mission | |
Dr. Ron Vallet, American Baptist Ambassador for United Mission, continues to offer us thoughtful reflections on the value of United Mission to the wider mission of American Baptists. The links below will take you to his most recent insights:
God Bends the Universe Towards Justice
Turn the Music Down!
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