Faith & Money

THE BEGGAR AT THE CHURCH DOOR

Thu, 25 May 2023 12:07:07 GMT

THE BEGGAR AT THE CHURCH DOOR

"If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door

you will not find him in the Chalice".

St. John Chrysostom

This quote – a mere 1650 years old, give or take 10 years, is worth a lifetime of reflection. What jumps out is the connection and juxtaposition between the beggar at the church door, and Christ in the Chalice. Jesus has a preference for people who are poor, so it makes sense that one of the greatest preachers of all time would make this connection. What brings life to this quote is the word “find”. The word find has a wide range of meanings; from - I can find a twenty-dollar bill on the sidewalk to – I found myself during the college years. In this case, finding is not by accident, it is intentional seeking.

When I close my eyes and picture Jesus, the image of the last homeless man I saw does not immediately come into view. Though I do remember him. The man was holding a cardboard sign at the traffic light. There have been times, when I am more centered in my spiritual life, that seeing Jesus in others comes more readily and without too much searching. When I am closest to Christ, I can easily find him in others. And here is the paradox, it is my individual relationship with Christ that allows the scales to fall from my eyes to both see and find the beggar. The beggar, Christ and I are in a relationship which is always present and real. I can only see the Christ in beggar and Christ in the Chalice through eyes of faith.

For me, Communion is the most profound way I encounter Jesus. It is tangible – I can taste and see the Lord. As I approach the altar, I can hear St. John Chrysostom telling me that I cannot find Jesus without finding the beggar. Said another way, I can find Jesus in the Chalice when I find my brother begging at the church door.

From a stewardship point of view, suppose for a moment that we say - “ If you cannot find the beggar at the church door, you cannot find Christ in the offering plate”. By the way, the offering plate is where I offer myself to Christ. This creates a haunting image for me. During the church service, when I offer myself in the “offering” plate, I see that offering plate being placed on the Altar or at the foot of the Cross. And now I see Jesus taking the offering plate and placing it at the foot of the Beggar. With respect to our stewardship efforts, I have to ask, have we been spending too much time finding ways too keep the church doors open and not enough time finding the beggar at the church door?

WHAT THEN?

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:44:37 GMT

WHAT THEN?

Let’s face facts, the topic of money dominates most church council meetings. “How many fundraising activities will it take to balance the budget this year?”, or “How much money can we withdraw from church investment accounts?” are typical discussion starters. Suppose for a moment that a new whiz-bang stewardship program unlocked our wallets, and the money overflowed our cups. Imagine for a minute that you have more than enough money. All the bills are paid and you even included a handsome raise for the staff this year. What then?

I’m not sure if we would know where to begin to answer this question. I can imagine the person who might have worked on the mission statement back in 2003 dusting it off and proclaiming, “I knew this would come in handy someday!”, while the mission committee folks would be busy identifying mission trips. The trustees would be making to-do lists as excitedly as school kids writing letters to Santa, and the treasurer could get his first good night’s sleep in years (not to mention dropping Tylenol and Maalox from his daily routine). The Pastor would be a rock star with her DS, while colleagues are calling for advice, and a tall steeple church is certainly in her future.

But the question still lingers like a nagging conscience – “What then?”

We are celebrating the Easter season, basking in the resurrection glow. Maybe we had thought our church movement was over. We huddled up in our conference room deciding the best way to walk away, all the while heartbroken over what could have been, but we just ran out of money and energy. But then suddenly Jesus appears to us, first saying, “Peace be with you”, and then again he appears in the breaking of bread. Wait a minute! We are not done – we have all that we need – Jesus! But “What then?” “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations and baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”

So, sure, waiting for enough money to balance the budget might be a good diversion for avoiding our mandate to go and make disciples. But, if we never have enough money, “What then?”

SOMETHING ABOUT HIM

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 12:43:04 GMT

SOMETHING ABOUT HIM

I’m an old, retired donkey (and for the record, I’ve already heard all the jokes). I used to give the kids rides when they played soldiers. Last Sunday, two guys pressed me into service to give this guy a ride into the city. He must have been important because there was a crowd of people cheering and covering the road with palms. At first, I thought they were cheering for me, after all, I was chosen among all the other donkeys. But then I got this strange sense that I knew this man on my back. Funny, as old as I am, he wasn’t heavy at all, it was like carrying a baby. A baby, that’s it! It must have been more than thirty years ago; I remember that Mary was pregnant, and Joseph was trying to find a place to stay. And then it was the long trip to Egypt and back. It’s him, I know it! I knew he was special when the angels started to sing when he was born. They called him King!

Well, as we were approaching the city of Jerusalem -- call it donkey intuition, because we animals can tell when a storm is coming or even sense an earthquake before you humans feel it -- I sensed something big was happening. I was excited, worried, and peaceful all at once. I didn’t understand what was going on.

After we entered the city gate, he got off my back. He looked into my eyes and scratched me behind my ears; boy, I like that! He said goodbye and I wondered if I would see him again. I couldn’t help but feel honored. I was humbled too, because as important as he must be, no one ever said thank you to me before. Who am I that I was chosen to carry the King – twice!?

Then, I did meet him one more time – you see, it was me he asked to roll that the stone away.

INVESTING IN MY LIFE

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 11:59:11 GMT

INVESTING IN MY LIFE

I was reflecting on a celebration and memorial service for a dear friend. Flo lived 86 years. Underline “Lived”. Living life is an intentional action. Flo was a remarkable person who embraced those around her as her own family. Somehow, she managed to knead humor and compassion into her version of the bread of life that she served at her table. Growing up during the great depression, she and her family were poor. At the service it was said by a cousin that she did not dream of a life she did not have, rather she invested in her own. Powerful. Flo somehow dodged the human tendency to compare, envy and covet. She was given a gift and she treasured it, loved it, and invested in her life every day.

What a great Lenten lesson: invest in your life. Of course this sounds simple. Not so easy though, because before I can invest in my life, I have to know myself. That takes work, maybe painful work. It begins with silence, prayer and a focus on the Creator and Giver of life. Because I am made in the image and likeness of God, self-knowledge is connecting, being one, with my Lord. I have to see God in order to see myself, my real self-image. Deepening my relationship with Jesus is investing my life.

I am intrigued by this spiritual financial language. Saving and spending take on new meaning in this spiritual context. The words wealth, rich, bankrupt, debt and divestment have a new power when they are seen through a spiritual lens. In this spiritual framework, investing in my life is really a matter of stewardship. Will I act out of fear and hide my life under a rock, squandering the love poured into me, or will I take some risk, and invest my life, multiplying the generosity of Jesus within me.

Thank you, Flo, I’m sure the words “Well Done” are yours to hear.

OF MORAL HAZARDS

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 12:17:36 GMT

OF MORAL HAZARD

During my adult life I have experienced 3 major banking crises. The first dates back to the Savings & Loan crash of 1987. The second was the credit default fiasco of 2008-9 that crushed the Lehman Brothers firm and also tanked the S&P 500 by -49.9%. Now we have the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), Signature Bank, and Credit Suisse sending shock waves throughout the banking system.

All three crises, it seems to me, have some degree of moral hazard. Wikipedia defines economic moral hazard as: “In economics a moral hazard is a situation where an economic actor has an incentive to increase its exposure to risk because it does not bear the full cost of that risk. For example, when a corporation is insured it may take on higher risk knowing that its insurance will pay the associated cost.”

Sometimes the tax law and public policies provide the incentive to take on risk. This was especially true leading up to the near depression of 2008-9. To help expand homeownership in poorer neighborhoods, loan underwriting standards were relaxed. Previously, borrowers would have to put down 30% or more of the purchase price in order to have a no (doc) documentation loan. This means that neither their income, assets, nor employment would be verified by the bank. Suddenly, anyone could get a no-doc loan, and in some neighborhoods, loans were being pushed and sold at an alarming rate. Couple this with very low mortgage interest rates for the first couple years, and people who should have never been approved for a loan were on the short end of the moral hazard stick. Indeed, many lost their homes.

The banking community called these loans sub-prime because they were obviously riskier. Some bright person came up with the idea of selling credit default swaps to insure sub-prime loans against default so that they could be sold to pension funds and such. Possibly a good idea, except the insurance company was not funding this liability. This was moral hazard on steroids.

It the past 3 years a couple trillion bucks have been printed, just because we can, causing steep inflation. Today, banks have investments in bonds that pay the bank 3%, whilst paying out 4.5% on CDs to customers – not sustainable. Some banks took on more risk, such SVB, and got caught with their financial trousers down. There is a lot more to the story, but let’s say moral hazard was front and center.

I am persuaded that by bailing out the banks we absolved the bank board and executives, as well as investors from taking too much risk, and acting imprudently. If you had a million in cash, would you place it all in one local bank where only $250,000 is insured? Or would you act prudently, and place it in four or more banks to protect your nest egg? The Federal Reserve just made all the depositors at SVB whole, disregarding the FDIC 250K limit. Many see this as incentivizing moral risk and rewarding poor investment choices.

At some point the Government will not be able to bailout all the banks. It might be time to let the free market correct and change bad behavior. It often takes pain to change. In the meantime, it would be good to teach bankers and investors about John Wesley’s theology of money. The center of his teaching is not taking advantage of customers and competitors, and doing no harm. These are the virtues that need to be lifted up and put into practice as the antidote to moral hazard. Capitalism, as Jefferson noted, requires a moral people.

A PRAYER REFLECTION

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:15:16 GMT

A PRAYER REFLECTION

Each morning, the New England Annual Conference sends out a prayer. On Monday March 20, 2023 - the first day of Spring, Bishop Johnson's prayer (see below) was shared.

It appears to be based on Ezekiel 37 and the valley of the dry bones. As I read it, I also envisioned the words as a sign of new life for all congregations.

That's not to mean that suddenly money and attendance woes will be gone. Rather as we witness new life in nature, as faith communities we might pray this prayer for our congregation and its ministry in, and with, the world around us.

As we strive to survive, can we be open to new realities, even if they are not the ones we yearn for or remember?

As we worry about what is supposed to be right or wrong, can we put down our weapons of separation, exclusion, and hate and prepare to love, and be loved by, those who don't agree with us?

As we consider the words of the prayer, let us by begin by asking the Holy Spirit to breathe into each of us. To breathe hope, love, grace, mercy, and gratitude that we might exhale and live those very things in our moment by moment lives.

BISHOP JOHNSON'S PRAYER:

Lord, our bones are dry and windswept.

We thirst for new life, a sip of living water.

We await a fresh moving of your Holy Spirit, a stirring of new vitality,

A refreshed vision that opens our souls for new realities.

Our bones are scattered. speak and draw us together.

The old has passed away, cover us with new flesh, new life and new possibilities.

Let us move from the battles of the past to dwell in Eden.

Free us from our warring so we might enter your new Jerusalem, the city of peace.

Only you, O Lord can do this, may these bones live again. Amen.

ARE WE FUNDRAISING OR FAITH-RAISING

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 11:53:11 GMT

ARE WE FUNDRAISING OR FAITH-RAISING

The task of a fundraiser is to connect the donor with the mission of the organization. The fundraiser knows the more I’m connected, through annual giving and volunteering, the better chance of a larger major gift down the road. And, if I’ve given annually for several years, even small amounts, there is a chance of a bequest to the organization - if I’m asked.

All this is true for the church as well. Fundraising principles and techniques work wherever they are implemented. However, if all the church does is fundraise, it misses the essence of the “ask”. If fundraising is the task, the church will raise money for the budget, just like any other not-for-profit. That is wonderful if that’s all we are called to be, just another not-for-profit. Now, don’t get me wrong, fundraising is a noble profession. Raising money to find a cure of a disease, provide a scholarship, feed the poor, care for the sick, impacts both the giver and the recipient of the gift. But in the church we are called to be faith-raisers as well as fundraisers.

Within the church, the Body of Christ, we faith-raisers need to connect the disciple to Jesus through his or her wallet. If we are not asking, “How does your gift bring you closer to Jesus?”, we have not only missed the point, we have done spiritual harm. By not connecting the faith & money dots, we allow the people in the pews to go on thinking that their money is all theirs, and that they obtained their wealth all by themselves. We allow the idol of money to have power over their lives, where the drive to gather more stuff, even to the point of being in debt, places them in bondage.

What makes the church different from every other not-for profit isn’t a “what”, but a Who: Jesus. There are approximately 1.3 million not-for-profits in the United States. When we fail to make the faith-money connection, we reduce the church to being just one of many not-for-profit organizations making the case for support. The case we are making is for a transformed life in Christ.

HEART BLOCKAGE

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 12:45:27 GMT

HEART BLOCKAGE

At church during prayer time, someone asked for prayers for a person with a heart blockage. As usual my mind went off in another direction. A blockage in the heart is serious business. I wondered if the person had a family history of heart issues and inherited the problem. Was it caused by a poor diet and lack of exercise? Knowing why does not help the person, but it gives me a sense of order.

Soon my line of thinking went to the spiritual realm. St Paul said, “…because if you confess with your lips and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. What are the spiritual heart blockages that would prevent me from confessing with my lips? My pride would cause a blockage to Christ in my heart. Self-centeredness could cause a major blockage. Maybe I inherited an agnostic disposition from parents that shunned all things of religion.

Some of the spiritual blockages mirror the physical clogs, in that they build up over time. St. Augustine said to God, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You”. Pascal, reflecting on this idea described a God hole: “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself”.

Decades of filling our God hole with addictions and other pleasure-seeking endeavors, creates life-threatening heart blockages. But there is hope; a diet rich in God’s Word, a disciplined prayer life, personal confession, and regularly partaking in Holy Communion, can clear the blockage. Sometimes the blockage needs to be opened with a spiritual stent. This can be done by attending a retreat like Walk to Emmaus or Cursillo.

Lent is the church’s prescription to clearing heart blockages through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, and alms giving. In my work at the Foundation I have often been asked how to increase giving, and how to increase church attendance. The question could be restated: What are the spiritual heart blockages, those obstacles to increasing both our giving and church attendance? I think the answer is not opening our wallet wider, rather it is helping people fill their God hole with Jesus.

BUILDING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:17:18 GMT

BUILDING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

Stories abound about the advisor, (attorney, planner, CPA, insurance broker) who for years worked closely with a business owner, usually a man, and neglected the family because they were not the decision makers.

The business relationship grew and matured while the wealth was being created through a small business. And often times, the business grew because a trusted, highly skilled, and trained advisor sat across the table.

For years, there were business needs: the tax laws changed, insurance plans re-written, estate plans updated, investment opportunities captured, and all the while, there was the advisor, listening and proposing. The succession plans were in place: buy/sell agreements, some funded, some insured, all carefully crafted.

Then it happens; a death, or retirement. The transition plan works like it was designed by the man and the advisor. Some small hitches but otherwise textbook smooth.

The next chapter of this book isn’t such a good read. The wife that was never invited to the planning meeting, the dinner, the golf tournament, or the day of sailing is now in charge.

Seven years ago she was invited to be on the hospital board where she established relationships with other highly skilled advisors, all who valued her opinion and viewed her as a peer.

Halfway through reading this story you can see how this chapter ends. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, the son calls; you know, the one who has been groomed to take over the business. Suddenly the advisor realizes that he was never invited to play golf either. So between mom and the son they have a new team of trusted advisors, who share their interests, and value them as people, not just business transactions.

Why do we share this with you today?

While it is true that there is an art to developing relationships beyond the decision maker, sometimes it just boils down to having common courtesy and common sense.

At the Foundation, we are not only skilled gift planners, we value, understand, and appreciate family dynamics. We approach our work through the lens of a financial ministry, the individual and family are, and always will be, top of mind.

We believe we are called to serve, and serve with, you. We believe that each relationship is a gift from God, a blessing to us as a Foundation and as individuals. We'd love to hear your story and that of your entire family or faith community.

How can we help you today? How can we begin, or continue, to build our relationship with you and those whom you love and care for?

SOMETHING NEW FOR LENT

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:12:27 GMT

SOMETHING NEW FOR LENT

The speaker was a therapist who works with at risk children. He shared that he often helps them reshape their perspectives. It works well, so he started practicing this technique for his daily living. It sounds so simple, but again simple is not the same as easy. And using this technique as a spiritual discipline will require me to rely on the Holy Spirit.

Here is the shift in thinking and behaving. Exchange the mindset of “I have to” to “I get to”. I do not have to make the bed – I get to make the bed. I get to have a comfortable place to sleep. I get to have clean sheets and two pillows. I get to be a good husband. At work, I do not have to type up the committee minutes – I get to. I get to be a better listener. I get to serve in a tangible way. I get to be a good team player. I do not have to drive someone to a doctor’s appointment – I get to. I get to place someone’s needs above my wants. I get to appreciate my health, my car, my flexible schedule, and the healthcare system.

The “I have to – I get to” mindset shift is really a shift from self-centeredness to gratitude, which leads to humility. With Lent beginning today, I do not have to increase my prayer life, I get to spend more time with Jesus. I do not have to fast; I get to focus on what is truly important to me. I do not have to give more; I get to imitate God’s generosity.

From a biblical perspective, the “I have to” mindset is adherence to the law. Shifting my mindset to “I get to” is the beatitudes.

ABEL'S HEART, CAIN'S OFFERING

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:06:14 GMT

ABEL'S HEART, CAIN'S OFFERING

My reflection this week started with hearing Fr. Christopher’s sermon about Cain and Abel, and then listening to Bruce Springsteen’s “Adam raised a Cain”. Springsteen’s song acknowledges our need to explain the horrific murder; finding a cause makes us feel better – as if we are in control. It’s a common response to hearing about a murder or any sin for that matter. Our standard operating procedure is to blame the parents or society first. This diversion helps me to look outside myself. I need to find an exterior cause for Cain’s action. Because if Cain owns his sin, then I have to own mine.

It is curious that the murder of a brother starts with an offering to God. We are not told if Cain picked a small crop, or a diseased crop for his offering. Maybe Cain brought the leftovers from his harvest. Whatever the reason, the Lord rejected his offering. Abel gives his firstlings and fatted lambs. Abel’s offering is a true sacrifice and acceptable to God.

Naturally, Cain is upset. And God sees that Cain’s spirit is broken. Cain is told that if he does well, “he” will be accepted. And if he does not, sin is lurking at his door, and he must master it. Cain just found out that what he offers to God is really himself. His sin was self-centeredness and a hard heart. The fruit of that sin was bringing a meager offering to God or withholding the best crop for himself. Abel’s pleasing offering shined a spotlight on Cain’s nature and character.

So instead of looking at himself, he looked outward, for excuses and believing the lies of the enemy; lies that justified envy, and rage that led to murder. I am reminded that most of our Christian liturgy begins with introspection and confession. What if Cain’s response to a rejected offering was confession?

In Psalm 51 we hear:

“The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

I need to learn, as Cain did, that whatever I offer to God in the offering plate, or online, is really myself. What would it be like to present a check to Jesus in-person? Would he look at my heart or the amount on the check? Would he be pleased or reject my gift? Abel and Cain teach me that living out my discipleship is not about being a steward of my assets, it is being a steward of my heart. Cain presented an offering; Abel presented his heart.

LONG-TERM PANDEMIC EFFECTS

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 15:20:56 GMT

LONG-TERM PANDEMIC EFFECTS

The pandemic has changed many church norms; both in worship and for church business meetings. I am finding that several churches prefer a Zoom call to an in-person meeting at the church. I think this is due in part to an aging church membership that does not like to drive at night. Once we got used to the new technology, we liked the benefits of remote meetings. Here are just a few:

During the winter months, our snowbirds can participate.
Meeting at night is a good option for all members.
Save on heating a room at the church.
Weather is not an issue.
Save on gas and pollution.
Sharing documents online saves paper.
Can invite guest speakers from the Foundation and beyond.

Unfortunately, for many churches, people also prefer to watch services at home. The early data that I have seen points to in-person attendance declining by up to 50%. More churches are reporting declines in both membership and giving. Hybrid worship has mixed reviews. Some churches with good audio-visual equipment and talented lay people are maintaining an online presence. On the other hand, without a quality online worship service, members can easily visit other churches.

I think the church offering plate offers us a tangible example of the long-term effects of the pandemic. The offering plate has either disappeared or has been located in a specific spot in the church – often in the back of the church. The rush to online giving and giving directly from bank accounts is making the offering plate obsolete.

Technology has and will change society; how we work and how we play. Because we are called to be stewards of the mysteries of God, we need to be strategic about how we use technology to make and grow disciples. We need to ask ourselves is the technology we are implementing bringing people closer to Jesus, or placing a stumbling block in their way?

OF JUSTICE, KINDNESS AND HUMILITY

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 17:34:46 GMT

OF JUSTICE, KINDNESS AND HUMILITY

What does the Lord require, but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

This was the reading in my devotional. The passage is both simple and difficult. It is simple because it does not require a sermon series to unpack its meaning. There is no metaphorical, hidden, or sophisticated language to cloud our understanding. What is simple in the spiritual life is often the most difficult. Today’s reading requires daily discernment of what is right and just. And then the passage calls us to act on that discernment. The passage is all about action, we are called to Do, Love, and Walk. The temptation of acting on what we think is just is wearing our authoritarian mask. Don’t we just love people who have all the answers, all the time, and who are always right? Micah’s antidote is to “Walk humbly with our God”. The virtue of Humility requires taking off all our masks, which is most difficult.

So much of our stewardship talk focuses on use of money, and the role money plays in our lives. This is largely due to money and all its power being the biggest obstacle in our faith journey. Our culture feeds the lust for money and material goods through high-powered marketing campaigns. Resisting the lure of wealth is not easy. Micah offers us a counter-cultural path. Rather than loving money he says to love kindness. And rather doing what makes us happy or content, Micah tells us to do justice. Micah offers us a new path to walk, and instructs us to walk it humbly with our Lord. It sounds so simple. Who knew it would be so difficult.

OBSERVING THE BIRTHDAY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:12:52 GMT

OBSERVING THE BIRTHDAY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

There are many ways to observe MLK Day. However, as we mark the day, indeed the Holy Day, there is a tangible way to connect the Rev. King’s timeless message with this moment. A financial gift to the Foundation’s Justice in Our Time Fund continues the work, if not the vision of our brother Martin Luther King, Jr.

Click Here to Make Your Gift

A CHRISTMAS GIFT

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 15:05:31 GMT

A CHRISTMAS GIFT

On Christmas Eve, a friend’s mom was lying in her bed, wracked in the pain that comes from metastatic cancer. Less than a year ago she received a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. A young grandmother, she was newly retired with so much ahead of her.

She fought the cancer as long as she could. Then came the time to say enough. Nothing more could be offered by the most skilled doctors and researchers. She willed herself alive until after Christmas. Two days later she entered hospice at the hospital and died the next day. I pray her death was peaceful.

How is it that this story is heard over and over again - a dying person wills themselves to hang on until after Christmas, after a birthday, a graduation, or a wedding? While there is no avoiding death, there seems to be an inner strength that says not yet, wait.

It is as if one was saying that I do not want my death to disrupt Christmas for my family or cast a shadow on a wedding day. No, I can suffer a little more for the love of my family. As it was once said to the newly wedded couples: “Sacrifice is usually difficult and irksome. Only love can make it easy and perfect love can make it a joy.”

The same love that made it possible for Jesus to carry his cross makes it possible for our loved ones to embrace suffering for our sake. Said another way, there is no greater love than to prolong one’s own death for another. And as the choirs sing “O Holy Night”, somewhere there is a family praying “O Holy Death”.

The gift of Christmas is the Word made flesh. And through our baptism we enter into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Because of Christmas, we can live our life knowing that we are from God and at our death, we will return to God.

As Christians, talking about our own death is a theological discussion. It follows then, that for people of faith, writing a will is an act of stewardship. It is a public acknowledgement that all that I am, and all that I have, is a gift from God. Legally, estate planning consists of our last will and testament. Through eyes of faith, our will is our last offering to God, a testament of love.

Your Foundation has resources to assist you in creating a plan that reflects your faith and your love for your family. If writing or updating your is part of your New year’s resolution, call us, we can help you achieve that goal.

OF NUCLEAR FUSION & ADVENT

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 12:51:34 GMT

OF NUCLEAR FUSION & ADVENT

Today the Wall Street Journal had breaking news. The headline read: Nuclear-Fusion Breakthrough Accelerates Quest to Unlock Limitless Energy Source . If we can put nuclear fusion into production, this could be the answer to many of the world’s problems. Developing countries would have the energy needed to compete economically. Developed countries could walk away from fossil fuels without worrying about rolling blackouts. And we could soon be checking the box off climate change. Pray it be so.

I confess that I did not know that we were this close to a “fusion” option. This announcement makes me wonder why this technology has not captured the bulk of the government’s green budget. But that is above my pay grade. What really got me thinking was Advent. With all the life-changing scientific advancements over human history, none compares with what happens when the Word becomes flesh.

The creator of heaven and earth, of all that is visible and invisible, of all science; including fusion, who is outside the measurements of time and space, enters human history. And we who measure time mark this event by calling it, A. D. or Anno Domini – In the Year of Our Lord. Love changes everything. Christ’s resurrection, mercy, and reconciliation has forever conquered sin and death.

While the news of nuclear fusion has awakened us to new possibilities, perhaps changing the way we power the world, only the Good News is worthy of our praise, adoration, and worship. Breakthroughs in science can make us happy, but only Jesus can bring us Joy.

OF ADVENT & WEDDINGS

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 13:40:04 GMT

OF ADVENT & WEDDINGS

Not long ago I attended a beautiful wedding. There were obvious hours of preparation and planning. No detail was overlooked. There was a, “I can’t wait” feeling in the air. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, the engaged couple had time for “marriage prep”, to reflect, ask questions and to explore all areas of their relationship, even the uncomfortable. Then, before they could they breathe, the waiting was done, and it was time to ask God into their lives through their spoken covenantal vows. They were changed -- the two became one. There were tears, even from dad, and then a celebration to witness love in action. And before we knew it, it was over. Someone remarked, “It’s like Christmas, so much preparation and then it’s over”.

Yes, so much preparation, too often of the external variety, and not of the internal substance. We might ask the couple in three or four years if the wedding preparation indeed prepared them for marriage--a life together. Did they spend too much time and money on the decorations and not enough focus on preparing themselves to be a gift for each other? In our preparation for Christmas, how much time and money is spent on decorations and presents rather than preparation to receive Jesus the King in our hearts, minds and lives? I think the “It’s over before we knew it” feeling is the result of focusing so much time on decorating the box that we forget our gift is the Word made Flesh.

Advent is a spiritual season that requires the virtue of detachment. Detachment from the culture is especially hard during Advent. The expectations of family traditions, Christmas shopping, and the idea of a “Hallmark Holiday” are just some of the self-imposed roadblocks that distract us from transforming our hearts into the manger to receive Jesus. I have to detach so that I can embrace. I have to decrease so that Christ can increase.

WHEN I AM WEAK

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 12:43:58 GMT

WHEN I AM WEAK

It was a men’s retreat. The man sharing his testimony of his life in recovery from alcohol spoke of hitting bottom and being broken. Though 15 years sober, his story was still real and raw for us sitting quietly in the room.

In order for any change to take place, or for any healing to occur, his heart had to be softened. In fact, his heart was so hard that it had to be broken so that God could find a way in through all the cracks and crevasses. During his talk he quoted 2 Corinthians 12:10, “for when I am weak, then I am strong”.

Our spiritual growth is largely paradox. Being broken to the healed is near the top of the list. I was thinking about a broken vessel, and how it is impossible for it to hold water. A broken heart cannot hold God’s love, it flows through the same cracks and crevasses that softened the hard heart.

It is in our brokenness and weakness that we can be humble and empathic. Gratitude and generosity flow as God’s love passes though us to others. It seems to me that the best stewardship sermon is a transformed life in Christ. The problem is that we are so desperate to balance the church budget that we forget the spiritual paradox. For just as I am weak then I am strong; when I am poor, then I am rich.

"AND YOU DESERVE MY SERVICE"

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 12:52:04 GMT

"AND YOU DESERVE MY SERVICE"

My wife Carol and I visited FDR’s library last week. It is well worth the drive to New York’s Hudson River Valley. During our travels, we stopped at a deli for lunch. A couple of regular customers came in behind us. The well-worn landscaping t-shirts identified their occupation. One of the workers looked to be around 70 years old. I came to that conclusion because he was wearing a Marine Viet Nam Veteran’s cap. I thought that was hard work to be doing at 70.

After lunch we left at the same time. I thanked the Marine for his service, and he said something that I’d never heard before. He looked me in the eye, as Marines do, and said, “Thank-you, and you deserve my service.” I was saying thank you because I am aware of the sacrifices veterans made on my behalf. Having a veteran, and most likely a combat veteran, tell me that I am worthy and deserving of his service, his sacrifice, his lost friends, and probably his PTSD, is humbling to be sure. Profoundly grateful, I am still hearing his reply, “and you deserve my service.”

His words had a greater impact when we visited FDR’s Library. The presidential library had many exhibits depicting both the sacrifice and violence of WWII. Seeing those images, the sense of gratitude grew, as did the profound humility. Later that week, as we walked through an old cemetery, the words, “and you deserve my service,” lingered as I read the names on the veterans’ headstones.

I didn’t have a conversation with that Marine, but I wish I could have asked him why he thought I deserved his service. I suspect the answer would come from the Marines motto, Sempre Fi – Always Faithful . I pray that as I live my life of faith, Christ will find me always faithful, and those people I come into contact with, especially the least among us, will receive and deserve my service.

FOR ALL THE SAINTS

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:36:33 GMT

FOR ALL THE SAINTS

As All Saints Day approaches, I offer this prayer by Walter Brueggemann from his book: Prayers for a Privileged People.

At Table… Flooded with Memories

"Each time we come to your table, we sound the familiar memory, “prophets and apostles, saints and martyrs,” all of us gather: prophets we know, who can muster righteous indignation, apostles we know, who do not mind being sent, even saints, we confess their “communion” of the living and the dead.

And then martyrs – and our throats tighten a little – old martyrs before lions, recent martyrs before death squads and covert government actions.

Martyrs – truth tellers – witnesses in dangerous places where truth is at risk before princes and powers and corporate wealth, telling your truth of goodness, of mercy, of peace and justice, of compassion and forgiveness.

So we gather to be truth-tellers, timid, bewildered, reluctant, half ready, half asking, “What is truth?”

We ourselves stand alongside Jesus, who is the truth and the way and the life. We ourselves give witness as we can, not doubting, but fearful, nonetheless sent.”

I am reminded on All Saints Day that I stand on the shoulders of those disciples who fought the good fight, giving their time, talent, and treasure to provide an inheritance of faith. Your Foundation manages over 130 million dollars. Nearly all of these funds were given through a bequest. It is appropriate to recognize those who have endowed our churches on All Saints Day. Honoring these gifts sets them apart, indeed, consecrating them, shining a light on both the gift and the Saint who made the bequest.

Our Saints provide an example for us to follow. Some for their leadership in standing up for justice, others for their generosity. All Saints Day is special because it places us in the continuum of time. Sitting in the sanctuary, I realize that I am the connection to the past and the future. I am grateful for endowed funds that were given years ago and that are providing resources for today’s ministries. There is peace of mind knowing that my future bequest will enhance tomorrow’s ministries.

STEWARDS NOT OWNERS: A DOWNTON ABBEY LESSON

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 12:07:58 GMT

STEWARDS NOT OWNERS: A DOWNTON ABBEY LESSON

I began last week’s reflection with a quote from Downton Abbey. The context of the quote is from Robert Crowley, the Earl of Grantham, responding to his mother Violet, the Dowager Countess, after she asks him if he cares about Downton, i.e. the estate. His answer was, quick, direct, and emotional: “Do I care? I have given my life to Downton. I was born here, and I hope to die here: I claim no career beyond the nurture of this house and the estate. It's my third parent and my fourth child”.

Because Downton Abbey is held in a trust, Robert Crowley is not the owner. His role is of a trustee, a steward holding all the weight of responsibility. This is the same relationship we have with our church buildings. We are not owners, we are stewards. For many longtime members, the church is a second home, it is their “third parent and fourth child”.

As a steward Robert Crowley faced all the challenges of managing property during a changing society and a changing way of life. After WWI, the position and role of the aristocracy was in steep decline. Robert Crowley resisted the change at first, but later was persuaded to adapt to a new world and restructure the estate to be self-sustaining. And while Downton Abbey is a fictional TV series, it provides a blueprint for churches exploring how to manage today’s changes.

Fortunately, your Foundation has created the Wesley Community Development Corporation. Now churches have access to experienced advisors to call upon as they explore how they will manage change and build a sustainable future. Times change, and just like the mansions in England, the need for large old church buildings that are hard to heat need to be repurposed and re-imagined. If your church needs help adjusting to today’s challenges, call us, we can help.

THE WHY OF LEGACY GIVING

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 12:29:04 GMT

THE WHY OF LEGACY GIVING

During the church Zoom meeting, a longtime member of the church recounted her family history with the church. Her parents were married in the church, she was baptized and also married there, and her children were baptized from the same baptismal font. It reminded me of a scene from the TV series, “Downton Abbey.” It took me a few minutes hunting through the video, but I found the quote from Robert Crowley, the Earl of Grantham, responding to his mother Violet, the Dowager Countess, after she asks him if he cares about Downton Abbey. His answer was quick, direct, and emotional: “Do I care? I have given my life to Downton. I was born here, and I hope to die here. I claim no career beyond the nurture of this house and the estate. It's my third parent and my fourth child.”

There are many people who have a long history with their church, and like the Earl of Grantham, they too have given their life, through service and sacrifice to its ministry. It is likely that you are in this camp of longtime church members. To help make my point, take a moment, and list all the ways you have served your church, both inside and outside its walls. I can begin 50 years ago when I was an usher and Sunday School helper. After listing all the ways you have given of your time and talent, approximate how much money you have given over the years – not just pledging and capital campaigns, but in special events like fairs and suppers as well. Now let us think in terms of human relationships. For many people, the church has been the source of every meaningful relationship outside their immediate family. We cannot even try to put a price tag on this aspect of church life.

And now I come to the why of church – a relationship with Jesus. We can have a relationship with Jesus anywhere, but the church is His house, it is sacred ground. It is here where we gather around the altar for Communion, to praise God together, to sing hymns and pray silently. When people ask why I included the church in my estate plan, my answer is quick, direct, and emotional: Jesus. I cannot give money directly to God, but I can give it to the Body of Christ – the church. The method and vehicle for that legacy gift is a donor endowment fund through the Foundation. The advantage of using a donor endowment fund is that I can name a camp or church as the contingent beneficiary in the event my church closes. And the real value is knowing that the fund will be professionally managed and socially responsibly invested.

GIVING MORE THAN I CAN SPARE

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 12:09:16 GMT

GIVING MORE THAN I CAN SPARE

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.” C. S. Lewis

Although this quote from C.S. Lewis is loaded with thou should’s and ought’s, it presents a new matrix for evaluating personal philanthropy. (A priest friend of mine said we need to eliminate the “you should’s” from or vocabulary because people have been should on enough in church.) For centuries, the concept of tithing, giving 10% of the first and best fruits has been both our spiritual discipline and generosity guideline. In an agricultural society this tradition makes sense; but for an industrial and information based economy this guideline may be outdated and un-relatable. And for many, the hard 10% number provides an easy answer to the young man’s question to Jesus, “What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?”

But the uncomfortable Jesus answer to the young man – “sell all that you own, give it to the poor, then come follow me” turns the tables on tithing. That is, in our affluent society, a fixed percentage giving formula may be limiting my giving, limiting my spiritual growth, and limiting my joy. I have heard, and been part of, discussions about whether or not a tithe is before or after tax. These are legalistic discussions that block and divert us away from spiritual growth. I believe the answer to the before or after-tax question is – which one deepens my relationship with Jesus. Too often a fixed percentage does not define and or promote sacrifice.

For people in debt, living beyond their means, the tithing formula would be a true burden. For higher income folk, and owning a house mortgage free, the tithing formula maybe a real comfortable place to be. But Jesus calls us to the uncomfortable place of sacrifice; a place that leads to spiritual growth. C. S. Lewis does not say, as Jesus did, go and sell all we have and give it the poor. Rather I hear him asking me is my giving sacrificial, is it making me Holy, is it leading me to eternal life.

I have also heard, and been part of discussions, where a finance or stewardship committee dreamed of a time when everyone tithed. This discussion was institution focused. The idea of moving people to be tithing was to balance the budget, to be in a comfortable place financially. I invite us, the corporate church community, to ponder this quote from C.S. Lewis as it relates to living as the Body of Christ in the world.

FALLING INTO THE TRAP

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 12:34:10 GMT

FALLING INTO THE TRAP

Well it happened again. After the church meeting was over, I realized that I had fallen into the membership trap. The discussion on investments led to income, the income discussion led to stewardship and the Fall campaign, which led to needing more members – read pledge units. This is what I call the membership trap.

The bait this time was the Covid conundrum. It seems most churches I know are experiencing significant – up to 50% of the laity staying at home on Sunday. Online viewership is also declining. So, there I was, chest deep in the membership trap. There were two ropes holding me down. One was the “we are getting older rope,” and the other was, “we have no families with children” . I was caught and did not even know it until I had time to reflect after the meeting.

The membership trap is all about the “why”. Why we do things is our core, our motivation and worldview. And when financial stability is our why, and increased membership equals increased offerings; the trap is set. We need new members to balance the budget.

Avoiding the membership trap is simple but not easy. It requires changing the “why” we want new people. This means removing both the word and the concept of “membership” and replacing it with discipleship. I do not have hard data to prove this, but I suspect the term membership is born out of a club and business model. The goal is to increase membership and increase dues. And if you can attract wealthier members, you can raise the dues.

The shift from seeing people as dues paying members to seeing Christ within people changes us. Our “why” just went from balancing the budget to making disciples. The paradox is that if we seek first the kingdom or realm of God first, making disciples, then everything else falls into place – including a balanced budget.

When I was caught in the membership trap, my remedy for the declining pandemic attendance was asking members to invite people back to church – into the building on Sunday morning.

I think a better idea is to send the church leadership away for a spiritual renewal retreat. Renewed and recharged, they can invite people into a new / deeper relationship with Christ. If we love them, they will come.

UNLOCKING THE DOORS OF POVERTY

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 12:05:32 GMT

UNLOCKING THE DOORS OF POVERTY

Home ownership has been and continues to be the foundation for building multi-generational wealth. Over time, real estate generally keeps pace and even out-performs inflation. A lifetime of renting, without contributing to a growth fund to compensate for the equity lost due to not owning real estate, significantly reduces net worth. This means less to bequest to children and grandchildren. Another keystone of building net worth is adding life insurance, especially during the early earning years. Life insurance creates an estate for a young family should a premature death occur.

Historically, for people of color with lower incomes, home ownership has been a struggle. Personally, I have found it curious why we have an economic system that offers the most opportunity to create wealth, and that attracts entrepreneurs from all over the globe, yet we offer little to no financial education in our public schools. Why do young adults leaving high school have no concept of the banking system, or how a mortgage works, why a credit score matters, and the power of compound interest?

What if at an early age, say the second grade, each child was given $1,000 in a growth mutual fund and for the next 10 years had to chart the balance, investigate the stocks / companies, and evaluate the investment fees? What if they could contribute to the account? Imagine the lessons they would learn about stock dividends and capital gains – and the associated taxes. If we taught our young people about the risks and perils of debt, credit cards, and student loans, would they make different choices?

If money is power, then knowledge of money is a justice issue. Teaching people of all ages about money, especially in communities that are low income, unlocks the door of poverty and opens the door to home ownership. I believe the church offers both a healthy and counterculture perspective on money. John Wesley’s concept of earning all we can, saving all we can and giving all we can, could be the centerpiece of a ministry of money program in your church.

Please know that the Foundation has grant money available for justice and educational ministries. Give us a call to explore how we can partner with your church. Opening the door of financial knowledge is a way of setting the captives of poverty free.

BETWEEN THE HEART AND THE HEAD

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 11:44:02 GMT

BETWEEN THE HEART AND THE HEAD

The distance between the heart and head is what some have called an eighteen-inch journey. In viewing the world, and interacting with people, some of us start with the head, others with their heart. The Myers Briggs folks would describe it as the difference between thinking and feeling. Isabel Briggs Myers identified 16 personality types based on the way people prefer to see and engage the world.

I have heard it said that self-knowledge is the foundation to spiritual and personal growth. Using tools such as Meyers Briggs helps me to understand myself. And when these tools are used in the workplace, I can better understand my co-workers. For instance, I lean toward the “feeling” preference. If I am giving a report to someone who leans toward the thinking preference, I know that I will have to spend more time providing data, rather than elaborating on the story highlighting the human impact.

When it comes to our faith, some approach it with logic and heady theology, while others need quiet prayer or loud praise music. Fortunately, the head and the heart are connected, it is not an either or, but a both and, learning encounter with God.

In the world of development and philanthropy striking a balance between the head and the heart takes skill and empathy. When making a large gift, donors give from the heart and justify their gift with reason and experience. Therefore, a campaign heavy on emotional content will often result in donor’s remorse or unfilled pledges. In these kinds of emotionally driven campaigns, donors can get swept up in the moment, even manipulated to make a gift commitment. On the other side of the coin, just giving a donor a list of numbers to review will not motivate them to give. In fundraising, striking the balance between the head and the heart is an artform all its own.

It would be great to know who in our church is motivated more by the heart or the head; of feeling and thinking. We could tailor our campaign letters to each person, giving them what they need to make a thoughtful and heartfelt gift. But we have something better than a Meyers Briggs tool to guide us. We have been given the Holy Spirit. Here is the difference. While I receive many gift solicitations from the other not-for-profits I support, none will ask me to pray about my giving. Without prayer, a churches annual giving campaign resembles the letter from my local food pantry. In prayer, the Holy Spirit provides the bridge from my head to my heart. And on that bridge, I am met by Christ who invites me to give myself, as well as my treasure.

INNVOCATIONS

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 16:16:55 GMT

INNVOCATIONS

The Latin root of invocation is to “call upon”. In the church we begin our services with an invocational prayer. We call upon God to be with us. Imagine for a moment our response when during that prayer Jesus appears physically, standing behind the Altar. Our prayer of invocation is now evoking fear and trembling. These emotions dissipate as his first spoken words are, “Peace be with you”.

But now we are filled with anticipation of his message. Will we hear a new parable, or a familiar story with a new understanding. Will the message be directed at us as individuals, or will be meant for the church, His Body on earth.

What do we want to hear? What do we need to hear? We prayed our invocation, we called upon him, and he answered us – now what?

Could it be that Jesus will pray his own invocational prayer for his church to be present to the people who are poor, sick, in prison, grieving and those seeking justice.

Labor Day has come and gone, and the stewardship season is fast approaching. Our church’s invocational prayer is not to balance a budget. It is, however, a call for Jesus to be at our center, both as individuals and as his church. Jesus has answered our invocation, our call upon the Trinity for help. May we in our living and giving answer his call – “To do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with God” . Micah 6:8

A NEW TAKE ON "RALLY" SUNDAY

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:04:04 GMT

A NEW TAKE ON "RALLY" SUNDAY

Back in 2015 I shared this observation: “ What got me thinking was the “RALLY” Sunday sign I saw in front of a church this weekend. It was a call to the church community to come together, with hopes, I suppose, that non-members would respond as well. Sometimes the church hangs a “Homecoming” sign with the same intent and hopes. I wonder what these signs say to non-churched people. How can I come home if I never belonged? If I come to Rally Sunday, am I enlisting in some kind of army because I’m hearing rally the “troops”? For the active church member who attends all summer and finds a church to attend while on vacation, have they not been at “Home” all summer? If our business is growing Disciples, how does the practice of taking the summer off deepen my relationship with Jesus? What other relationship do we treat this way? But we have been doing this for so long it has become the norm. We even tout that one of the benefits of electronic giving is having your money show up even when you are on the beach.”

So here is a new take on the “Rally” Sunday. Many of the churches that I have interacted with this summer have shared that only half the people have returned to church after pandemic lockdown. Sadly, this is not the usual taking the summer off behavior, it happened at Easter as well. This year Rally or Homecoming Sunday needs more than a sign on the church front door. Personal visits, either in-person or on the phone are necessary.

And let me be clear and offer a cautionary note. The invitation to attend Rally Sunday cannot include an invitation to catch up on pledges. With church budget deficits mounting, the temptation to ask for money is great. But more than ever people have a need for community, friendship, and acceptance. This effort to reconnect with friends is the stewardship of disciples, not balancing the budget. People need a relationship with Christ and to be a member of his body – the church. Now is the time to be generous with God’s love and trust that those efforts will bear fruit.

ODE TO WENDELL LUKE

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 11:38:20 GMT

ODE TO WENDELL LUKE

Our friend Rev. Dr. Wendell Luke died this week. He was a prophet, a force, and a voice for justice. He was also a thoughtful poet. His served on the Foundation’s Board of Directors for several years, shaping and encouraging our growth in both assets and ministry.

I am sure that upon hearing of his passing the “Wendell” stories began circulating among colleagues and friends. Many of you know that he wrote poetry. I saved one of his poems that was shared some time ago because it resonated with me. Somehow, as I read the poem today, I cannot help but picture Wendell pointing us all to the manger straw.

Softly, almost unnoticed,

the spirit of Christ enters and becomes;

no hysteric act displays his coming unto us.

A man lived with us and Christ was everywhere

that we might search ourselves

and give him lodging;

The soul, the body is but a Bethlehem manger

where Christ will come seeking birth;

lay carefully your straw of life

and bid him come,

bid him enter there,

bid him come;

in the soft splendor of evening fires he will come;

build your Evening fire

and bid him come;

a fire not tended dies and is no more;

a fire not tended dies.

Set no extravagant nor pompous feast;

a silent evening fire and gentle manger straw

And Jesus comes.

Jesus enters softly.

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:50:28 GMT

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

For many people the dog days of summer mean vacation and a slower pace of life. It is this slower pace that creates the environment for reflection and planning. This is especially true for life planning: retirement and estate planning etc. These longer-term issues tend to be put on the back burner when life is chaotic. Sometimes we have to be in the “mood” for these discussions, and summertime fosters the right mood because we are in a different state of mind.

So, now is the time to invite your advisor over for iced tea and conversation. Share your thoughts, dreams and even fears. Take advantage of the time and space that the dog days of summer have created. The advantage is that you can take the time to think clearly without interruptions, and the real value is that you can create plans that secure your future and legacy.

Your Foundation has the resources and tools to help you navigate the planning process. We specialize in using charitable giving to maximize gifts to both family and charity, as well as increasing income and lowering taxes.

Contact me, Gary Melville, to arrange a time to talk today.

800-595-4347 x 103 / email gmelville@umfne.org .

LESSONS FROM MY LAWN

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 16:32:50 GMT

LESSONS FROM MY LAWN

We have a relatively small yard with nearly as much garden space as the lawn. My wife Carol is the steward of the gardens and I take care of the grass. The gardens are watered regularly, and the grass gets enough H2O to avoid going completely brown during this drought.I have a tough time thinking about an irrigation system for the grass. Partly for environmental reasons, but mostly because I cannot justify the expense. However, I noticed that under the stress of the drought, the weeds are creeping up.

The brown grass has helped me make the connection between my lawn and my spiritual life. The lawn has a seasonal cycle. I think it was Scotts that first introduced the 4 Step lawn care plan. The process begins in spring. Along with the fertilizer I must put down a crabgrass preventative treatment as well as a grub control product. In early summer the fertilizer has a weed killer, mid-summer has insect control, and in fall the fertilizer is designed to grow deep roots for the desolate winter season. In caring for the lawn there are events beyond my control. This year it is the drought. I know that withholding the life-giving water causes the lawn to go dormant and could even lead to death if I’m not careful.

Like my lawn, my spiritual life needs the fertilizer of the Word of God and Communion. I need confession and humility to guard against the weeds of temptation and pride. And I too thirst for the life-giving waters. Just like my lawn needs mowing, I need to be pruned to stay healthy. Tending to my spiritual life takes effort and discipline. Without perseverance, a weed will find its way into my thinking. Before I know it, the weeds have taken over and I need the special treatment of a spiritual director.

Of lawns and the spiritual life there is a major difference. My lawn has no free will, no choice. If I skip two years of grub control, there will be patches of dead grass. When I choose to withhold water, the lawn will turn brown until I water again. But I have the choice. I know that if I am diverted from my spiritual practices, the weeds start to take over.

So often I think of stewardship in terms of finance, but I am reminded by St. Paul that I am first called to be a servant of Christ and steward of the mysteries of God. As the summer starts to wind down, many churches will begin the budget planning process for 2023. Without staying focused on being the servants of Christ and the stewards of God’s mysteries, churches can be overrun by the weeds of anxiety and confusion. Churches, like individuals, need to make the choices that help grow and protect a good spiritual life. As your partner in ministry, the Foundation has the tools and resources to keep the weeds down and the well filled with life giving water.

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:01:56 GMT

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS

I have found that life lessons often come through observing the small moments. The huge events like getting married, watching your children being born, and our veterans going off to war, are instantly life changing. But it’s the little things, if we are aware and watchful, that continue to mold, shape and correct us.

Witness a quick pop-in to the store for a few groceries for supper. I know my Market Basket well enough to find what I need without looking up at the aisle signs. I had my six items and was standing in the quick checkout line in under two minutes.

I was out the door when my path was blocked. An Asian family was stopping me from a record setting grocery run. Well, it turns out they were deciding how much to give the legless old veteran in the wheelchair. I have to confess that in my rush to get home I probably would not have noticed the man sitting off to the side.

Their little act of compassion and generosity stopped me physically. It also made me stop to see myself as well as the disabled Vet. I was happy to be generous and grateful for the nudge to slow down and see the people around me.

This encounter made me think of our small churches that often assume they are not making an impact. Acts of love and compassion do not go unnoticed. Light always penetrates the darkness. If your church, large or small, has an idea for ministry, remember that your Foundation has a grant program to help turn your ministry dreams into missional realities.

TRUE CONFESSIONS

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 13:26:17 GMT

TRUE CONFESSIONS

I was in a conversation recently where the topic was about something I had written. I included everything in the communication that I felt a person would want to know. When I was finished, I was certain they would have no questions whatsoever and would be clamoring to participate in the event.

One of the individuals in the conversation, for whom I have great respect, noted the length of the communication and the probable reality that people hadn't read it. The length was challenging, the number of words overwhelming, and therefore the was message lost.

I smiled as they were sharing their observations. What else could I do? They were probably wrong because I've been doing this my whole life and while on occasion someone might have said something, most people didn't comment.

Always striving to grow in my ministry and vocation I thought, oh, wait a minute… maybe the silence meant something other than I thought... Hmmm.

I then received this TEDx Talk in my email and because of the comments I received in the meeting, I chose to watch for 15 minutes (the length of a short sermon, right?) and see if there was anything to it.

The presenter, Jim VandeHei, founder of Politico and Axios, spoke of how many of us (at least my age and older) remember a time when the evening news and the morning paper were the main sources of information. However, people can now get everything they are looking for online, and the reality is that most of us are overwhelmed (he says few people can truly multi-task) and only read bits and pieces of articles.

In this talk he shares about his new concept pertaining to context presentation calling it "Smart Brevity". This works in the world around us as well as within the church in the areas of communication, worship announcements, and even the sermon (I now have to shorten the one I am using this Sunday). It will also work in how we communicate with each other in person.

This talk is well worth the 15 minutes, would be a great resource for lay and clergy leadership, and may even help us to ensure that more people will read the awesome news we share of how God is working with, in, and through our faith communities.

Clearly, I've already written long enough and now I have to go tell the person who dared to speak the truth in our meeting that they were right. Maybe using smart brevity, I'll just say "Thank you".

Watch the TEDx Talk

TRUSTING

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 18:27:18 GMT

TRUSTING

Last week I reflected upon the effect that the Covid pandemic has had on the church. The challenges experienced changed how we are the church and how we will do church in the future. As a lay person, I can see that my role in the church is changing. Whether or not the church I am attending is thriving, or needs to merge with another, I need to be more fully engaged. Even if my church should close, I am still a member of Body of Christ.

In Romans 8, Paul reminds us: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” In this period of church history, I would like to add - neither church growth nor church closing shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.

It comes down to trusting in the promises of Christ and of our faith. I choose to trust that God is working among us, and in us, during this time of change. We are like Peter being called to walk on the water and to keep our eyes on Jesus. Even when we focus on the storm and rough seas, Christ reaches out his hand pulling us into his love.

Choosing to make a legacy gift through your will or other gift arrangement to support future ministries is a demonstration of trusting in the promises of our faith. I live only in this present moment, but I need to trust that God holds my future, and the future of the world. Choosing to leave a bequest is an investment in the future that God is continually shaping.

The Foundation can play an important role when you are updating your will or gift plans. I consult with many people who are considering a bequest that will insure the future mission and ministry of the church. Together, we can explore ways to structure your bequest to make the greatest future impact. Contact Gary Melville at 800-595-4347 X103 or gmelville@umfne.org to arrange a convenient time to discover how you can maximize your giving.

OF CHURCHES & RESTAURANTS

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 11:43:38 GMT

OF CHURCHES AND RESTAURANTS

At the height of the pandemic churches applied for PPP Loans and relied on Zoom, Facebook and YouTube to deliver the Sunday Service. Many technology-challenged individuals were pushed into the proverbial social media pool. And, like the initial cold-water shock of jumping in, people finally warmed up to the new way of doing church.

But, for every action, there is a reaction. We are now seeing a new phenomenon – almost half the congregation is staying home. It is not yet clear whether folks are watching the service on-line at their own convenience, or if they have found other things to do on Sunday.

I find this situation worthy of a deep dive – not by me, but by skilled analysts. My own anecdotal observation looks at the restaurant business. People got used to “take-out” meals during the pandemic. But now restaurants owners are complaining they can’t get enough help to handle the crowd of customers that want the dining experience. I imagine that people who are dining out this weekend may be the same ones that prefer the online “YouTube” church.

People are back to the restaurants because they like the experience of better tasting food and friendly wait staff. Some people get to know the restaurant owner, which makes the dining experience even more relational.

I think it is important to study why people are back to restaurants but only half have returned to church. It could mean that the hybrid church service is here to stay. It could also mean a major decline in future membership, especially for our smaller churches. The problem with the hybrid model is that you can easily church shop. That large non-denominational church in town has a dynamic pastor and a professional praise band. They meet in the old movie theater, so they have great lighting and a sound system that works well for YouTube. If I’m new to town and checking out churches online, which one will I choose? And it is not all about presentation. I’ve heard from more than one person who prefers to watch the church service of their childhood.

Technology has changed, and will continue to change, how the church functions. There is a blessing and a curse with these changes. Grandparents can facetime grandchildren 2000 miles away. A blessing. Meanwhile at dinner, two teens haven’t even looked up from their phones. A curse. What these changes mean for the church will depend largely on how well we study behavior and embrace technology.

OF FRESH CUT GRASS

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 12:58:34 GMT

OF FRESH CUT GRASS

As I get older I find many perfumes and colognes give me a headache. It is one of the reasons why I prefer to drive into Boston rather than ride the subway standing next to a millennial young man who thinks the better he smells, the better he looks – Not. For me, the smell of fresh cut grass, or hay, is a most pleasant experience. It is an experience because smells trigger the memory section of the brain.

I enjoy the weekly task of cutting the lawn; except in ragweed season. It is time alone without a phone, it is exercise, it provides the satisfaction of a job completed, it looks nice and smells good, but, most of all, it links the past with present. Who thought cutting grass could be a religious experience?

The senses are a gift from God that on occasion allow us to experience time travel; particularly the sense of smell. The smell of white paste could quickly put you back in the first grade. Churches are a potpourri of sights and smells. Orthodox churches blend icons and incense. A Friends Meeting House offers us a blank page on which to meditate on our own thoughts, often with a hint of wood and musk. Each home, each church has a look and smell, a feel. For those who attend the church they were baptized in, just walking through the door can flood the mind with memories triggered by the smell, or the picture of Jesus knocking at the door.

Music, we are finding out, also triggers a different part of the brain. Alzheimer’s patients who have forgotten their grandchildren’s names can remember both the words and tunes of songs. Lillian, my mother-in-law, who had advanced Alzheimer’s, sang us Noel – in French! How many of us are fine at a funeral until they sing our favorite hymn? This is why, I believe, sacred space is so important. For the older church goer, there becomes a delicate balance treasuring the sensory church experience and worshiping the building that houses a lifetime of memories.

Many faith communities in New England are facing the reality that keeping the building open will close the church. For the outsider, looking only at the numbers, the decision looks simple. But the outsider does not have the sensory memory. For them, the fresh cut grass just looks nice. There is no smell that triggers them; transports them back to childhood. This intangible experience cannot be factored into the financial equation. Such things are not about price, they are about worth. In our painful, often heartbreaking decision to leave the building behind so that we can be the church, let us remember that a church, a home, can be a friend. And before embarking quickly on a new faith journey, let us take time grieve our old friend, to say goodbye in a way that satisfies, that produces a pleasing fragrance that will be remembered for years to come.

TAINTED MONEY

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 12:39:29 GMT

TAINTED MONEY

I re-read an article written by Robert Wood Lynn titled: “The Ethics of Asking”. Mr. Lynn broaches the topic of receiving tainted money. The term tainted money originated back in 1905, when John D. Rockefeller – oil billionaire, gave $100,000 to the Congregational Foreign Missions. This gift raised a red flag for Rev. Washington Gladden, a Congregational pastor, who had written extensively about the ethics of accepting money from questionable sources. Rev. Gladden’s concern was focused on gifts that were made public, thus connecting the gift with giver. Keeping this premise in mind, Mr. Lynn posed the following questions for churches and religious organizations.

• Who are our givers?

• What is their history?

• Are their beliefs and actions compatible with the commitments of the church?

• Would their gift strengthen or diminish the integrity of the church?

• Is every gift acceptable?

• Where do we draw the line?

• Or is there a line?

The concept of tainted money has not gone away. From time-to-time church members ask questions like: “Will the church accept a large gift that came from a lottery ticket?” Are gifts of stocks from tobacco, alcohol, firearms, or fossil fuel companies acceptable? What if those stocks are immediately sold? If I am a lifelong member of the church and I inherited $100,000 in Smith & Wesson stock, would the church accept it as a gift? What if the company stock was Home Depot, but the donor was an unpopular public figure?

Lastly, can tainted money be blessed and consecrated – made holy for the work of the church? Perhaps the reason why many church liturgies begin with confession and assurance of pardon is that the giver needs a clean heart to make an acceptable offering of themselves and their tithes to God.

For Rev. Gladden, how the church asks for, and receives gifts is a public witness about wealth and money. Robert Wood Lynn adds, “The story about “tainted money” is finally not about gifts from the super-rich. This is a tale about churches’ ongoing struggle for integrity. It is a story worth remembering”.

RECEIVED, NOT TAKEN

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 12:58:24 GMT

RECEIVED, NOT TAKEN

I heard a conversation this past week where a middle-aged man shared how he visited his friend whose 23-year daughter had died. He told his friend that Jesus had “taken” his daughter. The father, responding in kind wisdom, replied “Jesus did not “take” her, He “received” her.”

It is curious that in the Gospel’s we read about Jesus healing people and even raising some from the dead, but never “taking” anyone. Death is certain and is random and many Christians choose to replace that fact with the idea that it is God’s plan or God’s will. I suppose our need to be in control and explain these events makes us more comfortable to imagine a master plan that includes car accidents, drug overdoses, cancer, and Covid. When we hear of someone dying the first question is always - how? And it is usually followed up with – why. The conversation goes something like this: “Did you hear John died last week?” “How did he die?” “From cancer” “Did he smoke?” Now if John was a heavy smoker and drinker, his death is explainable and almost expected. But if John never smoked or drank, ate healthy and exercised, it just must have been his time, God took him. Mystery explained.

Imagine telling the doctors and nurses in a pediatric oncology unit that it is God’s plan that children should suffer and die. That God took them, or that they are needed up in heaven. Jesus does not “need” anyone in heaven with him. I believe this thinking is Satan’s lie. It turns people away from our Savior by making Christ appear as the grim reaper. No, Jesus did not take these children, but He did fully receive them in His love.

There are moments when, amidst all the worldly chaos, I wonder why people choose not to attend church. It is there that they can discover Jesus has his heart open to everyone and is ready to receive all their pain and suffering. Could it be that they have heard too many times that God is a taker?

Jesus dwells in us, and we in Him. The nature of the Trinity is giving not taking. We receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And, as Romans 8:38 states, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

"JESUS CARRY ME UPON YOUR BACK"

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 15:35:12 GMT

"JESUS CARRY ME UPON YOUR BACK"

Recently I heard a song sung by Ugandan Christians, “Jesus Carry Me Upon Your Back.” The genesis of this hymn is seen everyday as mothers carry their babies on their backs. To be as dependent as a baby, snuggled close to your mother as you can get, is the image of being carried by Jesus on His back.

As usual, my mind went to another image and place. Of Jesus carrying His cross and falling three times. Listening to the song, I replaced the cross with me, Gary. I asked myself, is Jesus falling because I’m a tall overweight man, or is he falling because He is carrying me with all the extra weight of my sin?

Personally, there is always an uncomfortable feeling for me on Good Friday, watching the reenactment of the passion of Christ. While Jesus was being nailed to the cross, the list of my past, present and future sins were also being nailed onto that cross. With each step Jesus took toward Golgotha I feel the increased weight of shame and guilt. It is me on the back of Jesus. I’m the reason he falls three times. My weight is crushing him. Indeed, it is all our weight, all our sin combined that proves too much for Jesus to carry up the hill.

The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate victory over the power over sin and death. When they unnailed Jesus from the cross, my sin was also unnailed. Through the resurrection, the shame and guilt of Good Friday is transformed into joy and freedom. On Good Friday Jesus carries my sin. On Easter, He carries me, His brother, son & child.

The world, and more specifically, our friends and neighbors carry with them the pain and shame of their own sin. They live in darkness. As the body of Christ – the church, we can invite both friend and stranger into the light of Jesus. They too can place all that weighs them down at the foot of the cross. Together we can sing, “Jesus Carry me Upon Your Back.”

I support several non-profit organizations; however, none offer the world truth and eternal life. Only the church, through Jesus and the Body of Christ, can truly transform the world. Jesus not only has our back, but He also says I will never leave you and will carry you to the end.

OF PENTECOST AND ANNUAL CONFERENCE: A Different Perspective

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 12:55:24 GMT

OF PENTECOST & ANNUAL CONFERENCE: A Different Perspective

Back in 2015, Taylor Watson Burton-Edwards shared his thoughts about the East Congo Annual Conference at Kivu on his Facebook page. He said that their primary agenda item was: “To evaluate what God has done among them during the past year”. Taylor then noted that they were not reporting on what the Annual Conference ministries had done in the past year, nor what the leading pastors had done.

This re-framing of the evaluation question is so powerful. First, it is full of humility. Notice that in the East Congo they focus on what God has done among and in them. It is all about God, and the movement of the Holy Spirit. For me, this perspective totally changes the evaluation process. For instance, at the Foundation we promote using a “mission - narrative budget”, to tell the story of the ministries taking place at the local church. This process focuses on what “we” have done, our success stories, and feel-good moments. While this is so much better than the line-item-budget, it does not reflect spiritual mysteries that do not have a price, or a cost associated with them. How do we report what happens when people are called to receive Jesus at the Communion table? Moments of awe, and glimpses of the face of Christ do not translate well on a spreadsheet; this mystery requires testimony, poetry, art, and hymns.

Focusing on how God is working in the life of the church is much different than planning the next bean supper, or yard sale. In many of our churches our activities may in fact be blocking what God is trying to do among us. After all, most of what we do ensures that the church membership is appeased and comfortable. God is trying to rock our world and we are rocking ourselves to sleep.

On a personal level, I have to ask myself what I have done to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and how have I have resisted this movement toward being one with Jesus? From a stewardship point of view, the Holy Spirit is always moving me toward generosity. It is a journey from self-centeredness to selflessness, from hard-heartedness to soft-heartedness. This new re-framing evaluation question could be asked: “What have I let God do in my life this year?” Only my fears, my need for comfortable sameness, and self-centeredness keep the Holy Spirit from working within me. I am not comfortable with the Pentecost “wind”, a slight breeze is all I want – just enough to be comfortable. I don’t think I’m alone here, and by the statistical reports, neither are many churches.

ENDOWMENTS: A Blessing or a Curse

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 14:19:37 GMT

ENDOWMENTS: A Blessing or a Curse

Inheritance comes in many forms; legacies, heirlooms, traditions, and personality traits to name a few. In our culture which equates self-worth with net worth, the inheritance which can be monetized is most desired.

The wealthy among us lean on their financial advisors when making decisions about how much inheritance will help, and the “too much” that will hurt their children and grandchildren. The danger is that “too much” does more harm than good. Curiously, too much money can rob the individual of initiative and integrity. Within the paradox of faith, we understand that that too much money makes us poor in spirit. Which proves the axiom “The rich kid on a trust fund.”

Years ago, I heard Walter Bruggerman speak about stewardship. The renowned biblical scholar approached the topic from several theological avenues over a three-day conference. One, in particular, has remained with me. He made the connection of the mainline church and the message to the church in Laodica – Revelation 3:14-17. Walter said the church of Laodica was lukewarm because they were rich, - they had endowments. I struggled with that comment over the years, making the excuse that just because you have an endowment, that, in and of itself, does not make you rich. In retrospect, I was deflecting the truth by trying to employ the “It depends on what your definition of is, is” argument. Like the rich kid on a trust fund, too many churches are and were satisfied with the status quo.

Over the years I have learned that endowments can be a blessing or a curse. The blessing is a flourishing church. The curse is having just enough to keep the doors open and the poor in spirit satisfied with the same old thing.

If we want church members to consider making a bequest to their church, we need to demonstrate our ability to make disciples first, to invite people into a relationship with Jesus. Members need to see that we have the initiative and integrity to fulfill our stated mission. They need to know that their gift will be a blessing and not a curse.

MEMORIAL DAY & MEMORIAL GIFTS

Thu, 26 May 2022 12:06:43 GMT

MEMORIAL DAY & MEMORIAL GIFTS

Seventeen Years ago my father died. He served in the Navy during WWII and then enlisted in the Air Force, retiring after 23 years of service. As many veterans, he did not share his wartime experiences with his family. Not being a veteran, nor serving in the military, I can only rely on books for an explanation for his silence. My Vietnam Veteran friends keep their cards close the vest as well; although some have shared their stories, mostly painful, all heroic, in this non-soldier’s mind.

This Memorial Day I remember the dead, men and women who laid themselves down in sacrifice, often too young. We will say that they died for country. The combat soldiers who have shared with me say that the “big picture” was seldom talked about. It was their unit, their brother’s lives that mattered. Keeping your brother alive was job one. Those relationships were intimate and not easily talked about. Maybe that’s the reason for Dad’s silence. For some, Memorial Day, a day to remember, might not be so celebratory if you still have survivors guilt or painful nightmares yet put to sleep.

I miss my Dad, and as my brother once said, “I think of him fondly but I also find myself looking to him and measuring myself to him.” Each Christmas, my brothers and our wives, give a gift to a veterans’ organization in memory and in honor of our parents who served. These gifts of honor and memory have a special purpose in that they stir within us: emotions, reflections, and even prayers.

For the professional advisor, helping an individual, or family, to find a qualified charity, or to facilitate a planned gift to a favorite charity that honors a loved one’s life is both a service and a gift. Nothing is more rewarding than to connect and link a memory of a loved one with an act of generosity. It is our higher calling, to be part of the healing process of grief.

IF STAINED GLASS WINDOWS COULD TALK

Thu, 19 May 2022 13:00:09 GMT

IF STAINED GLASS WINDOWS COULD TALK

The sun broke through the clouds just as I was looking at the stained-glass windows. Sitting in the back pew I was able to see each window light up and cast its colors into the sanctuary as if it were performing its own sacred dance. Several of the windows displayed the donors name, while most were given in memory of a loved one.

I learned that the church celebrated turning one hundred years old this year. For 5,200 Sunday’s, numerous special holy days including weddings and funerals, the beautiful stained-glass windows shed their radiance, reverence, and peace over them all.

Much like people, these windows, will lose an inch or two of height over time. Without restorative surgery they will become too frail to support their own weight. The church trustees, acting as their healthcare proxies, have a difficult decision to either approve the surgery or call hospice. I know the stained-glass windows are inanimate, but I was musing what if they could give a testimony like the saints they were named after.

Imagine a first-hand account of that dedication Sunday in 1922 when World War I had just ended, and the names of those lost in the war were read and remembered. It was not long before the great depression hit, but the windows continued to glitter hope for the hungry and unemployed. Another World War, and the streaming colors seemed to wave like a flag. What followed war, the windows say, was an explosion of weddings, then baptisms, and soon after an educational wing was added to the church.

The stained-glass windows are old now, and the joints are so stiff they cannot open any more. They mostly attend funerals now, welcoming and celebrating the saints with wisps of color. The few people they see on Sunday are aging too, some have joints that need the help of a cane or a walker. Still the same, the voices from the pews sing praises and the stained-glass windows radiate their hues that echo and compliment the hymns.

I am not sure about the future of those stained-glass windows as, like the people in the pews, they are not getting any younger. It could be that the windows will see a decommissioning service, or they could witness a resurrection. The future of these lovely stained-glass windows, as it is for the church itself, is in our hands. Doing nothing will guarantee the collapse of the windows as well as the church. It would be better to repurpose those windows rather than let them decay. As stewards we have options and responsibilities that need action. The Foundation is here to help churches act with faithful decisions that honors the past as well as plants a future for us all.

SIMPLE IS NOT EASY

Wed, 11 May 2022 13:46:40 GMT

SIMPLE IS NOT EASY

"What does the Lord require, but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?"

Micah 6:8

In my daily reading one of my favorite passages hit home. This passage is both simple and difficult. It is simple because it does not require a sermon series to unpack its meaning. There is no metaphorical, hidden, or sophisticated language to cloud our understanding. What is simple in the spiritual life is often the most difficult. Today’s reading requires daily discernment of what is right and just. And then the passage calls us to act on that discernment. The passage is all about action, we are called to Do, Love, and Walk. The temptation of acting on what we think is just is wearing our authoritarian mask. Don’t we just love people who have all the answers, all the time, and who are always right? Micah’s antidote is to “Walk humbly with our God”. The virtue of Humility requires taking off all our masks, which is most difficult.

OF INSURANCE AND ASSURANCE

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 18:42:41 GMT

OF INSURANCE AND ASSURANCE

The word insurance conjures up all sorts of thoughts and feelings. If you have been struggling to pay health insurance premiums or have been “self” insuring because you cannot afford the health plan, the word insurance is loaded with anxiety. Now if you had a water pipe break in your home and the insurance company just paid for a new kitchen, you are probably singing the jingle - “Nationwide is on you side.”

I was trained in the life & health insurance business and saw firsthand how insurance can change lives. I sold a major medical policy to a college friend – call him Joe, who was a self-employed flooring contractor. It was a hot Friday afternoon as we stood outside his truck while he signed the medical insurance application. I convinced him to include a check with the application to bind the coverage – “just in case”. He pushed the disability insurance discussion off for another meeting. On Sunday night I received a phone call from his sister. Joe was in the hospital, and she wanted to know if the coverage was in effect. I explained that if he was approved through the underwriting process, it would be in effect on the date he signed the application. The sigh of relief was as emotional as it was audible.

Joe was at a pool party on Saturday. He dove into the pool not knowing that there were steps. He broke his neck and was paralyzed from the chest down, with limited movement in his arms. That first year, 1984, Mutual of Omaha paid over $100,000.

Insurance covers a financial loss; it can even create an estate through life insurance. It can replace income and replace a house. Insurance can pay for assisted living. But the losses of human, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual are uninsurable. How could you place a value on your mind, the ability to remember your children’s names?

There is no insurance for the loss of hope, or the peace of all things spiritual. There is only trust and faith. Trust in Jesus and faith that in Christ all things work together for good. There is no insurance for human suffering. There is only Jesus. And get this, there are no premiums to pay. The offerings we bring to God are not insurance against suffering. Offerings represent our “tangible” songs of grateful praise. Jesus is not an insurance company, compensating us against our loss and suffering. He is the assurance that God’s steadfast love endures forever.

THE BEST NEWS EVER

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 11:50:45 GMT

THE BEST NEWS EVER

The loss of a loved one is profoundly painful. The weight of grief slows time to a standstill. We see people going about daily activities wondering why they don’t realize our world has stopped. On Good Friday I imagine those closest to Jesus were completely devastated, His mother labored even to breathe. Everything - her heart, bones, even down to her DNA ached for her beloved son. Her world was swallowed up by the tomb.

Then the news came. Risen! Alive! The deepest, crushing, dark night of despair vanquished. The brightest light of joy and new hope enveloped the day. Yes, where is the sting of death? For those who loved Jesus, this was the best news ever. It was as if, they too, came out of the tomb and into the light.

But for those who feared him, plotted against him, relieved that his death secured their power, this was the worst news ever. And that irksome smirk on Satan’s face was slapped off. It is why the Eastern tradition has the priest telling a joke on Resurrection Sunday. The joke is on Satan, along with the egg on his face.

We celebrate Resurrection Sunday. Not because the stone was rolled away 2000 years ago, but because it is forever being rolled away. When I sin, I enter the tomb, but the forgiveness of Christ rolls my stone away again. In my lifetime I experience rollercoaster periods of desolation and hope, darkness and light, death and resurrection.

I need my church, as my stone is too heavy to push aside by myself. In a paradoxical way, the church door is the stone blocking the tomb. As I enter the church and the Body of Christ, I step into the light. The darkness of the world cannot not touch me for I take refuge in the Sanctuary. I am invited by Christ to leave the darkness of sin I carry at his feet, even as he washes mine.

As much I would like to stay, protected in the Sanctuary, I am sent out to tell the best news ever. He Has Risen, He Has Risen Indeed!

THE HOLY WEEK MIRROR IMAGE

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 12:48:24 GMT

THE HOLY WEEK MIRROR IMAGE

I am placing myself within the Holy Week drama. So instead of re-membering the week’s events, I am co-membering – placing myself in each character’s role. I got as far the Garden in Gethsemane when I realized I was penning a short story instead of a reflection. So to spare you a long read, I will share the process as a way of making my point.

I began by holding up a spiritual mirror to see myself in the story. For instance, it is not the priests questioning Jesus about His authority and teachings, but me, the guy that sits in the pew. I am the one who gets to choose which scripture lessons apply to me and those that apply to those people that irk me, and even those passages which I avoid and disagree with. And when Jesus enters the Temple, I see Jesus turning over my church’s money table - the endowment. He wants me to use the income to feed the people who are poor. Does He know that without the endowment income our church would close?

The difficult images that fill my mirror are upsetting to my soul. I am the one who falls asleep while Jesus sweats blood. I am the one who denies Him, betrays Him, yells crucify, cast lots for his robe, and even the one who holds the hammer and the nails. With grace, there are other images that are comforting because I am the one who carries His cross when He falls, pours oil on His head, and stays with Him with until his last breath.

I know it is a stretch, but I am even the donkey, pressed into service. I lose sight of Jesus as I forget that He is sitting on my back and I think the crowd is cheering for me. Funny, looking in the mirror I can see that so many times I have accepted praise when all along it was Jesus working within me.

Now I could have looked in the mirror and seen the angel in the empty tomb, or I could be the disciple that out runs Peter. Instead the image of the large stone comes into view. I am the one who tries to lock Jesus in the tomb. It is my sin, my fear, my self-centeredness that is more comfortable with Jesus being confined. In that mirror image, I can see that the tomb is my heart. And I find myself wrestling with the Holy Spirit who rolls the stone away, pushing me aside.

The last image in the spiritual mirror is recognizing Jesus in the bread and the wine. I spoke with the stranger on the walk to Emmaus but only saw Him when he broke the bread. It is this image that remains. Have a wonderful Easter!

ONE-TIME GIFTS

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 19:01:19 GMT

ONE-TIME GIFTS

Gifts come in many forms and so generosity is measured on more than the scales of money and wealth. When I present my offerings at the Altar, it is in form of legal currency – cash, check, credit card. The time I spend caring for family members, friends, and neighbors, volunteering at the food panty etc. are gifts that do not get acknowledged by the church “Counters”. These precious gifts are not deductible, and as such, in my mind, do not factor into my giving equation. Sad, because these types of gifts often bring me the most joy and allow me to be Christ to another person in need.

Whether my gift is in the form of time, talent, or treasure; tangible or intangible, the action, the act of giving, sets into motion the paradox of faith. How is it that the giver receives more than the beneficiary of the gift? Ask a group of people returning from a mission trip if this is not true. We never know the full impact of our giving, either in scope or duration. The gift of the mission trip will change and impact lives for years to come. A living legacy.

In the physical world, dropping a small pebble in a lake produces small ripples and a large rock sends out a wake of ripples. This is true in the world of philanthropy as well. Large gifts shape and impact institutions long into the future.

Enter the paradox of our faith. The Holy Spirit makes the widow’s mite shake our worldview. The Holy Spirit turns the young boy’s gift of two fish into a feast for the 5000. These long ago small one-time gifts are still rocking our worlds and feeding our souls.

You and I make small and large gifts depending on our own circumstances. These one-time gifts, given in cooperation with the Holy Spirt and presented with love, draw us closer to Christ. At some point, we acknowledge, even confess, that it is Jesus who places the gift in our hands, and the encouraging kind words in our mouth.

As Holy Week fast approaches I am reminded of the one-time, the once and for all gift that forever changed our world. The gift was bathed in the humility of the Word becoming flesh, of washing feet, and suffering on the Cross. The one-time gift, in a moment of time, transcends the concepts of past and future into always now and forever. And so, the greatest gift comes to us in the Bread of Life and the Cup of Blessing.

REFLECTIONS ON GIVING

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 19:03:15 GMT

REFLECTIONS ON GIVING

A good barometer of a healthy or unhealthy church is our use of and relationship with money. That being said, I encourage church leadership (and laity) to read Clif Christopher’s book “Rich Church, Poor Church”. Money, it appears, is not the problem.

During Lent, I think it is appropriate to include our personal relationship with money in the self-examination process. One of the perspectives that Clif Christopher provides is the distinction between having a church centered mindset versus a Christ centered mindset.

When I give to my church, I am giving to benefit me and my community of faith; and very often the building itself. This is comfortable giving. I know how the money is being used and I have some control because I have input about the church budget. Giving to Jesus turns my comfortable table upside-down. My money is cast out into the mission field where I have no control – it is driven by the Holy Spirit. In fact, I might not even always agree with how the money is being deployed. Here I have to trust in the movement of the Holy Spirit guiding church leaders.

My giving reflects where I am in my spiritual journey, and how healthy or unhealthy my relationship is with Christ and His church. There is a temptation to steer the church where I want it to go through my giving. Too often, we hear of members withholding gifts to express their dissatisfaction or to protest the actions of the church. I heard of someone who so disliked the pastor that they directed their gifts to the building fund.

During this season of Lent, I need to take time to reflect on my motivation for giving. This includes my intended bequests as well. When I make a bequest to my church, I feel comfortable directing the gift to reflect my interests. But what if I make my bequest to Jesus? Suddenly I remember that I am the servant, and that my gifts exist to serve Christ. It is unthinkable to me that I would have the audacity to tell Jesus how to use my gift.

My offering is a spiritual action. It requires prayer, even confession. There was a time when I did not want my pastor to know my giving. Now I seek my pastor’s council as I reflect how my giving is a response to God’s love and mercy for me. As I discern my giving, I find the prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola helpful. “Teach me to serve as you deserve, to give and not count the cost, to fight and not heed the wounds, to labor and not seek to rest, to give of myself and not ask for a reward – except the reward of knowing that I am doing your will”.

SETTING DOWN AND PICKING UP

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 12:31:31 GMT

SETTING DOWN AND PICKING UP

Have you ever stopped into the grocery store for just a couple of items and instead came out with a couple bags full? I walked right past the hand baskets because I did not need one – right. By the time I got through I found myself setting down what was in my arms so that I could pick up something else.

During Lent I am reminded that Jesus said if I want to follow Him, I have to deny myself pick up my cross daily. Before I pick up my cross, I have to empty my hands, just like I did in the grocery store. But Jesus was not talking about a physical cross, nor something physical to set down. In order to pick up my spiritual cross, the “cost of discipleship” – to quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I have to set down - deny myself.

The spiritual exercise of Lent helps me deny myself so that I can embrace Jesus, embrace my discipleship, embrace my cross. Prayer shifts my focus onto Christ, onto discerning the will of God and setting down the will of Gary. Fasting enhances the denial of self, setting down the physical so that I can pick up the spiritual. Alms giving, second mile giving, requires sacrifice. And sacrifice makes us holy.

I think the Lenten experience is a circle of setting down and picking up. A daily denial of self and picking up my cross. Of course, this setting down and picking up happens throughout the year, but Lent provides us the space and time to find deeper meaning.

The seasons of the church also help us to set down our comfortable routines so that we can pick up and discover crosses with deeper meaning. We train ourselves to set down our possessions, our love of money, and pick up the treasure of heaven. This is our true inheritance and our true legacy.

MEMORIZED BY HEART

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 16:49:38 GMT

MEMORIZED BY HEART

Those of us from an older generation remember the task of memorizing something by heart, a prayer, a passage of Scripture, even the Preamble to the Constitution. Memorizing by heart means that I can recall my favorite scripture without thinking. It arises within me like a well-known song or hymn. Head memorization, however, is different. I use associations to recall a password, or even someone’s name. I have to stop and think.

The heart is where the holy and sacred reside. It is where we encounter the mystery of Communion and where God dwells. Theology, the study of God, is a head thing. We can talk about love and God from the thoughts in our head, but at some point, our words fall short as we describe our experience. The head and the heart must connect for it all to make sense. Music and art seem closer to the God experience because they provide a glimpse through a creative and emotional process.

Because we are created by God, and known in our mother’s womb, we are memorized in the heart of Christ. It is why Christ calls us, and we seek Jesus. Even when we choose to forget God, there is in our heart, a memory planted there by our Creator. God’s DNA, call it the Christo Logos or the “likeness and image”, is what provides our eternal memory. The Psalmist sings of the steadfast love of God, which never ends and remains in our heart’s memory.

During Lent we fast, not to check off the spiritual boxes, but to enter into the heart of Christ. And there, bathed in His love, we encounter those who live in the memory of our love.

OF LENT AND UNKRAINE

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 13:09:26 GMT

OF LENT AND UKRAINE

Today countless Christians will receive ashes on their foreheads to remind them that from dust they came and to dust they will return. For the next 40 days spiritual exercises will be observed throughout the Christian community. Prayer, Fasting and Alms Giving. A trinity to draw us closer to the Trinity.

If I ever needed to draw closer to God, it is now. Putin’s war on Ukraine is pure darkness, casting a shadow on the free world. The darkness of Marx, Lenin, and Putin is an alternate trinity, a trinity of death. This darkness originated from the denial of God, and that God lives in us, such that each person has his own value and rights given them by their creator God. The denial of God means that the “State” is all powerful over the individual. It should not surprise us, nor is it a coincidence, that in 1978, a Polish Pope cast the light of Christ into the Soviet Union and began a revolution.

This Lent I am exploring how the light of Christ can cause a revolution within me. By revolution I mean a sudden, radical, and complete change. Last Sunday I was reminded by the Gospel reading that I need to remove the log from my eye before trying to remove the splinter from my neighbor’s eye. It is tempting to focus on the chaos that Putin is causing, along with the sins of other powerful, high-profile people. Much like oxygen masks on a plane, I need to remove the log from my own eye first. The revolution of love and peace takes preparation, including log removal.

Preparation is the work of Lent. This spiritual exercise is a strenuous workout where we are stretched and pushed to our limit. But we need to be strong for the spiritual battles we all face. The light of spiritual revolution is the revelation of the Risen Jesus. As Paul says, Christ’s immortality overcame death.

Imagine the horror when the enemy hears: “O death, where is your victory? O death where is your sting?”. As I begin this lent, I pray for the people of Ukraine, may they be strong in Christ and may they be surrounded by His love, peace and clarity for the battle ahead.

LESSONS FROM A GAS FIRED BOILER

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 13:14:07 GMT

LESSONS FROM A GAS FIRED BOILER

As I write this, my 40-year-old gas fired boiler is being replaced with a high efficiency boiler that also replaces my 50-gallon hot water tank. Mass Save and the gas company offered a great rebate deal and a zero-interest loan to pay for the upgrade. The old boiler was working fine, but everything has a shelf life.

It did not make sense to wait until the old boiler died before replacing it. Doing it now gave me time to do my homework and feel comfortable with our purchase. I didn’t want to wait for Murphy’s Law to kick in, as in that boiler would have died on the coldest night of the year, which would have been on a weekend – probably on the night of the Super Bowl.

Waiting too long to act can actually cost more in terms of money and aggravation. Not to mention the increased stress and feeling the pressure of being out of control. It is much easier to shop for a car when the old one still runs. I have not done this for a long time, but people tell me it is better to look for a new job while you still have one.

Individuals and families can also take advantage of not waiting until it’s too late. Many find it reassuring to plan their estate and funeral before someone dies. Like everything else in life, having time to think and plan saves money, stress, and aggravation. Planning our estate takes reflection and prayer, a step that is often missed when we wait too long to act.

If you have not written or recently updated your will, let me suggest the Foundation’s “Provide & Protect” wills guide to help you begin the process. You may request the printed version or download a copy. I believe setting up an online account planner is easier to use because you can save and update your information on a regular basis. (I prefer to update my information annually and print a copy for my records.)

There are also educational videos on the website that are very helpful. The “online” wills guide can be found by clicking HERE . Even better is that you can save the information in a PDF file to print for your records or email to your advisors.

Please let me know if you have any questions, or if you need more information about a charitable gift. I would be happy to meet with you at your convenience and talk about how the Foundation can be of assistance to you. It never pays to procrastinate.

Can Stock Photo / NomadSoul1

$57 BILLION

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 13:04:57 GMT

$57 BILLION

It is curious that while we live within a capitalist economic system, most public schools offer no courses in economics and personal finance. It could be true that ignorance is bliss in politics and sausage making, but in finance, it is deadly. When you do not know how wealth is created you could be led to believe that wealth is something that only belongs to the privileged. Those who do not know or understand how to participate in owning corporations and how to lend money to companies, governments, and banks are disadvantaged. Just knowing that through life insurance an estate can be created, one that builds generational wealth and can change the course of family history.

Fighting financial ignorance is fighting for justice. It is justice because financial literacy allows individuals, families, and communities to be released from the cycle of poverty. People from all backgrounds and levels of education can create wealth, and some of this wealth can be extremely large.

As an example: this week it was reported that Elon Musk gave $5.7 billion dollars of his company’s stock to charity. He created the Tesla Corporation, which is how he created his great wealth. This vast wealth has added to the economy and the investors who participated in his company’s creation, in turn, increased their own net worth. Those investors can also make charitable gifts of the Tesla stock.

Now some will say Elon Musk has too much wealth – $236 billion give or take a few million. Does that mean he has too many ideas, or too willing to take a risk, or too much a leader and entrepreneur? When he sold a large block of company stock last year, he was faced with a huge tax bill, but his charitable giving will help offset the capital gains tax.

His wealth does not take away from mine; if anything, my index mutual fund holds some of his stock – thank you very much. For us in the not-for-profit world, individuals who have created wealth are both partners and sustainers. If Elon Musk asked how he could help your church’s ministry, what would you say? Is what we are doing as a local church or Conference, so profound as to attract a billion-dollar gift? Elon Musk and other wealth creators have big – no huge dreams. It would seem, that to attract big money, we must dream much bigger.

IT MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 13:29:10 GMT

IT MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

Sometimes you hear a phrase, and it sticks with you. My wife Carol commented on the meaning of it “makes a world of difference” and it got me thinking. I could not find the origin, but I suspect it came from a Baby Boomer. My generation stands on the shoulders of the GI generation, the builders of institutions and creators of wealth. We are inheriting that wealth. Our generation has benefited from their sacrifice and hard work, and in the depths of our being, there is a sense of awe that fills us with gratitude.

It is from this deep gratitude that the desire to make a difference – “a world of difference” grows within us. You can witness the growth of philanthropy throughout the United States. People see a need, an injustice, a societal problem, challenges to the environment, inequality in education, abandoned animals, and they act. Add to the list, those who see opportunities for creating botanical gardens and parks, expanding the Arts, and improving healthcare and, suddenly, there are over one million not-for-profits created that are boldly asking for our financial support.

This is done because there is joy in making “a world of difference” to an inner-city child through the afterschool program we support. When we give and act out of gratitude, we experience joy. Paul was right. God loves a cheerful – joyful giver.

Which brings me to the church. Religion once received a major piece of the philanthropy pie, but that has been shrinking in the past few years. There are many reasons for the decline in religious dollars and part of that decline is the increasing competition for donors. The food pantry, the hospital, the afterschool program, all share stories of how they have made “a world of difference.” Their vision, work and resources have solved problems and made lives better. And most certainly, the decline in church attendance is also a contributing factor.

But I also think there is root cause. To compete, the church has focused on offering similar programs and ministries. We to want to point to “our” efforts that have made “a world of difference.” I believe this focus on “ourselves” largely contributes to the root cause of the decline in members and support. You see, for the church, it should not be “what” will make a world of difference, but “Who” will make a world of difference. Our gratitude for Jesus is our joy in that we can share his love and sacrifice with others. When I sing the refrain of the hymn “Give Me Jesus” – “You can have all this world, give me Jesus,” I am reminded that it is the “Who” which has made “a world of difference” in my life.

IN-VESTMENTS

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 13:14:52 GMT

IN-VESTMENTS

In one way or another I have been in the investment field for 38 years. I remember well the October 1987 crash, the recession in the early nineties, the 2002 dot.com crash, and the wonderful 2008-9 melt down. Yet there were many years on the upside. Exuberant years – the market is “different” this time years with excess returns. Stocks, over the long-term, return about 10%, so when we string two or more years of 20% returns, old timers like me know there is something called reversion to the mean. In other words, a correction back the long-term average. Investment prophets have been calling from the wilderness, for some time now, about such a time as a market reckoning. It is hard to discern which are true prophets and which ones are false. Are they telling me to sell so they can buy cheap, or are they saying lock in your gains because a drought is coming? Most of these prophets wear suits, nice ties, quality shoes, and have an Ivy League diploma hanging on their office wall. Some are from the streets, Wall Street to be exact, earning their reputation and place in the pundit pulpit by creating great wealth.

I share these thoughts because the current “pension” system is worker managed. The 401k and 403b plans self-managed. To assist us, plan administrators offer “retirement target date” portfolios to help the novice stay invested for the long-term. The fact is, as markets rise and fall like the tide, and the voices from the investment prophets cry from podcasts and Bloomberg, our sense of security evaporates.

There is, I think, an investment - theology connection. It takes a certain amount of faith in our retirement plans, and in social security to quit working and let our money work for us. Imagine receiving a check with no work hours clocked in. Those we listen to for investment advice are like ministers of money. They speak a different language. We trust them. We trust that they have a vested interest in us as people. We trust and have faith that their guidance will provide the peace of mind during those market corrections. It is a relationship where they are “invested” in us, and we in them. The trusted advisor is like a spiritual advisor, a minister who listens to our deepest concerns and hopes. Money, you see, is an intimate and personal force. We use it to express love and gratitude, control and power, humility, and self-centeredness.

The intersection with our Christian faith and money comes from biblical prophets and from Jesus. The warning not to follow false prophet’s echoes throughout scripture. Following a false money prophet can lead to poor investment returns, or, like the people who followed the prophet Bernie Maddof and lost their nest eggs. It could be worse, following another kind of false prophet could separate us not from our money, but from God.

Those in-vestments, those who are called to be vested – robed, are entrusted with the mysteries of Christ. They guide us, teaching us the ways of Jesus. We trust them with our souls and the souls of our family. They are there is times of trouble; when grief and pain overwhelm us. And when we need Christ most, they give us Jesus in the bread and the cup.

As a church we are invested in those who are in-vestments; those robed in Christ, robed in love, robed in mercy, robed in hope, and robed in faith. Some members say that our offerings are an investment in the church. They are also an investment in those in-vestments.

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 13:16:56 GMT

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE

The idiom “too little, too late,” is thought to have originated in the military, e.g. the battle was lost because too few troops arrived too late. During the pandemic, in many parts of the world, too few medical resources arrived too late. I remember hearing that India did not have enough oxygen.

Not being prepared contributes to the too little, too late outcome. Our current supply chain problems come to mind. In business, the sales department can bring in so much new business that it overwhelms production. Without adding people and buying inventory, customers experience too little, too late.

The athlete who waits too long to train for an event discovers the physical pain of too little, too late. And for people of faith, there is a temptation not to exercise our spiritual muscles when life is good. But then the spiritual storm clouds arrive. A death in our family, a new medical problem, a job loss, even a pandemic and the depression it can bring can makes us realize that we are unprepared to handle the spiritual battles.

In broken and strained relationships, sometimes we struggle to find the words of forgiveness; both in the asking and in the giving. Sadly, the response – it is too little, too late closes the proverbial door. Imagine, going to Jesus, asking for forgiveness, and hearing – “it’s too little, too late". With Jesus it is always more than enough and right on time.

I have a good friend who mourns the death of his wife. His wonderful 37 years together were too little. The cure for cancer too late. By a strong and well exercised faith, he receives time and time again, a comforting message from God at just the right time .

As people of faith, we live in hope because the of resurrection of Jesus. Hope transcends – too little, too late. Even when human efforts fall short, Christ always triumphs. When the night is too dark and too long, there is the light of Christ. My prayer is that we carry the light of Christ into a hurting world, and may it not be too little, too late.

ABUNDANT SCARCITY

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 13:17:13 GMT

ABUNDANT SCARCITY

Sometimes it seems like we live in an oxymoron world. The Covid pandemic has highlighted the fragile nature of all those things held as dependable and constant. For those who worry about the future of their church there is bleak hope. The unknown, if not the questionable future of our church, produces tightfisted generosity. The part of me that wants to show my support and response to God’s love, is woven together with my fear of a thinly crowded church. It conjures up the picture of a neon motel “vacant” sign next to the “all are welcome” banner.

It seems with each incoming wave of covid variants, there is an outgoing wave of members who leave the church building. Some members opt for online viewing, and despite our best efforts, we have an almost overwhelming fatigue of church disruption.

Abundant is our loneliness. Scarce is our community. The comfortable and dependable church life now seems like it is in a secure limbo. Church pastors and leaders are investigating ways to recreate the habit of attending church. Abundant is the peace of Christ, scarce the hands to join in prayer; abundant our hymns, scarce the unmasked voices to sing; abundant the Bread and the Cup at one table, scarce the bended knees and open hands.

Many churches are finding that as “real community:” person to person, face-to-face declines, eventually the financial support declines as well. Abundant are the needs of the wider community, country, and world. More than one person has shared that they are rethinking supporting a church building that is filled with emptiness. They are diverting their tithe to support UMCOR, Camps, and even non-church related charities.

Money follows mission. Money follows the heart. The challenge for our church today is to communicate our mission and to touch hearts to rebuild community. Without making a clear case for support, our abundant resources will be deployed beyond the church, leaving scarce dollars for the offering plate. Our abundant scarcity is turning into scarce abundance.

As your partner in ministry, the Foundation can come along side and help tackle these troubling situations in unprecedented times. We offer an abundant amount of stewardship resources and ideas that can guide you along the way.

CanStock Photo: ibreakstock

OF LETTERS AND PREAMBLES

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:26:11 GMT

OF LETTERS AND PREAMBLES

For me, except for the occasional thank you note and a “Christmas letter” or two, receiving a handwritten letter is becoming increasingly uncommon. Odd really, because nowadays so many people would rather text than talk. When I was dating, writing letters, and sending notes was natural. I actually looked forward to the mail arriving, and excited when the gift of a letter was delivered.

There is nothing quite like a well written and carefully crafted letter. If you want to compare generations; how they thought and expressed themselves, read the letters between Jefferson and Adams, of Henry David Thoreau, of soldiers and sailors in the Civil War, or of anyone born before 1940. Today we blast off texts as fast as our fingers can hit the keyboard. We add emojis to make a point or express a feeling. Email too, is being replaced by the tweet and text. Sadly, I do not see letter writing returning as the preferred correspondence. Technology has hardwired us for the immediate response; waiting an hour is annoying, waiting a week is beyond the limits of patience and accepted social norms.

Among the many categories of letters, from business proposals to romantic love notes, our legal will can be classified as a type of letter as well. It expresses what we desire for those we leave behind. As the new year begins, reviewing our will along with other legal & healthcare documents can be an incentive to reflect upon our life and those we love – including our church family.

Having lived well, we can make provisions about how we want to die with dignity. A well written and carefully crafted estate plan – will, trust, healthcare directives and durable power of attorney, is indeed a love letter to those we love and the charities we support. As faithful stewards, we can express our desire for peace within our family and that our gift of property will be a blessing, and not a curse.

We can further our will as a splendid love letter by adding a heartfelt preamble which offers the reader an insight into our inmost desires for family and charities. We can express that beyond the gifts of material wealth, we give our hearts and our love in prayer. This preamble might be the last time we get to say “I love you” to those we cherish. For some, this might be the first time those words are said, and for the loved ones left behind, those written words become the most treasured inheritance.

To receive your free will planning guide, contact Gary Melville at gmelville@umfne.org or call 800-585-4347 x103.

STRATEGIC GENEROSITY

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 13:20:18 GMT

STRATEGIC GENEROSITY

Making a gift of stock or mutual funds now, locks in the gains and maximizes a gift to your church. The advantage is not having to pay any capital gains tax on the gift of stock. The 2021 stock market returns are in the double digits, with many portfolios up over 20%! These excellent returns offer wonderful opportunities for planning gifts in 2022.

Let’s look at how this works. Debbie Donor is planning to write a check of $5,000 to her church this year. Because her stock portfolio has appreciated $30,000, her financial advisor suggests making a gift of stock rather than using her cash. Debbie contacts the Foundation to make a $5,000 gift of stock, and consequently, can now use the $5,000 cash to purchase more stock which will increase her cost basis. This strategy will also lower her capital gains tax if she decides to sell stock in the future.

An alternative option for her is to open a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) at the Foundation. She can then gift the $30,000 of appreciated stock to her DAF. This large donation makes her eligible for a 2022 tax-deduction. Over the next few years, Debbie can make annual grants from her DAF that will benefit her church and the other charities she loves to support. It is never too late to find a solution that works for you while benefiting that which you care about.

'TWAS...

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 13:31:43 GMT

'TWAS...

Today, the conjunction ‘twas is rarely used, except for the reading of “The Night before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore. My grandmother Zilpha, born in 1896, used ‘twas often, and often it reminded me of a time gone by. Remembering her stories and her quaint way of turning a phrase is appropriate at Christmas time. Her memory connects her past with my present, and with my grandchildren’s future. This thought begat another thought about connecting the generations; that being the state of the church.

‘Twas just 37 Christmases ago when we brought our six-month-old son Joel to the Christmas Eve service. We arrived 20 minutes early to get a seat in the pew. Late arrivers had to stand in the back. It was a glorious time. Unfortunately, after Christmas, the “regular” church goers murmured how “those” people did not behave well – talking during the service and that their children acted up in church. Some regulars would say that if “they” came every Sunday we could balance the budget.

‘Twas these comments and attitudes that let the stranger in the front door only to be ushered out the back. ‘Twas the lack of hospitality and other behaviors by we regular church goers that resulted in the current condition of the church. For many of our churches, Covid notwithstanding, there will be plenty of room in the pews on Christmas Eve. And there will be two miracles on that silent night. The first is the celebration of the Word becoming flesh. The second is for a young family bringing their 6-month-old child to church for the first time.

Some will say that the culture has changed, and that all membership organizations – Lions, Rotary, etc., have lost membership. This accounts for part of the church decline, but only as far as we allowed discipleship to become membership. Thankfully, and with hope, there is a renewed emphasis on being a disciple and making new disciples. I see this as preaching to the dried bones. ‘Twas Ezekiel preaching then and Jesus preaching now.

In some ways I see our old church buildings and endowments as the dried bones. Our work is not done, the church is the Body of Christ, and we are his bones. We just need the Holy Spirit breathed into us. Afterall, ‘twas Christmas that became Easter. We are a resurrection people.

IMAGINING THE LONG PATH TO THE MANGER

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 17:52:36 GMT

IMAGINING THE LONG PATH TO THE MANGER

Can you hear John the Baptist preaching, “Make straight a path and repent”? Or does the endless Christmas music fill your hearing, and block your listening? John’s call to repent, to be transformed provides a straight path to Emmanuel. Other more popular paths lead us to frantic, overwhelming to-do lists and frequent trips to the Mall, or searching the web for coupons and the best deals.

Who would have thought that preparing for the Christ Child would result in the need for Valium and copious amounts of wine? John is now yelling from the wilderness: Repent - turn around. Come be baptized, come renew your baptism vows. It’s an invitation to make a straight path, a simple request but not an easy one, and always done as a community of faith – even as we meet on a Zoom call. But how can we do this given our over-scheduled lives?

For Advent and Lent, the church provides the formula of prayer, fasting, and alms giving (giving to people who are poor) as our preparation prescription. Again, our faith provides an adage filled with paradox: simple - but not easy. Just as God provided a star for the wise men to follow, the church gives us these three spiritual disciplines as a compass for a direct path to the manger.

Imagine what it was like for the wise men to travel such a long distance, bringing regal gifts, and with great expectation. Mercy Me, a popular Christian band, recorded a song called: “I Can Only Imagine”. I heard it this week with Advent in mind, and as I listened, I thought what I would I have done on that first Christmas morning. I’m not sure, but here are some of the lyrics:

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel

Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still

Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine...

THE WORK OF ADVENT

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 20:15:50 GMT

THE WORK OF ADVENT

The Advent season began last Sunday. The liturgist read Psalm 25. It began with the words: “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” The soul which was breathed into me by God I lift up to God as an offering of myself. My mortal human self lifts up to God my immortal soul. For the psalmist, it was how the prayer began. Lifting my soul up to God, which was from God, acknowledges that I am the creature and God is the Creator. It also reminds me that my body is indeed a temple because it contains the very breath of God.

This Psalm could have been Mary’s answer to the angel Gabriel’s news that she would be Theotokos - God-Bearer. “To you, O lord, I lift up my Soul.” Mary said, “Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be with to me according to your word.” Mary acknowledges that she is the creature and that the Lord is her Creator. The Creator’s work that started in her mother’s womb is being completed in her own.

For me, the preparation work of Advent is humility. It takes humility to acknowledge my Creator, and to cast off any delusion that I am a self-made man. How can I echo Mary’s words – “Let it be done to me” without first placing my soul in the hands of my Creator God? Lifting my soul up to the Lord is both an act of praise and surrender. It is giving thanks and praise to God and surrendering my will to God’s will.

As I write this reflection it occurs to me that the Mary’s words – “Let it be done to me” become the words of Jesus – “You did it to me” from Matthew 25. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta would end her prayers touching each finger on one hand saying, “You did it to me.” To be able to treat the least of us like Jesus I must first lift my soul up to God and say let it be done to me. This is the work of Advent.

THANKSGIVING: A HOLY DAY

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 13:52:45 GMT

THANKSGIVING: A HOLY DAY

Our faith instructs us to give thanks in all things. In fact St. Paul, in a letter written to the Philippians from a prison cell, stated that he has learned to be content in any state – even behind bars. I am not so content this year. I assumed that receiving the Covid vaccine along with the booster would allow full family gatherings. It appears that even fully vaccinated people risk getting the Delta variant. So those with underlying conditions, or share a home with those who do, are opting to stay home. So, while I am thankful for the vaccine, I am also frustrated that we are not out of the woods. I am trying to be like Paul, to be content in any state, even a lingering pandemic.

I must remind myself that Thanksgiving is a wonderful holy day. Imagine a day set apart from all other days to give “thanks”. It is a day of gratitude, humility, and unity. The holy day is centered around a table where family and friends gather around a table for a feast. Often a shut-in or neighbor is invited to the meal. Stories are told, memories are shared and loved ones remembered. Sometimes there are tears when the loss of a loved one is recent, and even not so recent. Prayers are said before the meal, sometimes it is the only time family prayers are said out-loud. Sometimes glasses are lifted high, words of gratitude and love spoken.

For many, Thanksgiving is their favorite Holy day. Unlike the self-imposed pressure of decorating and gift buying for Christmas, Thanksgiving remains a simple day. The day has not been corrupted by consumerism. Pray it remains so.

We should have more Holy days like Thanksgiving, filled with gratitude and love. Oh, wait we do! We call it Communion Sunday. The Eucharist, after all, means Thanksgiving. We gather friends, family and strangers around a table for a feast. Prayers are said, the Chalice lifted high, words of gratitude and love are spoken. The gift of the Eucharist is something we cannot earn or deserve. We come to Christ’s table with humility and with gratitude; our thanksgiving. After Communion, when you look around, you see the Body of Christ. Awesome. While we will not be celebrating the Eucharist on Thursday, I pray we see Jesus in those gathered around the table.

CanStockPhoto/gajdamak

OF ARISTOTLE, WASHINGTON & CHRIST

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 13:02:53 GMT

OF ARISTOTLE, WASHINGTON & CHRIST

I bought an old used book, “Messages and Papers of the President’s” - volume 1789-1817. What a wonderful find at an antique store in Maine. It is very enlightening to read the words and hear the thoughts of George Washington firsthand, without bias and over three hundred years of interpretation. What struck me, and prompted this reflection, was his constant use of the word happiness. Thomas Jefferson spoke of the freedom to pursue happiness in the Declaration of Independence. Without the benefit of a national survey, I can only offer my hunch on what our definition of happiness is today. I think, for many people, happiness would be defined as a combination of having fun and being content.

But for Washington, and those classically educated, the definition of happiness would have come from Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics.” Whereas happiness today is a transitory feeling, Aristotle states: “Happiness consists in achieving, through the course of a whole lifetime, all the goods - wealth, knowledge, health, friends, etc. that lead to the perfection of human nature and to the enrichment of human life. This requires us to make choices, some which may be very difficult.”

Aristotle connects living a virtuous life with acquiring wealth and wisdom for the purpose of enriching society. I can hear the echo – “What good does it profit a man/woman, to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?” Mark 8:36. Aristotle lived three hundred years before Jesus and two thousand years before Washington. Yet I see a theme over this span of time. The pursuit of happiness is not about pleasure or feelings. It is the result of living a purpose driven, virtuous life. For those baptized in Christ, that purpose is a relationship with Jesus. Our happiness is tied to living “in Christ” – living a virtuous life and discerning the role of wealth in our life.

Washington often wrote about the happiness of the country. This is a quote from his first inaugural address: “I dwell on this prospect with every satisfaction which an ardent love for my country can inspire, since there is no truth more thoroughly established than that there exists in the economy and course of nature an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness; between duty and advantage; between the genuine maxims of an honest magnanimous policy and the solid rewards of public prosperity and felicity; since we ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained; since the preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered, perhaps as deeply, as finally, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”

It seems to me, by looking through the lens of faith, that the happiness which Aristotle and Washington speak of, is the natural result of our commitment to good stewardship. So if we desire ourselves and our families to be truly happy, than we need to foster a life-long dedication to stewardship of all that we have blessed with.

THE 11th HOUR OF THE 11th DAY OF THE 11th MONTH

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 13:15:17 GMT

THE 11th HOUR OF THE 11th DAY OF THE 11th MONTH

The war to end all wars ended on 11/11/1918. With its end, Veteran’s Day was established. In response to the sacrifice of millions lost in the war, the Paris Peace Conference was convened in 1920 and the League of Nations was born. The League of Nations remained in place for 26 years. After yet another world war, the United Nations was formed at the end of the WWII.

As I read human history, I’m not sure if the human animal is wired for peace. The way of peace was rejected and destroyed. Jesus, God incarnate, is the source and essence of non-violence and peace. The only hope I see is that somehow, His Cross will be picked-up, and carried into salvation history by people seeking both peace and justice.

I don’t know any combat veteran who does not have some level of post-traumatic stress disorder. We are told that PTSD, through suicide, is taking more soldiers than the battlefield. If there is anyone seeking peace, it is our Veterans. Taking time to pray for the men and women who carry the physical, emotional, and spiritual scars is something we all can do at 11:00 a.m. on 11/11/2021. After all, the wounds they live with are the price paid for our freedom and safety.

Can Stock Photo / tabthipwatthana

INVESTING IN OUR FAITH

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 12:10:54 GMT

INVESTING IN OUR FAITH

For years I have used the phrase, “Investing in The Future” when describing a gift given through a will, or other planned gift arrangement. After all, the church will not receive the bequest until my will is probated – hopefully not for many years. In the past, I defined a planned gift as a gift grounded in hope and rooted in the expectation that my church will be there, still in ministry, many years from now.

That expectation is not valid for many churches today. It is common to see a church with an average attendance of 20 people and an average age of the those attending close to 70 years old. Yet my hope for ministry in the future remains strong. My faith is in Jesus – not a church building. Though I would be thrilled if my church experienced a revival and was thriving when my future gift was destined to be received (all things are possible in Christ), I cannot depend on that event. However, I can depend on the grace of God, the promises of Christ, and the movement of the Holy Spirit. This is where the investment in our faith needs to be focused.

Not leaving the church in my will because I cannot be certain it will survive, places my hopes and fears in a church building. My planned gift cannot be contingent on the church building staying open. However, as a wise steward, I can make contingency plans. I can make a provision in my gift plan using other alternatives if it is possible my church could close in the future.

Using the Foundation’s services, I can create a planned gift arrangement that will provide income for my church, and if my church closes, I can direct that income to support another ministry such as a Camp or UMCOR. I realize now that I’m not investing in the future of a church building, I am investing in the future of our faith.

If you would like to have a conversation about what involves investing in faith, send an email gmelville@umfne.org or call 800-595-4347 x103

HONORING OUR SAINTS

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 12:30:36 GMT

HONORING THE SAINTS

On November 1st the Church will celebrate All Saint’s Day. Those saints are remembered, as they have generously bequeathed a legacy of endowed funds to the church that they love. However, I fear that we have taken these legacy gifts for granted by treating the endowed funds as merely a financial gift and the recuring income as a bank deposit.

When you and I give to the church, through monies in the offering plate or an electronic transfer of funds, those gifts are brought to the altar to be blessed. It was, in fact, God’s blessing that turned an offering of 5 fish and 2 loaves into a feast for 5000 hungry people.

For churches who receive these endowed funds, the Foundation sends income distribution checks every quarter. I believe we need to place these checks, the perpetual offerings of the saints, upon the altar to be blessed. What a wonderful and tangible way to recognize our saints, and to have them participate in our ministry. For together, with the saints, we are the living Body of Christ – the church.

Can Stock Photo / designergraphic84

THE UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE OF SACRIFICE

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 12:29:59 GMT

THE UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE OF SACRAFICE

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.” C. S. Lewis

Although this quote from C.S. Lewis is loaded with thou should’s and ought’s, it presents a new matrix for evaluating personal philanthropy. For centuries, the concept of tithing, giving 10% of the first and best fruits has been both our spiritual discipline and generosity guideline. In an agricultural society this tradition would makes sense; but for an industrial and information-based economy, this guideline may be outdated and un-relatable. For many, the hard 10% number provides an easy answer to the young man’s question to Jesus, “What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?” I heard this quote at a recent committee meeting and it gave me the uncomfortable Jesus answer to the question the young man was asking. That is, in our affluent society, a fixed percentage giving formula may be limiting my giving, limiting my spiritual growth, and limiting my joy. I have heard, and been part of, discussions about whether or not a tithe is before or after tax. These are legalistic discussions that block and divert us away from spiritual growth. I believe the answer to the before or after-tax question is – which one deepens my relationship with Jesus.

A fixed percentage does not define and/or promote sacrifice. For people in debt, living beyond their means, the tithing formula would be a true burden. For higher income folk, and owning a house mortgage free, the tithing formula may be a real comfortable place to be. But Jesus calls us to the uncomfortable place of sacrifice; a place that leads to spiritual growth. C. S. Lewis does not say, as Jesus did, go and sell all we have and give it the poor. Rather I hear him asking me if my sacrificial giving is making me Holy; is it leading me to eternal life?

I have also heard, and been part of discussions, where a finance or stewardship committee dreamed of a time when everyone tithed. This discussion was institution focused. The idea of moving people to be tithers was to balance the budget; to be in a comfortable place financially. I invite us, the corporate church community, to ponder this quote from C.S. Lewis as it relates to living as the Body of Christ in the world.

Can Stock Photo / silent47

MONEY MEANS NOTHING...

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:45:56 GMT

MONEY MEANS NOTHING

Recently I recalled a conversation I had several years ago with a man while attending a spiritual retreat. He was the same age as my dad and shared his same air of humility. I learned that he was a very successful real estate developer. He had experienced several recessions since the 1970’s, and nearly went bankrupt a couple of times. I commented “That must have been very stressful” and his response shocked me. He was not troubled because making money meant nothing to him. He told me that he could easily live in a studio apartment. Yes, he enjoyed the things money could buy, but being wealthy wasn’t his passion. He simply had a knack for business, but what was important to him was his relationship with Christ and his family. This was where he placed most of his time and effort.

At first, I thought, oh sure, anyone can be cavalier about money when they have a knack for making it, but it was his words about relationship with Christ and family that echoed in my heart. These are the words that made me remember him and reflecting deeper, I thought of his profound humility.

I do not want to reveal who this man is, but I can say if you live in eastern Massachusetts, you have probably driven by or stepped into one of his buildings. In our culture where net worth equals self-worth, I thought he would have exercised his bragging rights as a developer. Yet it was my questioning that uncovered his wealth, and my admiration of created wealth that clouded my vision of who he was – rather than what he did. He did not let his wealth and position define him – I did. I fell into the consumer culture trap. In Henri Nouwen’s book: “A Spirituality of Fundraising” he talks about this culture trap in the chapter about people who are rich. When most people see a wealthy person, in reality, the rich person just wants to be seen for who he is, not what he has. The same can be said of people who are poor, they just want to be seen.

As stewards of both faith and money, I think if we place our focus on our relationship with Jesus we will grow in faith and discern the role of wealth in our lives. Too often, financial, and legal practitioners focus only the wealth. Over the years, and aided by life experience, I have learned to look past the wealth. In recent donor discussions concerning inheritance and bequests, the conversation leans towards people wanting their children and grandchildren to have a life centered on a strong faith. In comparison to faith, it’s as if the money means nothing, but the legacy of who you are, means everything. Using the Foundation and its resources can help determine the proper balance of faith and money.

WHEN I HAVE FEARS

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:17:41 GMT

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It was in 1848 when John Keats penned the words: “When I have fears that I may cease to be” While the ink has long since dried and faded, his words continue to echo in each of us. At some point, either forced upon us by life circumstances or during the quiet moments of reflection, the reality of our death, and all that it portents, reshapes our vision of the future. This natural fear of death can keep us from reckless behavior, or from acts of courage. The fears can also block us from acting or they can be the motivating force to living our life well.

The fear of death often creates the roadblock to planning an estate; writing a will, preparing health directives, even choosing a guardian. These can be difficult topics to discuss. The Foundation offers professional, and faith based services for individuals and families to talk about our life, death, and legacy. In both our living and dying we leave a legacy. The inheritance provided tells our stories.

What we have acquired, collected, and invested is only part of our legacy. In fact, it is the financial assets that are often the easiest to plan for because there are time tested legal methods and financial instruments to distribute them quickly. Our personal legacies of our values and faith are much harder to plan for and pass on. Your Foundation has the people skilled at integrating the legacies of financial assets along with our stated spiritual values and virtues. Contact Gary Melville to begin the conversation at 800-595-4347 x 103 or send an email .

ODE TO JANET JOHNSON

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 12:35:39 GMT

ODE TO JANET JOHNSON

We lost a dear friend last week. Janet Johnson was the wife of the late Rev. Dr. Lowell Johnson and a mother of 4 children and 6 grandchildren. Janet was a young 87-year-old in that she never stopped learning, sharing, and serving. Upon entering her home, you would see that her family and faith were at the center of her life. I imagine this could be said of many of us who belong to a community of faith, yet Janet shined a light brighter than most.

Janet resided at the Deaconess Abundant Life Communities where she was usually the first person to welcome new residents. She was active at both the Sudbury UMC and the Chapel in the Deaconess. We often talked about her faith and our shared love for prison ministry. She also had a particular interest in the peace efforts in the Middle East.

I first met Janet after a gift annuity presentation I gave at the Deaconess back in 2001. She was interested in making a gift, but also wanted more income to travel. A gift annuity was the perfect fit. Over the next 20 years Janet purchased 19 gift annuities. The extra income afforded her the opportunity to travel, and in the last few years, helped her move to an upgraded unit at Deaconess. She would often remark that it was a win-win arrangement.

This week the Foundation will be preparing checks to 5 charities, including her church and Deaconess; a financial legacy to complement and complete her legacy of faithfulness. Many of us at the Foundation knew Janet, and we are saddened by the news of her death. There is, though, a peace knowing that her faith and the offering of her abundant good deeds, prepared her well for the embrace of Jesus. Surely, she was greeted with the words, “Well done, my good and faithful friend.”

Janet’s story, “The Win-Win Bridge”, appears in our 2020 Annual Report… READ NOW

OF MARRIAGE VOWS & STEWARDSHIP

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 12:33:38 GMT

OF MARRIAGE VOWS & STEWARDSHIP

A friend of mine got married last week in a United Methodist Church. It was especially touching for me because this weekend my Carol and I are celebrating our 40th anniversary. I emphasized being married within the church because of the covenantal relationship with Christ. While vows are exchanged in a civil ceremony, they are only stated between the couple. In effect, these vows are a contract between people, whereas the covenant is a relationship between the couple and Jesus. In fact, the church uses sacramental language to highlight this covenant.

During the wedding ceremony, the pastor states that the rings are the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to us the union between Jesus Christ and his Church. The couple responds: I give you this ring as a sign of my vow, and that with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you; in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In Christ, the two become one – one with God. Powerful, beautiful and mystical.

Through our Baptism we are plunged into a covenantal relationship with Christ, and whether we are single or married, we can say to Jesus: that with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.

The Autumn is upon us. And it is stewardship season for most churches. Often, we talk about tithing or proportional giving of our time, talent, and treasure. This has been our tradition for many years. With a covenantal relationship in mind, what would my generosity look like if I said to Jesus: that with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you?

I don’t think my marriage would have lasted if I had tithed my love – 10% of my heart. Marriage requires 100% all in, and it is what Jesus asks of me as well. We do not bring wedding rings for the offering plate, but what we do bring are the outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to us the union between Jesus Christ and his Church. In this way our offerings are: powerful, beautiful, and mystical.

ANOTHER LESSON FROM "AMERICAN PICKERS"

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 12:03:54 GMT

ANOTHER LESSON FROM "AMERICAN PICKERS"

I am a big fan of the American Pickers show. If you have not seen the show, it is about two friends, Mike & Frank, who travel the country looking at antiques and old stuff, meeting great people, and making deals. Often, they share a short history lesson or story, about how things were manufactured and used. Last year I shared some thoughts about the restoration of antiques and how that related to our own restoration. This year I am using the comparison on having a will.

The last episode I watched dealt with two sisters who were overwhelmed with the disposition of their father’s estate. They said Dad was a collector; I would add hoarder. His house and barn were packed with what many would refer to as junk. Yet before he died, he started the process of categorizing, cataloguing, and valuing his treasures to assist his family for when his time came. His time came early, and his task was left uncomplete.

Mike & Frank bought a few antiques they thought they could sell in their store. Driving away after the “pick”, they were discussing the family situation and how the father knew what a burden he was leaving his daughters, and how he began the process of estate planning – such that it was. Mike asked Frank if he thought about what would happen to his rather large collection after he died. Frank shared that he did not know, and that he did not have a will. He is single, never married, and no children, or as the lawyers say – no issue. Mike was astonished – “you don’t have a will?” Frank said, “I guess the State will have to deal with it all.” Not surprising, the statistics tell us that up to 60% of the public does not have a will.

Now I’ve never met Frank, but watching the show I know he loves animals, especially his cat. He has a deep appreciation for veterans, and a fondness for local history and for those who try to preserve it. Lastly, Frank has an encyclopedic knowledge of antique toys and a large collection of the same.

If Frank lived in Massachusetts, I could recommend several not-for-profits that share his interests. The MSPCA and Angel Memorial Animal Hospital are directly aligned with his love of animals. There are several organizations that support veterans; I could also provide him with a list of vetted and trusted not-for-profits. To support his interest in history, The Massachusetts Historical Society, or his hometown’s historical society would be a good match. As for his toy collection, we could talk with the town of Winchendon, which is known as toy town, about receiving his collection and the residual of his estate to establish a toy museum. Perhaps they would even name the museum after him.

My point of sharing this is that the Foundation has an important role to play in the will planning process. Our mission is twofold: to provide educational resources and to assist people through the gift planning process. If it is time to review your estate, we are here to help. Don’t wait to get the process started. It can literally change lives.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 11:55:38 GMT

BACK TO SCHOOL

Today my grandchildren head back to school, albeit with masks and hand sanitizer. I remember my first days of school. I think of the bus rides to and from school, the games at recess, a hot-lunch or a brown bagged lunch, blackboards that became greenboards – but always chalk, bells to mark time that always seemed to go slower than the summertime, and of course the teachers; all good, some great. There were bullies, but thankfully more friends. Friends that still keep in touch, and sadly my best friend Steve, who I remember only in prayer.

In twelve years we went from duck and cover drills to the end of the Vietnam War. In the middle of those years, a President was assassinated, along with his brother, and a pastor teaching peace and justice was also gunned down. We got lost in rock music and lifted up by the 67 Red Sox - the impossible dream team. Our inspiration came from a realized dream to walk on the moon.

Today, I remain despondent over how we left our fellow citizens in Afghanistan, several who are the same age as my grandchildren. This thought is painful. I’m not sure what the next 12 years of school will bring to the kids beginning first grade this year. There will most likely be good and bad times, both personally and as a nation. Yet having a granddaughter has shined a dark light on the recent events I heard today. Girls will not be returning to school in Afghanistan, and the music has stopped playing. For those who built those schools, and worked for equality over the last 20 years, I imagine in no small way - to quote Don McLean’s song :American Pie”: this is the day the music died.

What gives me hope is that there will be newly relocated boys and girls from Afghanistan attending a school near us, and singing songs to music.

CONSUMER OR CONSUMED

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 12:34:45 GMT

CONSUMER OR CONSUMED

A pastor recently voiced a concern that I have had for some time. And, with our response to the Covid pandemic, it has only magnified this concern to a loud alarm. For years I have agreed with church leaders who warned us baby boomers not to "sell" ministries and programs to prospective members. The typical church brochure reads more like an advertisement for a family vacation: a choir for those who like to sing, a women’s and men’s group, a youth fellowship as well as a Sunday School. There are church dinners and fairs, Christmas Cantatas, Easter egg hunts, and my favorite, the church picnic. Something for everyone.

For decades, these activities, and their corresponding elaborate promotion, relieved us of our evangelical mandate. We would never want to make someone feel uncomfortable with God talk. Sharing our faith was in the same category of discussing politics or sex at a party.

The result was that we created member/consumers rather than disciples. People saw giving as purchasing services. I give because my kids go to Sunday School and I sing in the choir. Sometimes these ministries are compared with secular activities. The church camp is so much less expensive than the YMCA, and the Bean Suppers are a great value. The terms "church shopper" or "church shopping" entered our vocabulary in the 1980’s. These terms are used by people seeking a new church home, a deeper spirituality, or perhaps a preaching message that is aligned with their own political views.

My pastor friend raised the concerned that Covid has made the consumer culture more attractive. Now people can church shop right from their living room sofa. Only time will tell how many of our virtual church members will return to the pews. I heard one disturbing estimate that 2 thirds of those still viewing the church service from home will continue that practice after the pandemic.

Here is the danger I see. Instead of being consumers of services we are becoming spectators, looking for something worthy of binge watching. The consumer member is being consumed by the online culture. How long will it be before our members find an online church experience that is so well done, the music so professional, the preaching so uplifting and motivating, that they stop tuning into our church service? Worse, how long before the monthly contribution is transferred to the Church of the Virtual Disciples? Time will tell. I hope time is not running out.

BEYOND WORDS

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:42:09 GMT

BEYOND WORDS

This week I have had several times to pray for Haiti and Afghanistan. The thoughts of another earthquake - how much can the people of Haiti take, of the future of women of all ages in Afghanistan, and of the world still dealing with Covid left me drained and dry of words.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words" Romans 8:26

IF I WERE 21

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 16:09:06 GMT

IF I WERE 21

While on vacation I visited an old bookstore. I say visited because to me used books are more like old friends. I found a small book, written in 1918, by Dr. Frank Crane, a Methodist minister and author. The title of this 42-page gem is simply “21.” Each of the ten chapters begin with, “If I were 21 I would…”

The first chapter is titled: “If I were 21 I would do the next thing.” Dr. Crane talks about the value of work, capitalism, and the connection of the individual to society. I summarized some of his key points and included a couple quotes from the book as well:

The first duty of a human being in this world is take oneself off other people’s backs
I would not wait for the ideal job, that is always a job the other fellow has
It is important to find the best thing to do. If I were a young artist, I would paint advertisements if that were all I could find until I could paint landscapes
I would go to work, nothing in all this world I have found is so good as work.

Dr. Crane states that the wage system is the best and most practical means of coordinating human effort. “What spoils it is the large indigestible lumps of unearned money that, because of laws that originated in special privilege, are injected into the body politic, by inheritance and other legal artificialities.” Having said that, Dr. Crane says that if he were 21, he would resolve to take no dollar for which he had not contributed something in the world’s work. If given a million dollars by a philanthropist, he would decline it. He would give his inheritance from a rich father over to the city treasury. If he were 21, Dr. Crane states that he would keep clean of endowed money (does this go for churches and not-for-profits? - ouch). “The happiest people I have known have been those whose bread and butter depended upon their daily exertion.”

As to giving an inheritance over to the city treasury, Dr. Crane feels that all great wealth units come, directly or indirectly, from the people and should go to them. He said that if inheritance was limited to $100,000, there would be no trouble with the wage system. This sounds like a very modest inheritance by today’s standards. The fact is, $100,000 in 1918, inflated at 3% a year, equals a little over $2 million dollars today. It is still relatively a modest inheritance compared to the net-worth of Bates and Bezos.

I think Dr. Crane was concerned about the wealth of someone in his day like Andrew Carnegie, who was worth over 300 billion in today’s dollars. Carnegie was on the same page as Dr. Crane, writing the Gospel of Wealth after he retired. Before he died in Lenox MA, Andrew Carnegie gave most of his wealth away. If you have been to a public library, there is a good chance that it was started with a gift from the Carnegie Foundation.

I find it interesting that 100 years ago discussions about the role of wealth, the dignity of work, and the intersection with our faith was being held in the public square. Similar ideas and discussions are being presented today – absent the intersection of our faith. If the church wants to get relevant, it’s time to claim our seat at the gospel of wealth table.

BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:14:58 GMT

BOILERPLATE LANGUAGE

Many legal and financial documents contain what is referred to as boilerplate language. These are time tested and accepted phrases, often in small print, that are used in contracts and proposals. Sometimes this boilerplate language protects one party’s interest against a lawsuit. Other times, boilerplate language provides background or window dressing for a sales proposal.

Most of us know boilerplate language when we see it. It is usually passed over, dismissed as filler, or too boring to read. I have done this, skimming over a document to get to the terms of the contract and the bottom line. This is why we hire attorneys, to read through and understand the whole document. They are trained to find the devil in the details.

I was comparing this to how I read scripture, and how easy it is to skim over what seems to be boilerplate to get to what interests me. Thankfully, there are biblical scholars, acting as scriptural attorneys. They interpret boilerplate from the original Hebrew or Greek and provide us both the context and hidden meanings. For instance, they bring to life what was common and accepted boilerplate language in the time of Jeremiah and make it understandable for today’s reader.

I have a friend that said most of us read scripture in our English translations, of which there are many, like an army general receiving a report from a battle several miles away. The biblical scholars, researching scripture from the original texts, are like wartime news correspondents in the thick of the battle.

Some clergy are better biblical scholars than others; however, all clergy are trained in how to use commentaries, often investing heavily in their own personal libraries. Though not weekly, as a lay person, I too have used commentaries to prepare a sermon. I enjoy it when my pastor unpacks scripture, especially verses that I viewed as boilerplate. It can be very interesting as, after all, the angels really are in the details.

MONEY WELL SPENT

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 12:04:02 GMT

MONEY WELL SPENT

Buying something of quality is something that John Wesley agreed with. He would opt to buy an expensive quality wool coat that would last for years rather than a cheap coat that would last one winter. I feel the same way about tools. Having a tool that works right every time is money well spent.

If money can be well spent, it can also be poorly spent. On a small scale, I suppose buying coffee instead of making a cup myself could be considered money poorly spent, especially if it does not taste good. Shopping for the best price, or buying something used, is money well spent, while always paying full price is money spent poorly.

There are ways to spend money that bring peace of mind. Buying insurance, a financial plan with a will or trust, are examples of money well spent. Having a spending plan – a budget, is money well spent. Spending more money than I make is money poorly spent.

When it comes to charitable giving, the money well or poorly spent equation is more subjective. One person might consider giving money to a person begging on the street as money well spent and another person would see that as money poorly spent. An atheist would see my giving to my church as foolish. I see it as money well spent.

It occurs to me that, as disciples, how we spend money relates to our relationship with Jesus. As disciples we are stewards of money – not owners. In this faith and money framework, money well spent translates to a job well done. If I spend all the money at my disposal on my own creature comforts and neglect to help people who are poor, I have neglected Christ. And this dynamic is true for our churches as well. If we spend all our church’s income on keeping the church doors open and neglect to minister to the poor in our community, we are spending money poorly. The Master has given us 10 talents, a large endowment. When he returns, I pray we hear the words: “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

DIED ALONE

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 13:35:16 GMT

DIED ALONE

The nurses were sharing Covid stories like old Vets at the VFW. From the conversation there is clearly a continuum of post-traumatic stress syndrome experienced by many in healthcare. Death is part of the job for nurses, especially for those in critical care units and in nursing homes. Last year was different; the difference between swimming in a lake and in class 5 river rapids. Just overwhelming.

Listening, I was touched by how not letting anyone die alone was so important. Family could not visit the nursing homes or ICUs, so the nurses became surrogate loved ones. The Psalmist says God watches over us, sometimes through the eyes of nurses.

When my parents were near death, we made sure that they did not die alone. It would have pained us if they had died without one of us there. Often at funerals I hear family members being grateful that their loved one did not die alone. Conversely, when there is a sudden death like an accident, having a loved one die alone is traumatic. I think dying alone compounds losing someone to suicide.

I am not sure the church, in general, has the same drive to not let anyone die alone. There are many elderly people without family who need us to hold vigil; to pray, sing hymns, or read favorite scriptures. We, like the nurses, are called to be the eyes of Christ, watching, and bearing witness to the death of a friend’s body and the promise of the soul’s unity in Christ.

In my work at the Foundation, I talk about bequests and legacy gifts to the church. It would be a beautiful act of love and mercy for the church to be a faithful servant to the faithful servant at the time of their death. Sometimes we leave this ministry to Hospice. A church hospice ministry would be great. I know some churches do a great job providing meals after the funeral and have a grief ministry as well.

We can learn much from the nursing profession and how to minister to those dying. It is one thing for you to wash my feet, it is quite another to empty my bedpan. The church needs to be careful not to be like the child who is too busy to care for their parents but is quick to stand in line for the inheritance. I think that the bequest will mean much more to the church knowing that the person did not die alone, and that we prayed and sang them into the arms of Jesus.

REPENTANCE

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 12:23:35 GMT

REPENTANCE

The call to repent is so much more than feeling sorry for what we have done – or not done. John the Baptist did not dress in animal skin and eat locusts to preach “feel sorry.” One definition states: “To repent is to regret so deeply as to change the mind or course of conduct in consequence and develop new mental and spiritual habits.”

St. John’s dress and demeanor drew attention to his call of repentance. He must have been a shocking image. His very presence gave everyday life a jolt. Even today the mental picture I have of St. John the Baptist is a disruption of my consciousness. I am overwhelmed by his passionate plea to turn my life toward God and prepare myself for the coming of the Christ. St. John’s preaching is a spiritual mirror, all my sin stares back at me, I can’t look away. It is hard to view and very uncomfortable. Sensing my discomfort, he hands me the washcloth of repentance.

“Sorry” does not touch the stain. It takes real elbow grease to loosen the sins, but the stain remains; I need be washed, and this I cannot do by myself. I need Jesus. Cleansed by Him, the sin is gone, and cast out as far as the east is from the west. As St. Paul says, I am now a new creation in Christ.

If God has forgiven me, and remembers my sin no more, how is it that my mind and heart continue to hang on to the dark thoughts and memories of the past? The spiritual paradox is that to grow closer to Christ, I must let go of the past. Sin, by definition, is what separates us from God. Letting go of sin is freedom, hanging on to it is prison.

I suspect we all have had trouble letting go of our spiritual junk. To be fully in communion with Christ means repenting and then letting go. Hanging on to past sins is a roadblock to being free; to love, to forgive others and ourselves, even being free to be generous.

Generosity is born of humility and gratitude. It takes humility to truly repent. And if I can let go of my confessed sins, I can experience profound gratitude. This Fall many churches will have their annual giving campaign, inviting people to be generous. How can people freely give when they are hanging on to the sin and pain of the past? I think repentance is the missing spiritual practice of a typical annual campaign. We need to learn how to make it more than just about money.

PREPARED TO SERVE

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 11:59:27 GMT

PREPARED TO SERVE

This week I received a call from a church. They were concerned about the security of bequests that a member had given to their church. Two issues were raised:

What happens to the bequest if the church closes without a successor?
The possible division of the church resulting from actions taken at the 2022 General Conference.

Ten years ago, these could have been thoughts of longtime church members that were only shared privately between friends. Today, these issues are raised publicly at church meetings, even with the District Superintendent and Bishop present. It is helpful to be able to safely share our fears and concerns openly and honestly.

The Foundation has heard these concerns and takes them seriously. We are well positioned to serve individuals and churches, regardless of church closure or separations within the denomination, as we are a separate organization with our own 501c3 IRS letter.

To provide individuals and families with assistance to reach their philanthropic goals the Foundation has created a Donor Advised Fund and a Donor Endowment Fund. These gift planning vehicles allow donors to name contingent charitable beneficiaries.

For instance, a married couple establishes a donor endowment at the Foundation. Per their instructions, their church will receive income in perpetuity, however, 20 years after their death the church closes without a successor. Their donor endowment, held at the Foundation, states that should the church close, the endowment income will be distributed equally between UMCOR and their college.

One of the great advantages of partnering with the Foundation is that you have access to these gift planning tools and expertise at no cost to you. And the real value is knowing that your gifts and bequests are being managed and invested by a faith-based institution that you can trust.

For more information about gift planning please email Gary Melville or call 800-595-4347 x 103.

Can Stock Photo/tang90246

LET THE "SON"SHINE IN

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 14:43:33 GMT

LET THE "SON"SHINE IN

In 1969, The 5th Dimension sang “Let the Sunshine In.” After a year and a half of living with Covid restrictions, getting the vaccine is like letting the sunshine in. To sit with friends and see their faces is truly a gift. Who would have thought just two short years ago, that seeing a smile would bring such joy? Yet many of us know people who have died or who have prolonged aftereffects of the Covid virus. That grief and pain lingers for many.

But even through that pain, the steadfast love of God, like the sunshine, reminds us that there is a new day, and an opportunity to be grateful. St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians to give thanks in all things, and that our strength comes through Christ Jesus. As people of faith, we live in hope, in the “Son”shine, even when we are grieving.

Enjoying the springtime and summer sunshine is a gift from our creator God. We are filled with gratitude for every new day and have a deeper appreciation for the simple things; like seeing the faces of our friends and family. We give thanks out of our humility and deep gratitude. It rekindles the fire of our generosity for God and our faith communities that were always with us during the time of Covid. For even in the darkest of days, we were able to let the “Son”shine in.

CLICK HERE to view our “GENEROUS LIVING Summer Edition” newsletter.

WHERE'S THERE A WILL... THERE'S A BEQUEST / Part II

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 14:34:27 GMT

WHERE'S THERE A WILL... THERE'S A BEQUEST / Part II

Last week we talked about the decisions that need consideration as individuals discern how they want to construct their estate and gift plans. Very often, church members consider leaving a bequest to their church. It would bring great peace of mind, if they knew that the church was prepared and capable to receive and manage their bequest.

You see, there is a spiritual as well as a legal component to a charitable bequest. The individual is expressing love for their church by making the bequest. Being a good steward of these bequests, is how the church demonstrates their love and gratitude for the saints that remember the church in their will.

If you want to find out how you can include the church in your will with a bequest, or how the church can be a good steward of these bequests, please register for our free Zoom Foundation Forum for either next Weds or Thurs. CLICK HERE for more information and/or register.

WHERE'S THERE A WILL... THERE'S A BEQUEST

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 13:29:11 GMT

WHERE'S THERES A WILL... THERE'S A BEQUEST

When it comes to charitable giving, donors are faced with several decisions; and the larger the gift, the heavier those decisions. To illustrate my point I’ll create a fictitious donor – Edith Bunker, age 78, widowed with no children. Since her husband’s death three years ago, Edith has decided it is time to update her estate plan. She just received a market value report of her real estate and was surprised to learn how much her estate was worth. The value of her home and lake house totaled 1.2 million dollars and combined with her investments, her net worth was 2.6 million dollars.

Edith decided to give her two nieces $300,000 each, leaving a 2 million dollar balance of her estate that will go to various charities. Now comes the hard part – completing the philanthropy puzzle. First, Edith has to choose which charities will receive a bequest, and then how much. She decides that her United Methodist Church will receive 60% of her estate balance. The remaining 40% will be divided equally between the UMC Camp where she had served on the Board of Directors, and the college where she met her husband.

Edith’s one concern is whether or not she should place a restriction on the bequest to her church. She knows and loves the church, but realizes that without some direction a large gift could cause division. Her discernment left her with three options:

1. An unrestricted bequest.

2. A restricted bequest that would provide income only, or

3. Restricting the bequest to income used for missions only.

There are pros and cons to having strings attached to a large bequest and making this decision will be difficult for Edith.

To finish the philanthropy puzzle she has to decide whether to make an unrestricted bequest to the church or attach restrictions. Additionally, Edith has to choose which assets to give her nieces, and which ones to give to charity. There are also other issues concerning Edith, such as who will act on her behalf, both in terms of finance and healthcare, if she were to become incapacitated. Who would make sure her pledge to the church would continue?

To find out the rest of Edith’s story or how this story may apply to your current philanthropic situation, please attend our free Foundation Forum Educational Series webinar for June.

Click here for more info or to register .

ARE WE THERE YET?

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 12:20:09 GMT

ARE WE THERE YET?

The question “Are we there yet?” is most often asked by children sitting in the back seat of a car headed for a summer vacation. The response from the driver is usually “almost” there. Almost and yet are like “carrots and peas”, they compliment each other. Almost and yet are liminal words, connoting a transition in time and space.

Oddly enough, what got me thinking about “almost and not yet” was this Memorial Day and watching several war movies during the rainy weekend. Our country’s history, indeed, our human history, is marked by endless wars and conflicts. Genocides and holocausts have touched every continent – save Antarctica. Even our faith tradition, or salvation history, begins with being enslaved and then crushing Pharaoh’s army along with the Egyptian economy.

Jesus, the essence of non-violence, demonstrates to us a new way of living. He gave his life so that we can live this new life in him. He sent the Holy Spirit to provide us the gifts and graces to live a virtuous life. And yet we succumb to our lower angels even as we remember with Abraham Lincoln; “ The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

How is it that I who profess Jesus as Lord can see within myself the potential for the same violence that crucifies my brothers and sisters? Could it be that I too am almost and not yet? With St. Paul as a mentor, my hope and goal is to keep pressing on to perfection. I know there is much work to be done within me as I move from not yet to almost.

On Memorial Day I am reminded that our Constitution points us to “a more perfect Union”. Today, 234 years later, we are still pressing on. Did the writers have the sense of being almost perfect and not yet? They too wrestled with their better and lower angels; being capable of being a slave owner and yet knowing we are all created equal. There is tension in having a flawed human body and an eternal soul, of living in the almost and not yet. I am thankful for the better angels of our nature that stir us to move toward perfection. On our spiritual journey into the heart of God, I can hear the question: “ Are we there yet?” And Jesus responding, “Almost”.

APPLE BLOSSOMS & LILACS

Wed, 26 May 2021 13:48:29 GMT

APPLE BLOSSOMS & LILACS

May has been a favorite month of mine for years. We got to celebrate Mother’s Day and my mother’s birthday. I have warm memories of picking apple blossoms and lilacs for my mother. What has stayed with me, especially since her death in 2008, was her enthusiastic reaction to my gift. For my boyhood years, this became our tradition. I would clip flowers from her trees and give them to her. My offering - her delight. I don’t know when it occurred to me that it was her flowers, from her trees, that I was presenting as a gift to her. Where I got the flowers did not matter to her, it was the love and the excitement of giving that touched her heart.

So, after years of placing an offering in the collection plate, it occurred to me that I was doing exactly the same thing I had done with my mother; I was giving to God what was already God’s. This revelation happened after I participated in the Good Sense Money Ministry course. In the giving section of the course, there was a line that I read, and that I knew in my head, but not heard with my heart. “It is not how much of my money I’m going to give to God; it is how much of God’s money will I keep for myself.” Apple Blossoms all over again.

The fragrance of apple blossoms and lilacs triggers memories of joyful giving, and of smiles & hugs. This week at church, during the generosity time, I’m going to imagine God smiling, delighted, and enjoying my fragrant offering.

GROUNDBREAKING

Wed, 19 May 2021 13:23:12 GMT

GROUNDBREAKING

We have seen the pictures of men and women holding silver shovels at a groundbreaking. The ceremony includes each person, sporting a hardhat, moving a bit of earth with their commemorative engraved shovel. This august event marks the new building project. News and media people are invited to cover the event. The groundbreaking event signifies the completion of design plans, permits, financing, and the beginning of construction. Before there could be a groundbreaking there was a vision. That vision was fulfilling the needs and dreams of an individual, corporation or community. Examples of such include a new: hospital, college science or athletic facility, bank, or church.

Today, we refer to discoveries and events that have a large impact as “groundbreaking”. The groundbreaking technology of the internet and video conferencing programs like Zoom made it possible to have church services at home.

I was thinking about the groundbreaking events in our lives. I remember my baptism – I was 5 years old. My first job and paycheck. Certainly getting married to my wife Carol and the birth of our sons and grandchildren were groundbreaking events. My Spiritual groundbreaking events include a Cursillo weekend and later bringing that ministry program into prison. Each time I receive Communion it is groundbreaking and earth shaking.

Groundbreaking events change lives. And there are people and organizations whose visions and dreams lead to groundbreaking activities. John Wesley was a groundbreaker, so was Martin Luther King Jr. They created movements which attracted followers. We invest our time, talent, and treasure in these movements. For Christians, the ultimate groundbreaker and gamechanger is Jesus. For the ground he breaks is holy ground. From the Beatitudes to the empty tomb the groundbreaking love and mercy of Christ invites us to be groundbreakers like John and Martin. It is time to get our hardhats and shovels, there is work to be done.

canstockphoto.com/liveslow

THROWN INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

Wed, 12 May 2021 13:41:33 GMT

THROWN INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

Life today looks much different than it did 40 years ago. In 1981, who would have imagined the services and options that a mobile phone offers to people in 2021? I can remember the push-button phone, and when traveling, looking for a pay phone to make a call. I remember the first ATM’s; today I can take a picture of a check and make a deposit using my phone without leaving the house. (I can also remember standing in line at the bank on Friday nights to deposit my paycheck.) The first time I received a faxed document I thought it was alchemy. Today, people scattered over the globe can work on the same document at the same time. In 1981, lovers wrote letters, now they text. There was a time when we had to visit the library to do research for a school paper. My grandchildren can watch a video, download a book, listen to a podcast, view a classroom presentation, and print their report in color without leaving home.

I share these thoughts because in 2020, a microscopic virus tossed the mainline church out OF the 20th century and into the 21st. We were thrown, many of us begrudgingly, into the world of Zoom and high-tech. One year later, many church leaders have concluded that video sharing of our worship services is here to stay. Further, they are saying that we need to invest in the video equipment to make our worship experience meaningful and inviting. In resisting change, some leaders are saying that people will stop attending worship online once we are back to church in person. I’m not so sure. I think people who are homebound are finally feeling connected to their church. I think the parents who have kids in sports are unburdened by the guilt of choosing sports over church. I think people with busy schedules are pleased with the opportunity to schedule in Sabbath time. To put it another way, there is nothing quite like seeing the Celtics play in person. But isn’t nice to watch them on a widescreen TV at home?

On a positive note, many people have shared that they prefer church meetings on Zoom. Especially night meetings. The attendance is better, and the meetings can be recorded for people who cannot be there; plus, it is good stewardship as it saves on resources. The heat doesn’t have to be turned on at the church, and twelve people aren’t driving cars – saving on gas and their carbon output.

I think bigger changes are coming as the church accepts and transitions into the 21st century. For instance, giving online, or through our bank, is going to replace the offering plate. We will need to rethink the church offering as an offering of ourselves rather than money.

And consider the future of many of our smaller churches with an aging membership. Rather than spending time, talent, and treasure keeping a 100-year-old church building open, will the small twelve-person church meet at someone’s home and watch a professional video worship service at their sister church online? After the service, they could share a meal and have a bible study together. And to have a deeper in-person connection, they carpool 20 miles once a month to join their sister church at the Communion service.

Sometimes pace of change is troublesome and hard to comprehend. If it feels like you have been thrown into another place and time, you have.

Can Stock Photo / Barbar760

FROM THE HEART

Wed, 05 May 2021 13:38:57 GMT

FROM THE HEART

In a couple weeks members and friends of the United Methodist Church will celebrate Aldersgate Sunday. Aldersgate is a street in London; just an average ordinary street. Yet this street is remembered because it was there, 283 years ago, that John Wesley felt his heart strangely warmed. He knew in his soul that he was loved and forgiven. I suppose he always knew in his head that God loved him. But that 18 inch trip from head to the heart is the longest spiritual journey we ever take.

Spiritual knowing, true knowing takes place in the heart. This knowing is like the peace that passes all human understanding. The mind, of course, wants to explain the heart being strangely warmed; it wants to define it, contain it – and forgive us, even control it. The mysteries of God and the Holy Spirit are to be embraced, pondered, surrendered to, and loved.

I find it interesting that we celebrate and recognize the street where John Wesley encountered the risen Christ in a new and powerful way. After all, it would be just as appropriate to call this Heart Sunday. But the place, Aldersgate Street, points a finger in time and space to make real the experience for all those who have joined the movement. And, in so doing, we have our own Aldersgate experiences. For some it was an altar call, for others it was tearful prayer at our bedside, and for some, even a prison cell. The Aldersgate experience is our heart saying yes to Jesus. Just like Mary’s Yes. The first yes is followed by a lifetime of yeses; of baptism and communion, leading to personal piety and practical divinity.

The United Methodist Church sprang from a street in London, but for the movement to continue hearts need to be softened and warmed by the Holy Spirit. In addition to our home church, we need to invest in our camps and retreat centers as well as “Walk to Emmaus”, because those places represent the Aldersgate Streets in our time. It is there, sitting around a campfire or at table conversation, that hearts are warmed, and the word yes is spoken - perhaps for the first time.

SKIN IN THE GAME

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 21:29:06 GMT

SKIN IN THE GAME

The phrase “skin in the game” originated from horse racing. Owners of the racehorses had the most to gain or lose because they had “skin in the game”. Today this phrase is most often used in financial and investment circles. Bankers like to see a large down payment when lending money because the borrower has more “skin in the game”, making it less likely that they would ever have to foreclose.

In the world of fundraising, donors who make major gifts expect to be informed of progress on stated goals and projects; outcomes and impact are very important for those with substantial “skin in the game”. And it is not just financial skin. Contributing talent and time puts real skin on the financial skin. The combination, or the trifecta gifts of time, talent, and treasure go beyond having “skin in the game”. At this point you are all in, down to the bone.

Jesus said if you want to follow me, pick up your cross – daily. I guess you could say Jesus is asking us to have skin, bone, and soul in the game. Whereas a contract between people requires some skin, a covenant with Christ requires our whole being. Where Moses set out the 10% tithing rule, Jesus gave it all; once and for all. The covenantal relationship joins us with Jesus - just like a marriage.

Being a disciple, and a member of the Body of Christ, is a covenantal relationship between me and all my brothers and sisters in Christ. Intellectually I can understand the idea of covenant. However, living the covenant from the heart is another matter. There was a time in my life when I thought stewardship was having some “skin in the game”. As I grew closer to Christ, I desired more from our relationship and giving a little skin was not enough. I learned that if I want all of Jesus, I must give all of Gary.

When it comes to the church, I cannot help but think that our stewardship programs center on increasing annual giving rather than increasing Christ in our hearts. We ask people to increase their “skin in the game” while Jesus desires our hearts and souls. Is it any wonder why so many churches are in decline? I wonder how many people left our church because they were seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus and found it in the church down the street? I have heard people bemoan that one of their largest givers left the church. They need that “skin in the game”. Funny, I rarely hear expressions of grief when a prayer warrior moves away. Could it be that our faith is only skin deep?

BEING THE BODY

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 13:07:06 GMT

BEING THE BODY

St. Paul told us in his letter to the Corinthians that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our physical body cannot be separated from the breath of our creator, God. We embody God – the Holy Spirit. In fact, our bodily senses can help us encounter the risen Christ. Perhaps the best example of this is when the disciples were conversing with the risen Jesus while on the road to Emmaus. They could not recognize him until Jesus broke the Bread – his body. The embodied Holy Spirit within us recognizes the Jesus in the bread and the wine.

My heart and soul are not separate from my body, nor is my mind. My spiritual nature is embodied in flesh. The sacredness of the human body, or what makes the human body holy, is that it is a temple holding the Holy Spirit. Have you found that the closer you are to Jesus the more you see Jesus in others? The Holy Spirit embodied in my temple greets the same Holy Spirit in your temple. And what I find more profound, when I consume the bread and wine with my physical body, Jesus consumes my soul. We are one.

How could I, who is embodied by the Holy Spirit, and who has consumed Jesus, not look first for Christ in my family, neighbor, and stranger? When my body was baptized, I was plunged into Christ. My body, my temple, is clothed in Christ. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Galatians: “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.“

In Christ there are no labels or categories of people. Unity cannot exist in a system of dividing people by category. So to Paul’s list we could add; no black or white, gay or straight, rich or poor, even no democrat or republican. In a country so divided, and sadly our churches as well, how can we be unified if we cannot see Jesus in others, and even in ourselves? How could racism, or any “ism” exist, if the first face I see is that of Christ, and the human body, a true temple of God.

How painful it is, once I’ve seen Christ in the other, to remember that every act of violence against a human body is an act of violence against the very temple of the Holy Spirit. The Body of Christ is the way of peace and reconciliation. And to receive the peace of Christ that passes all understanding we have to confess our sins, both as individuals and as a community.

ODE TO TRACY

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:26:53 GMT

ODE TO TRACY

Her name is Tracy. After 56 trips around the Sun, cancer released her soul from her body. At her funeral on Saturday, her husband Jimmy quoted Tracy’s favorite saint, St. Therese of Lisieux, “I’m not dying, I’m entering life.” Tracy not only believed this as a matter of faith, but she also lived her life with hope and light. As grief filled family and friends gathered, her presence was palpable. You see, Tracy had the courage, along with Jimmy, to plan her funeral. All her personal traits: compassion, understanding, prayerfulness, meekness, and even elegance, permeated her funeral. A beautiful witness to the love of Christ.

Many people teach us during their life by either example or instruction. Few people teach us how to die. I don’t know how I could approach death without having a relationship with Jesus, without knowing the risen Christ. Being prone to anxiety, without faith, I would need to be heavily medicated to face my death, or perhaps even deny my decline to escape the fear of ceasing to be.

Knowing in my head is different than knowing in my heart. I can think and reflect on the quote, “I’m not dying, I’m entering life,” and fully agree and understand this transition of the dying process. Yet in my heart I have moments of doubt – “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.” I believe I am not alone in this thought process. Maybe the tension of knowing and believing accounts for how many people actively avoid the death conversation. Too many of us have no will, trust, or healthcare directive in place. Fewer still have planned their funeral. I have done the estate planning, but I have not done any funeral planning. Oddly enough, the one event that is as sure as taxes is the one I have avoided. Planning my funeral is an act of faith and stewardship. It is a gift to my family and an example, just like Tracy, to know and believe that I’m not dying, I’m entering life.

I must confess that I have both organized and participated in church workshops where the topic is “Planning Ahead.” The workshop design is a panel discussion. A funeral home director and a pastor talk about pre-planning a funeral from the respective technical and spiritual perspectives. An attorney addresses the legal documents: wills and healthcare directives. And I speak about leaving a legacy, bequests and other gift arrangements. I have done the legal work – it is time to preplan my funeral. I need to follow Tracy’s example. After all, Jesus conquered death so that I could enter life.

FOOT WASHING AFTER EASTER

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 12:17:24 GMT

FOOT WASHING AFTER EASTER

At our staff meeting last week, Rev. Dr. David Abbott gave a short and deep reflection on St. John’s account of Jesus washing feet and asked us to reflect on how we experience foot washing in our lives. For me, in the new light of the resurrection, the act of washing feet takes on even more profound meaning. On Thursday night, the washing of Peter’s feet was shocking because this act of hospitality was usually performed by a servant or the wife of the host. It was common and expected for someone of a lower social status to wash the dust and dirt off the feet of a person with higher social standing. I think Peter was repulsed at the idea of his esteemed teacher, whom he recognized as the Christ, being lowered to a foot-washing servant.

On Thursday night, the human man Jesus, with the strong hands of a carpenter, physically washed feet. Not only did Jesus humble himself by taking on human flesh, but Jesus also stooped even lower to provide the example of the way (the state of mind) and the requirement of humility, to be a disciple. This ritual of the washing of feet was considered to be the eighth sacrament of the early church, although not formally adopted as such. A good definition of a sacrament is an encounter with Christ in a life changing way. Certainly, Peter experienced this on Thursday night at the Passover meal. I wonder if, after seeing the empty tomb, Peter had a jolt of awe, a shiver down his spine, as he remembered Jesus washing his dirty feet. The Risen Christ washed his feet. Indeed, Jesus washes our feet.

Before the Passover meal and the institution of communion, Jesus prepared the disciples hearts to receive his holy meal. In order to receive Christ in the bread and wine, the disciples had to be washed of their pride. Allowing Jesus to wash our feet is an act of humility. Before coming to the communion table, I need my feet washed, along with my pride and my sin. It takes humility to confess sin, to have my soul washed as well as my feet. Humility opens the heart so that we receive Jesus, the risen Christ, in the bread and wine. How profound it is to break bread together on our knees.

TURNING THE TABLES

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 12:13:21 GMT

TURNING THE TABLES

I was reading a Holy Week Gospel passage where we see an angry Jesus turning over the money changers’ tables and driving out those who sold doves for a temple sacrifice. “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” John 2:16. Jesus is always turning the tables on us, usually through a parable, or a healing of the unclean. My Lenten reflection this week is: What are the tables that Jesus is turning over in this place and time?

To set the table let’s remember that it is easy to be smug about the money changers because we don’t have currency issues to deal with. Further, we do not sacrifice animals, so we can cast our eyes down upon people who would profit from an act of worship. In more recent days, we shake our heads at those who use bingo or raffles as a method of fundraising. Meanwhile, we plan the next church supper, church fair, thrift shop, or murder mystery dinner to support the annual budget. I wonder what Jesus would say about leasing space for a “Cell Tower” in his Father’s house? It is easy to hear about the tables being turned 2000 years ago, not so easy when it is our table, our way of church survival. Our churches have become so holy to us that we will do the unholy to keep them open. Tables turned.

Through tradition and scripture we are asked to tithe from our first fruits. If we had enough income for the church budget, then our church suppers, that depend on non-members paying money to supplement our lack of generosity, could be transformed into free banquets for the people who are poor. Tithing turns the tables on how we do church finance. It is a path to personal holiness and corporate faithfulness. The tithing congregation tells the world that they refuse to sell other people’s junk to keep their doors open. Tithing eliminates the time consuming distraction of church survival fundraising and provides space for “being” the church. What if the mission of all church fundraising was to feed and clothe the poor, to visit the sick and the prisoner, and to work for peace and justice? Tithing turns the table on fundraising and the focus on church survival.

We all have our own personal tables that could use some turning over as well: another good exercise for Lent. For me, sometimes Jesus’ love is having my table turned. And that is ok because his table is an Altar where I am welcomed to the ultimate banquet.

SET-UP TO FAIL

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 13:22:05 GMT

SET-UP TO FAIL

Recently, I was talking with a friend who shared a stressful work experience where he was given a new responsibility and no training. Worse, it appeared that there was an unrealistic deadline given for the project. I told him that it sounded like he was being set-up to fail. There are managers who will use the set-up to fail technique to encourage an employee to resign or to establish a reason to fire someone. While setting up someone fail is a poor and unethical practice in the workplace, I think that being set-up to fail is more often an unintentional act or life circumstance. For instance, I do not believe parents would intentionally set their children up to fail. Children inherit values and virtue as well as stocks and bonds. They benefit from living in a faith filled home, a good education, good nutrition, plenty of exercise, and most important, the love and support of parents. It goes without saying that the opposite is true.

History and cycles of family function and disfunction factor heavily in shaping the lives of children. It takes hard work, grounded in self-knowledge, to break a cycle of disfunction. Perhaps harder still, is to resist taking for granted a healthy family structure.

We often talk of our church in terms of being a family. What we often forget is that I bring my family history into the church family structure - warts and all. Attending church as a young man I found role models, older men that I admired and respected. They reinforced what I was taught at home and provided different points of view. I have also experienced disfunction in the church family. There are bullies, both men and women who insist on getting there way. Others, who when feeling hurt, withheld their pledge, like a spouse withholding affection.

Change in family/church dynamics is constant. Many of us remember a time when our family gathered on Sunday, often at a grandparent’s home. There was plenty of food, and lots of conversations. After the grandparents died, it was harder to stay connected, after all we have our own families to tend to, and new family traditions to create. Yet, there is a yearning for those fondly remembered and familiar days. And with that yearning comes the temptation to invest our time recreating the past. And for the church, especially when the leadership has fond memories of full pews and lots of children, the yearning for the past becomes a kind of prayer. But like the family that reminisces about Sunday dinners at grandma’s house, we need to invest in the next generation. Hanging on to the past, at the expense of not reaching for and investing in the future, is surely setting ourselves up to fail.

This investment takes our time, talent, and treasure. This is true for both our home and church families. Within our respective families, we need to overcome the cycles of disfunction and create a culture of love and respect. Unfortunately, in our families, and perhaps in ourselves, we see the unbroken chains of destructive behaviors whether it be a history of alcoholism, verbal, mental or physical abuse. Within the church family, a history of chewing up pastors or resisting change, deciding not to break the family/church dysfunctional cycle, is setting ourselves up to fail.

This failing is not a measure of being successful. Rather being set-up to fail is like a wound, an infection of mind, body, and spirit. The opposite this failing is being set-up to thrive, reaching our human potential. Stewardship of our personal families, even as individuals, as well as our church families, is being intentional about creating an environment – setting ourselves up to grow in love and wisdom.

OF HEAVEN

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 13:38:10 GMT

OF HEAVEN

My wife Carol was reading her devotional book last night and paused to ask to me how often I thought of heaven. Well, actually not that often I said. Which of course meant that I have been think of nothing else. At some point I stopped thinking of heaven as a place with giant gates and St. Peter checking names. Heaven for me is being present with the presence of God. It is a state of being rather than a destination. Heaven is being one with God. It is to be “in” Christ even as I consume the bread & wine, and am consumed by him.

In my work at the Foundation I have had many conversations with people this past year. I have learned what people have missed most about not going to church in person is: 1. Communion, 2. Singing. The Sabbath, the gift of a Holy day, is more than a day of physical rest, it is a day to rest in the Holy One. It is a day to experience heaven, even if it is looking in a mirror dimly. Communion and singing touch the heart and brain in ways that are beyond logic. Through singing and communion we enter the mysteries of God – of which, as St. Paul says, we are charged to be both servants and stewards.

I wonder what would happen if we started saying "I’m going to experience Heaven" instead of "I am going to church"? Many of us who have grown children are concerned that they do not attend church. Even worse, they do not bring our grandchildren. Most of the articles I have read on the decline of church attendance suggest that today’s church is not relevant. Could it be that today’s church is seen as a place and a destination and not as experiencing Heaven – here and now? As church goers, we all experienced - I felt like I went to church today – and something stirred us at our core. Perhaps poor church attendance is not a function of being irrelevant, but of not focusing on being in the presence of God, of stepping into Heaven - even for just a moment.

In the United States tracking church attendance is the primary way of measuring our “success”. After all, more people in the pews generally means a balanced budget and a full-time pastor. St. Mother Teresa said that we are not called to be successful, we are called the be faithful. Having said that, which is harder, filling the pews or being servants and stewards of the mysteries of God?

LENT: CULTIVATING A SOFT HEART

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 12:33:25 GMT

LENT: CULTIVATING A SOFT HEART

The words from Ezekiel seem appropriate for Lent: “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Could it be that our prescribed Lenten spiritual disciplines are designed to prepare our hearts? Ezekiel has prophetic vision, sharper than any x-ray or MRI. He sees my heart calcified by self-centeredness and pride. The Prophet is a doctor prescribing a heart transplant. My stony heart still beats and can still push blood through my veins, but its hard exterior prevents empathy and compassion from reaching the inner cockles of my heart. Likewise, my stony heart locks in my ego, forcing me to look inward, where I worry only about my needs and concerns.

Ezekiel knows that Holy Week is fast approaching. He knows that with my heart of stone I cannot comprehend how Jesus could humble himself to washing feet, to being abandoned by friends and ridiculed by enemies, to being beaten and crucified, and to being crushed like wheat and grapes and made present in the bread and the wine. How could my heart of stone relate to the empty tomb when it is my heart of stone that needs to be rolled away?

Ezekiel promises that God will give me a heart of flesh, one as human and as vulnerable as the one beating in the chest of Jesus. Through Communion I receive the heart transplant. I receive the heart of Jesus; flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, His hands, and feet to serve the least of these.

I have been thinking of the practice of almsgiving as a Lenten discipline and of my heart of stone. Does giving to my brothers and sisters who are hungry and need shelter soften my heart, or does the Holy Spirit soften my heart so that I can be generous? I would like to think that my actions could soften my own heart, and that I could perform the heart transplant on myself. Those thoughts stem from my heart of self-centeredness, self-importance, and pride. I need the risen Christ to roll away my heart of stone and replace it with His. It is Christ within me that is generous, and it is me who tries to restrain His extravagant generosity. My stony heart is blocking Christ within me from being the hilarious and sacrificial giver that I am called to be.

As for the church, perhaps our stewardships efforts need to be less focused on cultivating donors and more concerned with cultivating a soft heart of flesh.

WHAT'S THE POINT?

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 14:11:36 GMT

WHAT'S THE POINT?

Saying “the point is” in a conversation suggests that you are citing or declaring a particular position on a topic. Sometimes we wish people would just get to the “point.” (For the record, I am not targeting pastors to highlight this point.) Often, when an issue is complex or of high importance, several points are made to build up to a larger point. We call these bullet points which mentors and teachers often use, like a finger, to point us in the right direction.

When Jesus taught using parables, he was pointing us to a new way of thinking; mostly about the Kingdom of God, with the spiritual power of money and possessions being a close second. Most of the time the pharisees did not understand “the point.” And if they did, it was as if a sharp tool was poking holes in their stringent belief system. They often countered with trying to make a point of their own. But no matter how sharp their tongues, their protests ended up being dulled by Jesus explaining the real meaning of parable. It is hard to have your point dismissed, especially when you sit in the judgement seat of power. That takes humility, and the pharisees missed that finer point of spiritual maturity.

So, my point is, during Lent I have decided to listen better to the points others are making instead of trying to make my own. Taking this to its logical conclusion, I am listening for the point being made in daily Scripture reading rather than looking for the words that secure the points I am thinking about. It is difficult to be convicted by the Holy Spirit but I can hear myself saying, “Ok, I get your point.”

WHAT IS JESUS DOING DURING LENT?

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:42:15 GMT

WHAT IS JESUS DOING DURING LENT?

Fill-in the blank: For Lent this year I’m going to _________. Usually, we give up or add something i.e: give up chocolate and instead bring sandwiches to the homeless. In the past I’ve participated in the decreasing and increasing activities of Lent. Sometimes it was a checklist activity. I remember putting a quarter in a slot each day to fulfill my alms giving. In reflection, I was observing the season of Lent like a spectator. I don’t recall the date or time that I finally came to understand that Lent is a gift of grace that is entered into as a disciple of Jesus. Lent has never been a spectator sport since that epiphany.

As a follower of Jesus, I am discerning what He is doing during Lent. I can read the Gospels to relive the 40 days in the wilderness that teach about praying, fasting and alms giving, and even the entry into Jerusalem and Holy Week. I can earnestly work to develop spiritual practices to deepen my relationship with Christ. But if these are things I do, what are Jesus and the Holy Spirit doing? First, I think Jesus is present and presence during Lent. He is the truth, the way, and the light of Lent. I am reminded to let go of me, my wants, my pleasures, my sin, so that I can cling to Christ. The act of clinging is to be plugged into Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is the electric power that transforms me.

In reality, even during Lent, Jesus and the Holy Trinity, do what they always do – transform you and me. Could it be that the seasons of the church are “little” sacraments? Is not my time in Lent an encounter with Christ in a life changing way? Lent is a gift where grace happens. May I allow it to be so.

OF COVID AND LENT

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 16:39:10 GMT

OF COVID AND LENT

It has been a full year of working from home. The Covid virus came upon us at the beginning of Lent last year and reached a peak in many places in the United States at Easter. Today the virus is lingering and mutating even as we cue up for our vaccine. In reflection, today is Ash Wednesday and Covid has forced where Lent invites.

I can only speak for myself and acknowledge that we all have a story to tell. For me Lent is a time for self-knowledge gained through self-examination. My giving up and letting go have to do with my inner thoughts and habits that detract and distract me from deepening my relationship with Jesus. Lent is the church’s season of reflection, preparation, and confession. Lent is a journey leading to an entrance into the Holy City for Passover. Like an athlete training for the race, Lent is the hard work, preparing us for Holy Week. How can we suffer with Jesus on Good Friday without first, girding ourselves spiritually? Even more, how can we grasp in our hearts and minds the Resurrection of Jesus without experiencing being resurrected – changed and transformed by the Holy Spirit through the spiritual practices of Lent?

A year of Covid, for me, has been a forced time of self-reflection. It has placed my fragile mortality front and center. My mask reminds me – from dust to dust. The virus has locked me down, removed many happy distractions that use to fill my mind and time. Covid has mandated space, and social distancing has created a kind of desert for this extrovert. The “virtual worship experience” lacks the deep spiritual encounter of Christ in the Eucharist. I have experienced spiritual aloneness caused by giving up in-person worship, singing, and prayer.

But, with all that I continue to miss and yearn for, the year of Covid has added the gift of gratitude to Lent. At the end of Lent I will be even more grateful for the stone rolled away, in my heart as well as the tomb.

FEEDING THE BIRDS

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 13:09:36 GMT

FEEDING THE BIRDS

For the last several years I have enjoyed feeding the birds. We see many yellow finches in the summer and all sorts of feathered friends in the winter. The red cardinals against the white snow is a daily picture. The chickadees and swallows are our most frequent guests. The pesky blue jays are party crashers, but there is enough for all. This year we had a flock of robins feasting on the holly berries. I know the birds don’t worry about their next meal, but I do.

In the Gospels it says not to be afraid and not to worry, and that I am of more value than many sparrows. If the sparrow is not concerned about what to eat or wear, then why should I be? If God takes care of the birds of the air, then He will surely provide for me. I am also told not to worry about material things, or strive to build bigger barns to store away food. Instead, my focus should be on the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be provided as well. The instruction is to seek my treasure in heaven, where thieves cannot break in and rob, for where my treasure is, there also, will be my heart.

Many pastors and churches have interpreted “focusing on the Kingdom, or heaven” as the way to receive wealth as well as embracing a prosperity gospel message. A message easy to hear. The way of Christ is simple but never easy. The Kingdom and Heaven are experienced and encountered through prayer, Communion, and a relationship with Christ. The act of seeking the eternal happens first within my heart. Jesus spoke of the need to focus on our creator God and let our creature comforts sort themselves out. I believe I know why and how this dynamic works.

If I have Christ in my heart and mind, and truly see Jesus in my neighbor, then how can I not feed the hungry and visit the sick or the imprisoned. How can there be any homeless if first I seek the Kingdom before my own needs? If I feed the birds, how much more am I charged to provide for my hungry neighbors? Jesus knows those who seek His Kingdom and follow him will house and feed the poor among us. If I find joy in feeding the birds, how much more joy will I find in feeding my neighbors?

As for receiving materials things as well as the Kingdom, perhaps in the Kingdom, having been blessed with material wealth, I now know I must use it for the sake of the least of my brothers and sisters.

FINE ART AS PRAYER

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 13:01:26 GMT

FINE ART AS PRAYER

Talk to an artist and you will hear a vocabulary consisting of musical notes and colors, mix with improvisation and you get Jazz and Modern Art. Connect the arts to faith, and I think of the classical forms of music and art as dogma. The passed down teaching and time-tested truths are foundational to the faith journey. From Gregorian Chant to the hymns of Charles Wesley, to the stained-glass artwork of Tiffany and La Farge, the fine arts create a sacred space to worship God. This space is both the physical church building and our interior spiritual life. These ageless Classics connect us to God the Ancient of Days, as well as the Saints who have gone before. The essence of classical art forms and music, being ageless gifts, transport us back in time. But not to the 1970s or 80s when the pews were filled, and our budgets were balanced. No, this is time travel to witness Moses encounter the burning bush and to hear Jesus’ sermon on the mount. The fine arts of sacred places allows us to be present in the “living” past our of faith.

In the present and future, the Holy Spirit continues to inspire artists, who through their work, engage us where we are in our faith journey. This is where we need balance, for if we hang on too tight to dogma we cannot cooperate with the ebb and flow of the Holy Spirit. I have heard on more than one occasion something to the effect of; if Charles Wesley or Bach did not write the music then it is not worthy in worship. Forty years ago, I remember our church organist arguing that no electronic instruments could be used in the church. As a purist he would not allow a digital piano when you could have a grand piano. For many churches, this is the tension we are still living with.

Again, it is the either/or mentality; only the music written by deceased white men can be used, that blocks us from fully experiencing Jesus now – in this moment. To allow the Holy Spirit to perform jazz in our hearts, or to confront our unhealthy thinking though modern art images, is to be transformed. By embracing new music and art we are not stepping away from tradition, but rather seeing with better lighting, and hearing with amplified sound. Inspired works of art are as different as contemplative silent prayer and speaking in tongues. I think we all have our preferences when it comes to art forms and forms of worship, but to grow in appreciation for the arts is to learn a new way of prayer.

A DEFINING MOMENT

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 13:05:43 GMT

A DEFINING MOMENT

A quick definition of a defining moment: “A moment in time that defines something or someone.” Political campaigns have defining moments. Admiral Stockdale’s opening debate statement, “Who am I and why am I here?”, is a classic example. Some defining moments reveal themselves over time. The day the Patriots drafted Tom Brady was a defining moment. Not-for-profit and for-profit corporations have several defining moments. The date they are chartered and open for business for one. Apple’s decision to get into the cell phone business surely was a defining moment that created both individual and business wealth. The moment that the Digital and Wang corporations decided not to embrace the new possibilities of the personal computer defined how their businesses would die.

As individuals we too have many defining moments. Going to college, choosing a major, getting married or remaining single, having children, our first job, and our chosen career are just a few defining moments. Here is a quandary: is being born into a stable family, being raised by a single parent, being born a male or female or a minority a defining moment? Is having a disabling medical condition, physical or mental, a defining moment? Are the events and accidents, or the unearned gifts and graces received at birth, defining moments? Or rather, is it the conscious choices we make that define us? Could it be a combination of circumstance and choice? The defining moment for a child could be a parents’ decision to send the child to a private school, to raise the child within a faith tradition, or to pass on a racist worldview. These defining moments of the parent can influence the child’s future choices and defining moments.

It is obvious to me that our churches have defining moments. In the past this meant whether to allow black people to pray alongside white folk or to allow women to be ordained. Today we are facing huge defining moments about human sexuality. Others may include whether to promote planned giving, continue with virtual worship after the pandemic, or to be passionate about making disciples and embracing the necessary changes to be the church of the 21st Century; these moments will both define us and shape our future.

Personally, I think my greatest defining moment was the echo of Mary’s yes to be a vessel for Jesus. And it is a constant moment, for the yes is murmured often during the day – and by the Holy Spirit when words fail me. This has led to and is leading me to have more defining moments. Prison Ministry is one example. And oddly enough, including my church in my will is another. These moments will define who I am as a disciple and steward. Deciding to be generous is indeed a defining moment.

WHAT GIFT WILL YOU OFFER?

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 14:40:51 GMT

WHAT GIFT WILL YOU OFFER?

Her name is Erika and she and her mom are active in the Gray Memorial Church in Caribou, Maine. Erika loves to color. She is an artist.

I first became aware of her when talking with pastor Rev. Tim Wilcox regarding the ministry area of stewardship. We were discussing people sharing their gifts, whatever it was, for the glory of God. He told me that when Covid hit back in March and they closed the church, Erika decided to send some of her artwork to the people she was no longer seeing each Sunday. She wanted them to know she was thinking of them and missing them.

As the pandemic continued, she asked her mother for the names of other people in her church with whom she could share her pictures. Soon Erika’s pictures were being mailed out into the community. People started writing back and to let her know how beautiful and precious her work was. They thanked her for sharing her talent with them. The mailing list continued to expand to include leaders in her community, the governor of Maine, and more. In Mid-December, her mom shared that she had sent out between 800 and 1,000 of Erika’s pictures to bring beauty and love to people’s lives.

Just before Christmas, I received a Christmas card from Erika and her mom. I hoped what might be inside… and then, there it was. A folded picture that Erika had done of the baby Jesus! It was as she saw it, not as we are taught to see it. I broke into a huge smile. Even though we’d only recently met, she told her mom she wanted to send me one of her pictures. I saw this gift as one of welcome into her sacred community and to remind me that I was accepted for who I was. The good news is that each of us have gifts that can offer the same hope to those with who we share them.

Erika’s ministry of art is a reminder to all of us that stewardship is more than monetary. It’s more than how much we give each week in the offering. It is about sharing that which we’ve been given, gifted, and blessed by God. Stewardship is the outward and visible signs of our inner and personal relationship with Christ.

What gifts of love, grace, welcome, and hope might we give others in the name of Christ?

“Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice.” Matthew 10:42 – The Message

JUSTICE IN OUR TIME

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:51:34 GMT

JUSTICE IN OUR TIME

On November 3rd, 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed a bill making the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday. Government moves slow, and the day was not observed as a national holiday until 1986, but by then 17 states were already observing the holiday. Some states changed the name of the holiday. New Hampshire used “Civil Rights Day” and didn’t adopt Martin Luther King Jr. Day until 1999. And it was not until the year 2000 before the last state (South Carolina) observed the holiday.

Do you remember the arguments over the name of the day - should it be a national holiday; would businesses acknowledge the day? Would banks close – what about Wall Street? It seems foolish now. While I suspect not every argument was steeped in racism, I imagine most were.

It is interesting that this holi-day (“Holy” day) defines us even as we celebrate. It takes a snapshot of how we are doing, the progress or regress we have made, and celebrates within the memory and words of Martin Luther King Jr., our walk toward justice. This Holy day holds up a mirror to the American society, daring us to gaze upon ourselves. This is particularly difficult for those who know we are made in the image and likeness of God. For that image shines light, exposing the darkness of racism. It exposes our individual and collective sin. And seeing the sin means knowing and knowing requires confession and prayers for forgiveness. How can I approach the altar of Communion with Jesus when I have not sought communion with my brothers and sisters of color?

For me personally, I am contributing to the Foundation’s anti-racism “Justice in Our Time Fund”. Not to assuage any guilt but rather to invest in a better tomorrow. Click Here for more information about the “Justice in Our Time Fund” and ways to donate.

LEXINGTON UMC SOCIAL JUSTICE GRANT AWARDS

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:15:00 GMT

LEXINGTON UMC SOCIAL JUSTICE GRANT AWARDS

Three Organizations Receive Lexington UMC Social Justice Grants

Created almost 20 years ago by members of the now closed Lexington UMC in Lexington MA, this grant program supports projects and programs living out social justice in transforming ways. At their closure, the Foundation became the fund’s trustees, and now our Grants Committee strives to help this great ministry thrive. This year, three organizations each received $2,500 to create new Social Justice programs serving a variety of communities and neighbors.

New England Justice for Our Neighbors (NEJFON) , help to provide legal counsel and representation to immigrant neighbors in the Massachusetts communities of Springfield, Worcester, Woburn, Lowell, and Lawrence. With these funds, two unaccompanied minors will receive such counsel and representation as they move through the asylum process seeking US immigration and living benefits.

THRIVE Communities of Massachusetts enables community-based Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSAs) that promote restorative reentry and empower citizens transitioning from incarceration. It thoughtfully integrates individual community members into experiences of reentry, and de-localizes the burden of reentry from family to community. With their funding, THRIVE will be able to expand their work into Latinx communities by providing workshops and outreach in Spanish.

St. John’s UMC, Dover, NH is exploring how to best raise awareness amongst the white community about racial injustice within their own lives and community. They seek to engage, educate, and empower people with authentic listening, intentional conversation, and deliberate action. This includes developing partnerships with organizations such as the local NAACP, Portsmouth Heritage Trail, and the Seacoast Black Lives Matter group.

We invite you to explore our Grants Ministry page and the various grants that are available to faith communities and others who seek to turn ministry dreams into missional realities.

OF TRENCHES & PEACE

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 14:29:15 GMT

OF TRENCHES & PEACE

The events of the past week sent me looking for a way, a faith-filled way, to think about the division in our country.

I reviewed two books: The Anatomy of Peace and Richard Rohr’s “ The Naked Now”. The common theme for me is the transformation of the dualistic mind. Duality is the “either or” way of thinking that shuts down conversation or a different point of view. Dualistic thinking is very cause and effect. You reap what you sow. You made your bed – now lie in it. How many family arguments have been over politics , each side certain they are correct. Dualistic thinking digs a deeper rut which becomes a trench that fosters trench warfare. The trench prevents me from seeing and hearing my opponent on the left or the right, protestant or catholic, Jew or Palestinian.

The odd thing is that I can see my opponents ruts and trenches, but because I am in my own trench I can’t see my own. I call these ruts and trenches media sources. From Facebook to our favorite cable news channel, the daily messages – the labeling and categorizing of our opponent both inform and form our dualistic thinking. Lines are clearly drawn, and we have to pick a side. Dualistic thinking cannot cope with mercy, forgiveness, or mystery. After all, for the dualistic mind, when you get what you deserve that is justice. Comprehending that mercy is getting what you do not deserve is in an anathema for the dualistic mind.

Richard Rohr talks about the need for contemplative spirituality to get beyond our dualistic thinking. I see this as the way out of my self-formed trench. Contemplative prayer and practices require silence. This means turning off the dualistic media that forms me and, by the way, con-forms God to fit in my personal trench. To see the other person I have to look past the trenches, I have to climb out of my trench so that I can see the person and not my opponent. For I cannot love and forgive while still in my trench. There is no mercy in the trenches.

My trench is actually my tomb. There is no life there. I need the risen Christ to pull me out my trench, my tomb. In the trench I am in darkness. Standing in the light I can see Christ in the other person. It is not easy to stand in the light, and to be honest, my ruts and my trench are comfortable places. You see “either or” dualistic thinking is comfortable – there is logic there and no mystical paradox to confront my thinking. Yet to pick up my cross daily and follow Jesus means stepping out of what is comfortable and trusting that Jesus has a better plan for me. And I cannot hear Jesus when I’m addicted to my comfortable media messages that reinforce dualistic thought. Trench warfare is spiritual warfare. I guess I have to make some choices. If nothing changes, nothing changes. And if nothing changes there will always be division.

The Church is a place of healing. The church – the Body of Christ - is the physician to a hurting and divided country. We need our churches more than ever to offer Jesus, the merciful and forgiving Jesus, to our divided congregations, communities, and country. Large or small, urban, or rural, our churches have the vaccine for hate and division. It is time to get to work: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”

BEING THE EPIPHANY

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 13:19:59 GMT

BEING THE EPIPHANY

Epiphany is the manifestation of Christ, clearly showing the divinity of God. People who saw Jesus were drawn to him. His teaching and healing in themselves are epiphanies – they embody the Word made flesh.

So often we spend time analyzing why church attendance is down, especially with younger people. Imagine if we could go to church and see and hear Jesus teaching, meet with him for spiritual direction, or have lunch with him just to chat. I think the church would be packed, especially at a healing service. So here is my epiphany. The church is Jesus – the Body of Christ – the manifestation of divinity. Having said that, could our poor church attendance be because we have not been the manifestation, the embodiment of Jesus? As Athanasius said, “God became man so that man might become God.” (Today he probably would have said God became a person.) Through our Baptism we are plunged into Christ, to be in Him and He in us.

We are called to be the imitation of Christ, his very hands and feet. We can never become God, but we can become a good mirror image. People were attracted to St. Mother Teresa because she was Christ-like, not because of her celebrity, wealth, or beauty. So, rather than wasting time analyzing why people are not going to church, maybe I need to examine how I have been, and how I am going to be; the epiphany – the manifestation of Jesus for the next person I meet. If my neighbor does not see Christ in me, why would they accept an invitation to join me at church?

OF LONGING AND WAITING

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 18:02:52 GMT

OF LONGING AND WAITING

It wasn’t that long ago that fathers were relegated to the “waiting room” while their wives gave birth to a baby. They waited with expectation of the news of a new daughter or son. Waiting usually means remaining in one place. Most often this is a physical activity. There are times though when this waiting is spiritual, mental, and emotional. Sometimes we must wait for the right time to ask a question, enter a business deal, or even sense the presence of the Holy Spirit. Waiting allows enough space for the circumstances and our own temperament to become aligned. Refusing to wait, our premature actions often lead to failed dreams and plans. It is like not allowing time for the glue to harden, the cake to bake, or the fruit to ripen. Waiting takes discipline, and it also takes hope and faith that our expectations will become reality – that at the right time the Word will become Flesh.

Longing is not waiting; however, it often accompanies our waiting. Longing is a yearning, an aching for something. I imagine there are many grandparents longing for the time to see and hug their grandchildren. The Covid virus has made us wait and long for love and human touch. Our faith tradition and Scripture speak of our soul longing for our Lord and waiting in God’s time – not ours. This is wisdom. It is also a glimpse. I have experienced and known both waiting and longing. And within that time of longing and waiting I was in Christ, in that holy space of already and not yet. I think of the time holding vigil, waiting for my parents to die and longing for their pain to end. Prayer and suffering are the cousins of longing and waiting. I think that the glimpse that longing and waiting give us is the heart and mind of God. It is Jesus, going off to pray, being tested in the wilderness, longing for the Disciples to “get it”, for the blind to see and the lame to walk, for the Pharisees to soften their hearts, and for love to conquer evil and hate.

As 2020 comes to a close, what are we the church – the Body of Christ – longing and waiting for? What are we praying and willing to suffer for? May our answers provide the world a glimpse of God’s love for them.

FINDING MYSELF

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 16:49:58 GMT

FINDING MYSELF

It is common for young people to go through a period of exploration, even rebellion. We say they must “find themselves.” My Mom used to call this period of life “crossing over jackass bridge.” You might not be surprised that I spent some time on that bridge, stopping to fish once or twice. Fortunately, most of us make it to the other side knowing who we are and where we came from.

This knowing is not completed with the arrival to adulthood because “finding” yourself is a life-long exercise. It proceeds with each step toward God, which is really an inward journey. Likewise, each step away from God is a step toward darkness. For God is light, and when I allow God to shine in my darkness, I can see more of myself. Curious, isn’t it, that when we are young it is accepted and encouraged to journey away from the nest to find ourselves. There is some wisdom there; the time away is like time in the desert. Struggles and temptation await us. Perhaps we need to arm our young people with virtue and prepare a way for them in the wilderness. I think the Christian camping experience allows youth both the environment and space to begin the ‘finding” yourself journey. Sadly, too many young people lose themselves instead of finding their true self. The road back can be very difficult because in losing ourselves we grow apart from God, leaving a hole in our soul. And that empty space is too often filled with addiction and low self-esteem. For adults, especially for those who have drifted away from God, attending a Walk to Emmaus or Cursillo weekend can provide a bridge back to a relationship with Christ, and with it, a healing of the soul.

At Christmas Jesus comes as light, showing us the way back to God and to our real self. The shepherds and wise men were drawn to the manger seeking a Savior and a King, the light of the world. Having found Jesus, and adoring him, I wonder if they found themselves in that moment? The brightness of divinity illuminating and clarifying who they were and whose they were. For me, and for what now seems obvious, is that finding ourselves is a relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit. May the light of Christ shine brightly in you this Christmas.

THE Q MEANS QUAGMIRE

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 19:51:38 GMT

THE Q MEANS QUAGMIRE

The Individual Retirement Account (IRA) falls under the IRS category of “qualified plans.” The qualification is special income tax treatment. We get to invest money and reduce our income tax. The advantage to the IRA is that the investments grow tax-deferred, and you can begin penalty free withdrawals as early as age 59 ½. A great deal, but there is a caveat. After we reach age 72 (new rules) and each year thereafter, we must take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from the IRA by December 31. (Note: there is a waiver this year because of Covid). Failing to withdraw the funds from our IRA results in a 50% penalty from the IRS.

Enter the quagmire. For example, Ruth is 80 years old and has an $600,000 IRA and her RMD this year is $32,000. Missing the December 31 deadline could mean a $16,000 tax bill. Horrible, but it gets worse. Imagine you are Ruth’s only child and you learn after Ruth died that she made her estate the beneficiary of her IRA. Had she named you, the IRA could have been distributed over ten years - roughly $60,000 per year. This will probably place you in the next income tax bracket. Instead, you receive a $600,000 lumpsum distribution placing you squarely in the highest income tax bracket. That wrong beneficiary designation cost about $78,000!

The good news is that the quagmire has a silver lining. After age 70½, Ruth can make charitable gifts from her IRA. The IRS permits a Charitable IRA Rollover gift made directly to a qualified charity – up to $100,000 each year. So, if Ruth gifts half her RMD to her church, she has reduced the income by $16,000, and thus lowered her tax bill. This is great news for people over 70 ½.

As 2020 comes to an end, there is still time to make a gift from your IRA. To learn more about the Charitable IRA Rollover, CLICK HERE

OF MASKS & YARMULKES

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 13:24:49 GMT

OF YARMULKES & MASKS

Our Jewish friends wear a kippah – commonly known as a yarmulke, to remind them that God is above them. Covering their head is a visible sign of their reverence for God. Were I Jewish, placing a kippah on my head would be a voluntary act, and an intentional act of faith. In wearing my kippah, I would be constantly reminded of God and the perspective my own mortality. I would know that my redeemer lives and that I have feet of clay. The act of placing the kippah on my head would disrupt my preoccupation with my own interests and creature comforts.

So too, it is when I wear a mask when I’m out in public, that I show respect for the Covid virus; wearing a mask reminds me of my mortality, and of what really matters. It is a voluntary act that connects me with all those who have suffered and died from the virus. I regret that, until now, it has not reminded me that God is above me and to pray for those who suffer and grieve. Countless times I have put on my mask, dreaming only of a time when we will not need it anymore. It has taken eight long months for me to hear the still small voice telling me that the mask is my yarmulke. And when I place it over my mouth, I’ll stop talking and begin listening and praying. An interesting garment for praying really; Jesus told us not to heap up words. The mask is a reminder that God knows what words are on my lips and in my heart before I speak them. Praying without my thoughts and my own words is best practiced wearing my mask to remind me to be silent.

In typical spiritual paradox, by putting on my exterior mask, I am taking off my interior one. By not filling God’s ear with my words, there is space in my heart for God to fill it with wisdom and love.

With respect to the mask in reminding me of my mortality, it has prompted me to review my estate plan and make a few updates. There is never a better time than now to make sure all is well on the planned giving front. If you are looking to create a will or update your plan we have some excellent resources and don’t miss the story shared by Rev. Richard and Myrna Evans.

WHAT WOULD THE WHOS BE DOING THIS YEAR?

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 16:42:37 GMT

WHAT WOULD THE WHOS BE DOING THIS YEAR?

"...the whos down in Whoville standing together in a circle holding hands and singing Christmas songs... "

In “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, the Grinch removed everything out of Whoville believing that would stop them from celebrating Christmas. However, as the story continues we see, that in spite of this unfortunate setback, the Whos down in Whoville, choose to gather together, in a circle holding hands, and singing Christmas songs.

So, what WOULD the Whos be doing this year?

Wearing masks? Maintaining social distancing? Staying at home?

This question, among many others, is also being asked by faith communities everywhere who struggle with what to do during one of the biggest holy seasons of the year. What do we do about our traditions such as the Christmas Pageant? The Christmas Eve services? What about the Angel Tree we have in the sanctuary, the Christmas fairs? And the list goes on…

We understand the safety reasoning for not gathering, but it is still very sad and the strings of our hearts are pulled.

What are we to do this year?

Here are some thoughts and actions.

Find new ways to connect . How about an online cookie and coffee social time for folks to talk about their Christmas gifting, plans, and memories. Maybe offer a phone call in option to include as many folks as possible.

See what others are doing during Advent and Christmas and share it with your faith community. We aren’t in competition to replicate what we read about or experience. Maybe a group could virtually attend a Christmas eve service in another part of the conference or maybe even the nation. What a blessing that would be for the hosting church as well.

St. John’s UMC in Dover, NH had their “fair” online this year , including a silent auction. Among the auction items was enjoying a homemade soup each month throughout 2021 while another person will lay claim to a beautiful wooden bowl.

Struggling to write your Christmas letter? Visit the Foundation’s Facebook page , and find a blog by Cesie Delve Scheuermann that offers a template for a Christmas giving letter. It not only acknowledges our struggles but also addresses the need for folks who want to give during this season of joy and hope.

You can find posts about ways to be the church beyond the walls. Take what your faith community has and share it with the world in Christ’s name (as did a church in Iowa), as well as 10 Things to Avoid Doing this Year-End.

What is most important is not HOW or WHERE we gather but WHY. In all letters, calls, and services, let us rejoice as ambassadors of Christ as we share the Good News that the angels brought to the shepherds as well as the promise of new life and hope as we remember Christ’s birth and anticipate his return.

I don’t know what the Whos would do this year, but I suspect that it would be to “welcome Christmas wherever they stood, heart to heart praying for peace in the land”.

What will our response be?

AN ADVENT REFLECTION FROM BEHIND THE WALLS

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 13:38:52 GMT

AN ADVENT REFLECTION FROM BEHIND THE WALLS

As I have stated in the past I am involved in prison ministry. This year has been particularly hard on the men behind the walls as all volunteers have been banned since February, and much of that time was without family visits as well. Bethany House Ministries is one of the not-for-profits that supports the men when they are released. This year, as part of their annual appeal, they shared a reflection written by one of the men I know well. I share it now because it is too moving not to.

An Advent – Christmas Reflection from Behind the Walls 2020

Let’s face it, these are tumultuous times for all of us. Time in which I find myself often gazing from my cell window and wondering, what it might be that you yourself are seeing from your window? For me, I see a co-mingling of sorrow and joy. The leaves are changing and so are we. Colder weather is moving in, and the ways in which we now interact with one another are dramatically altered. So much suffering abounds, often it is difficult to know how best to help. Many have become cynical, fearful, disillusioned, and the stress and anxiety and frustration can get overwhelming. I get it, I have my moments too. However, the longer I gaze out my window, the more deeply I feel drawn to go deeper within myself.

From this vantage point, the window of my heart, my Advent journey is beginning. I can see that many of us have grown older, more infirm, are struggling to make ends meet, and are wrestling with the innumerable uncertainties life now challenges us with. Many more of us are also grieving the losses of both loved ones and the way life used to be. In the windows of my own nostalgic moments, I fondly recall your face and the many memories we shared from our vibrant communal Bethanian days. It is the memory of your face, like a shining star to me, that brings me both solace and hope. Comfort knowing that we may separated, but we are far from being apart.

For a few moments I wished I could turn back the hands of time. Then a realization struck me. Advent calls us forward, not backwards. We have grown since last we met, and each of us is on a journey now to transcend who we are at this moment. Like the Wise folk of old who took a risk, took off their mask, and dared to follow that bright shining star into an uncertain future, so too are we called to do the same, to step out in faith. Advent journeys are about learning to trust, and about learning to see through the darkness and into the light. Often one baby step at a time. Advent feeds us the nutrients we most need to birth new life in us. Christmas dispels the dark, transcends the fear, in the humble gathering where we meet once again at the manger of Christ and together are fed. May we be stars for others along the way to the celebration. See you at the manger of

Love! Phil

OF THANKSGIVING & HUMILITY

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 13:30:46 GMT

OF THANKSGIVING & HUMILITY

Humility is the soil from which the spiritual disciplines grow. Jesus told us to be humble in our practices of alms giving, fasting, and prayer. Without humility we are just making noise to draw attention to our self-centered egos. Only through humility can I understand that all that I have is from God. My ego is stroked by the notion that I have created my own wealth. It is all about me. And by patting myself on my back for a job well-done, I’ve already received my reward. I am thankful for me. Absent humility, Thanksgiving Day is a celebration of self, of toasting my accomplishments.

Humility connects me to Jesus, who humbled himself becoming human, and even in the bread and wine. After all, the Eucharistic meal means “thanksgiving.” Without humility there is no thanksgiving meal. Humility connects me to all of humanity because Christ is present in each one of us. If I cannot see Christ in my neighbor, then how will I see him in the bread and the cup, or those gathered around the roasted turkey?

This Thanksgiving Day is humbling because a virus has disrupted our traditions, both as families and as a nation. May we be humble enough to remain grateful and be thankful in all things.

IS TIME ON OUR SIDE?

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 13:42:34 GMT

IS TIME ON OUR SIDE?

The time value of money is a financial concept that is both simple and complex. Simply stated, it is better receiving $1,000 today than it is to receive that same $1,000 five years from now. However, on the complex side of the equation, is taking $1,000 today better than receiving $1,200 five years from now? Well that depends. If I could get a 6% return compounded monthly for five years I would receive $1,349. In that case, I’ll take the $1,000 today and invest it, making $149 more.

The point is, when time enters the equation we need to consider other factors. Take that 6% return compounded monthly. Suppose in addition to investing that $1,000, I add $1,000 per month for 30 years. Time being on my side, I would have $1,015,560! But what if I wait half that time – 15 years before investing. You might think you would have about half, around $500,000. But in this case time is not on your side. You would only have $294,727. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but procrastination killed the nest-egg.

Time, it seems, is not the great equalizer of decisions. It appears to be the great magnifier. And the higher the rate the of return, or the speed of change in our modern world, the greater the magnification. Whether it is an individual deciding to invest, or a business decision by a corporation, time is of the essence. And once time has passed, there is little chance of recouping the lost time, or making up for missed opportunities. Great companies like Wang and Digital missed the opportunity to invest in the personal computer and before they could correct their decision they were out of time, out of money, and out of business.

This makes me think of the church. We are an institution that moves at a glacial pace and resists change, two things which wastes precious time. The decisions and non-decisions made in the past have left us little time to rekindle the flame. Yet there is hope. The church is the Body of Christ and it lives with God, outside time and space. The Holy Spirit also transcends time, and when followed, rather than resisted, can do the impossible within us. Time may not be on our side, but then again we stand with Christ outside of time.

THE 11th HOUR OF THE 11th DAY OF THE 11th MONTH

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 14:21:58 GMT

THE 11th HOUR OF THE 11th DAY OF THE 11th MONTH

As I read human history, I’m not sure if the human animal is wired for peace. The way of peace was rejected and destroyed. Jesus, God incarnate, is the source and essence of non-violence and peace. The only hope I see is that somehow, His Cross was picked-up, and carried into salvation history by people seeking peace.

I don’t know any combat veteran who does not have some level of post-traumatic stress disorder. We are told that PTSD, through suicide, is taking more soldiers than the battlefield. If there is anyone seeking peace, it is our Veterans. Taking time to pray for the men and women who carry physical, emotional, and spiritual scars is something we all can do at 11:00 a.m. on 11/11/2020. After all, the wounds they live with are the price paid for our freedom and safety.

This reflection was written in 2015. Today I would like to remember all those on the frontlines fighting the Covid virus. Over 200,000 people have died in the U.S., and for each one there are several healthcare professionals who worked on different days and on different shifts fighting the good fight. They too, are carrying the physical, emotional, and spiritual scars of war. Unfortunately, this battle is still being fought all over the world. With a vaccine coming soon there is hope for peace and healing. May it be so.

THE THEOLOGY OF SANITIZER

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 14:12:22 GMT

THE THEOLOGY OF SANITIZER

Before the Covid 19 virus I rarely used hand sanitizer. I am not much of a germ-a-phobic, but months of spraying my hands after grocery shopping is creating a new habit for me. And, from what I’ve observed, I am not the only one. I can just imagine two years from now passing the peace in church and then afterwards watching everyone sanitizing their hands.

Sanitizing goes beyond cleaning; it means killing all the germs. It is interesting that another definition of sanitizing pertains to making something less offensive by eliminating anything that is unwholesome, objectionable, or incriminating. The combination of these two definitions provides the basis for the theology of sanitizer. I can now be cleaned both physically and spiritually. The need to be physically sanitized is the new normal in the age of Covid. Even before Covid it has been common practice, especially during the Flu season, for the pastor and those participating in the Communion Service to use hand sanitizer. Receiving the Bread and Cup from clean hands allows me to receive without the underlying and distracting fear of getting sick.

But what about me. Shouldn’t I have clean hands too? I could make Communion unclean for others by touching the Cup or the Pastor’s hands. As for the second sanitize definition, there is something more to be concerned about. You see I carry more than physical germs; I carry sins. I need to sanitize, to eliminate all that is unwholesome, unholy, and objectionable within me. If I expect my Pastor to have clean hands to receive Jesus at the table, I think Jesus would expect me to wash my hands before coming to the table as well. This is both a physical and spiritual washing. One done with hand sanitizer, the other with confession. Most of our liturgies have, in the beginning, a time confession and an assurance of pardon. We acknowledge our individual sins, the times when we acted without love, and for the times when we failed to act with love. We can sanitize our own hands, but only Christ can sanitize our sin.

I think when we return fully to worship, I will still use the hand sanitizer, and I’ll ask Jesus to sanitize my soul as well.

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:41:57 GMT

A NEW LEASE ON LIFE

I think we all have either heard or used the idiom, “a new lease on life.” I heard it the other day when a person described surviving the Covid virus. People in twelve step programs regularly use the phrase with gratitude. Sometimes a new job or a financial windfall will feel like a new lease on life.

I find the concept of a “lease on life” curious. You see, a lease is a contract whereby one party agrees to rent property owned by another. To calculate the lease payment, we need to know the value of the asset, the term of years and the interest rate charged. So, what is the value of my asset, my life? I suppose I defined a financial price when I bought life insurance. But the financial price is only a fraction of my human value. It is a difficult puzzle, so let’s come back to this later.

The term of years for the lease on life is simple. Actuaries have produced mortality tables. I used them to calculate gift annuities for the foundation. Strange though, as you live longer, the tables add years to your life. As for the interest rate to charge, that depends not on current economic conditions but rather the nature of my relationship with Jesus. Which brings me back to the life value calculation. You see the owner knows the value of the asset being leased and sets the term of years and interest rate. The lease holder owns nothing and must live by the terms.

In this case the owner and creator of my life is God. My value is found in the image of God and the weight of my sin on the Cross. My new lease on life is the empty tomb. There is no payment to be made, the price was paid once and for all. This incredible generosity is a hard concept to grasp. Being generous and acting with generosity is imitating Christ’s unconditional love. When Jesus works through us these acts of generous love can give another person a new lease on life.

Many of our churches are in the middle of the stewardship season. Too often we measure the success of our efforts by a balanced budget, as if we met our obligation of making our lease payments. This would be sufficient if we had no relationship to the God our creator and owner. Our tithes and offerings are not lease payments. However, the joy that generosity brings can feel like a new lease on life.

DOVETAILING GIFT & ESTATE PLANNING

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 13:36:18 GMT

DOVETAILING GIFT & ESTATE PLANNING

In carpentry the dovetail joint is the strongest methods of joining different pieces of wood together without using nails or screws. The interlocking “tails” require precise measuring and cutting. Done correctly, the dovetail joints are not only functional, they are beautiful.

I like to use the image of the dovetail to explain the process of gift and estate planning. While gift and estate planning have many aspects in common, they are also different, and sometimes have competing interests. One major difference is that gifting often entails making an irrevocable transfer of an asset to a charity or family; either directly, or through another gift instrument or vehicle. So dovetailing estate and gift planning means measuring twice and cutting once.

I like woodworking. I like the planning, the idea of the project. I like selecting the right pieces of wood. The smell of sawdust is proof I’ve moved from concept to building. The sanding and finishing are the angels in the details – bringing beauty to function. So it is with gift planning. Working with an individual or family to explore what hopes and dreams they have for the next generation, and for the charities and causes they support, represent the idea or “why” phase of the process. Reviewing which assets to give, and those which will maximize outcomes, is like selecting the right piece of wood. You could call this the “what” to give decision. And once the selection decision is made it is time to discern the best way to accomplish all the family’s goals by making this gift. This is the “how” step in the process.

And rather than smelling the sawdust, there is an aroma of happiness which is generosity in action. The final step could include communicating any terms or instructions for the gift. Perhaps the gift is made in honor or in memory of a loved one. Maybe this gift is being used as a matching gift strategy to multiply the charitable impact. These are the finishing touches to a beautiful act of love.

THE ART OF GIFT PLANNING: CHARITY

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:10:43 GMT

THE ART OF GIFT PLANNING: CHARITY

An often overlooked discussion in the estate and financial plan is charitable gift planning. It is true that there are many financial and tax benefits associated with charitable gifts, however, rarely are these benefits the motivating force in making a gift. In Scripture the word charity is synonymous with love. St. Paul tells us that if we would give all of our estate away but did this without love we are just making a loud noise. Today He would probably add doing it for the tax deduction. It is love that brings meaning to our giving and our lives. Whether it is love of family, a spouse, our Lord, our church, college or the Art’s, love connects our charitable giving to our soul. It is love that brings joy to giving.

The cornerstone of the Foundation is Christ-Centered love. We can speak the language of faith in the charitable giving conversation because it is in our institutional DNA. Giving comes from the heart, it is love in action. Structuring that gift is a thinking “head” activity. Partnering with families we serve as a skilled facilitator, connecting the heart and the head through meaningful discussions.

THE ART OF GIFT PLANNING: THE FAMILY

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 12:56:25 GMT

THE ART OF GIFT PLANNING: THE FAMILY

Imagine you are grocery shopping at Christmas time. As you approach the door to the store you hear the familiar bell ringing. Without a second thought you donate to the Salvation Army ( A highly respected charity). Later that night, you and your spouse of 40 years engage in a conversation about your life together, and how you would like to live out you remaining years. This conversation leads to talking about how to give your estate to your children and grandchildren. Perhaps, this question is even more difficult if you do not have children.

Unlike the gift to the Salvation Army, distributing your estate requires thought, and in the Christian home, prayer. The larger the estate, the larger the issues. Money does not build character, it magnifies it. For some adult children receiving a large bequest would secure a future; provide for a debt free college education for grandchildren. For others, this large bequest would be spent on vacations and a bigger boat. And what about the special need’s child, or the one who has an addiction? You see there is no cookie cutter plan, and without professional training, the do-it-yourself approach rarely has a good outcome.

By adding your Foundation to your advisor team you gain expertise in the gift planning aspect of your financial and estate plans. The Foundation is uniquely qualified because we combine a proven record of charitable gift planning and trust administration with a Wesleyan perspective of wealth and possession. Often a gift to charity can enhance and even maximize gifts to family.

DISCERNED GIVING, INSPIRED SOLUTIONS

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 14:32:55 GMT

DISCERNED GIVING, INSPIRED SOLUTIONS

THE DISCERNMENT PROCESS: The Quadrilateral, based on the work by John Wesley, used in spiritual formation provides the basis and framework for discerning our philanthropy. This back to basics approach connects personal dreams and goals to social needs, both locally and globally. Using scripture, tradition, reason, and Christian experience in the philanthropic discernment process draws upon the best of our Wesleyan teaching. Discerned Giving leads to inspired high-impact solutions. As individuals and families we often question the role wealth has in our lives and how to discern how God is calling us act generously. By using Wesley’s Quadrilateral we can begin to answer those questions.

SCRIPTURE: St. Paul begins the 12th chapter of Roman’s with the charge to:

1. Present ourselves as a living sacrifice to God,

2. Not be conformed to the world,

3. Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

All this is to prove or understand the Will of God. For Scripture to transform and renew our minds we need first to give ourselves to God and separate our desires for worldly things. Otherwise we conform Scripture to our wants, needs and worldview. Much of the teachings of Jesus were about wealth, possessions and how money influences our spiritual development. Daily reading of Scripture provides the nourishment for our heart and soul as well as food for thought.

TRADITION: Tradition is not rote habits or standard operating procedures. Our tradition is the connective tissue of accepted truths. Tradition anchors our practices of faith in tested history. Tradition informs our present and reaches for the future. Grounded in tradition we can hear the prophet Isaiah declare,” behold I do a new thing”! With respect to generosity, our Wesleyan tradition gives both purpose and meaning to human economic endeavors. Earning all we can through just means, saving all we can through prudent living and giving all we can to those in need is a way of life. This traditional formula is countercultural and transformational.

REASON: In the world of philanthropy, fundraising efforts are most often directed at the heart and emotions where we can be easily motivated to give. “Discerned” giving is steeped in prayer and calls upon our intellect, rational reasoned thinking. This is not a “my way” exercise, rather a partnership with the Holy Spirit. The larger the gift the more we need to apply reason to the process. This is especially true when creating our will or trust. In these legal documents we give all away; either to family and friends, or to charity. Here the questions we ask ourselves reveal our hopes, dreams, and fears for people we love and organizations we support. What to give, how to give, when to give are questions that your Foundation can help you discern. We can even facilitate meetings to ask those deeper, meaningful questions, e.g. “What do I want most for my family, for my church?’’.

CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE: John Wesley spoke of his heart being strangely warmed, others have shared St. Paul’s experience of the “peace that passes all understanding”. The encounter with the Holy, a relationship with Jesus, assure us that our redeemer lives. Our encounter with our creator allows us to see Christ in others and transforms how we view our philanthropy. Discerned giving brings us joy and happiness. We are filled full even as we give abundantly. The profound joy and peace of mind that is experienced through discerned giving is further assurance that our giving is drawing us closer to Christ. When the hungry are fed, the sick healed, the prisoner visited because we gave, we experience the paradox of faith; receiving more than we gave.

ODE TO LOREN MEADE

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 14:35:51 GMT

ODE TO LOREN MEADE

Some will remember Loren Mead as the person who founded the Alban Institute, others may remember him as an author. A couple years after he wrote “The Financial Meltdown in the Mainline” in 1998, he was the keynote speaker at the Northeast Ecumenical Stewardship Council event in 2000. Twenty years ago, Loren Mead predicted with a prophet’s voice, both the decline of church membership and the accompanying financial problems associated with that decline.

I remember well his comment that if you love a ministry or program you better get an endowment underneath it to support it while the church goes through a major transition. Our camping ministries come to mind, especially during this pandemic. One could argue that our camping sites are one of the few places where we engage youth in a transformational way. We need to be asking ourselves, “What are the transformational ministries at our church?” These are the areas that highlight the reason to leave a legacy gift through my will or as a beneficiary of my IRA or life insurance.

The obstacle members face in planning a gift through their will is the haunting question, “What happens to my gift if my church closes?” The obstacle is overcome by naming the Foundation as your trustee. When you name the Foundation as the beneficiary of your will, IRA, or life insurance, a permanent Fund is established in your name. You decide where the income from this Fund will be directed. So, you could instruct that the income go to your church. And should your church close without a successor, you could name another church, camp, or ministry as the income beneficiary of your Fund.

To receive the Guide to Planned Giving or learn more about the giving options available to you, please email Gary Melville .

VOLUNTARILY INVOLUNTARY

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:36:57 GMT

VOLUNTARILY INVOLUNTARY

There are many things you and I do voluntarily: taking a walk, listening to music, going to church, to name a few. There are some activities that are involuntary, but that I can control. I can hold my breath – but only for a short period of time. Actors can train themselves not to blink. Other things are reflexively involuntary. The sneeze comes to mind, mostly because it is ragweed season and I find stifling a sneeze impossible without pinching my nose. And sneezing is one activity that I cannot make myself do voluntarily. I suppose I could sniff pepper or such but sneezing on my own is not happening. There has to be a causal agent to trigger the sneeze response.

I was thinking about the spiritual life and whether there are involuntary actions, the spiritual sneeze as it were, that happen. Or that because of my free will, I have to voluntarily train my involuntary response. For instance, could I train myself to think and act in a certain way so that I would have an involuntary, automatic response to life’s situations and personal encounters? Is it possible that you and I can, through spiritual direction and exercise, think and act with the mind of Christ? Can I voluntarily decrease my self-centeredness to the point where Jesus, increasing within me, acts without impediment? And so without my self-interests and biases I can voluntarily allow Jesus to act within me such that my actions are involuntary acts of charity - love. It would be like sneezing. I would see a person in need, an injustice in society, the sin within myself, and then I could sense the spiritual sneeze coming. And, unless I voluntarily pinch the Jesus response off, I act spiritually involuntarily as Christ – in and through love. I have tried to pinch off both the physical and spiritual sneeze, each time it has adverse effects.

It is curious that the ragweed and stewardship seasons arrive at the same time in the Fall. Both create a trigger for a sneeze; one physical the other spiritual. I cannot control my physical sneeze; it is totally involuntary. But I can control, voluntarily, how I will spiritually sneeze. My stewardship is not controlling my money, but rather voluntarily asking Christ to act and think within me, and to think and act involuntarily as the Holy Spirit moves me. The problem is that often I can feel the Jesus sneeze coming, but I still try to stifle it when it is not convenient, or fear pinches off Christ working within me. My generosity is directly proportional to how much I voluntarily allow the involuntary Jesus spiritual sneeze to happen.

CRAVINGS

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 14:03:21 GMT

CRAVINGS

The Covid virus has disrupted much of what and how we live. It has also provided space to examine things like my cravings. Somehow craving is a notch up from desiring. Often a word used in the field of addiction, craving suggests a driving force, not to be stopped until satiated. Chocolate lovers know what craving is, they have their own unique need; dark or milk chocolate, Hershey, or Lindt, with or without nuts. I’m partial to fried clams, and when the craving comes it’s time for a road trip. Cravings affect our physical, mental, and spiritual being. Some are deleterious, temptations of the worst sort that present as spiritual warfare. Others, like the craving for justice, peace, and unity, drive us to better ourselves, indeed our communities. The cravings that create addictions, such as drugs or pornography, destroy both the individual and corporate soul.

Lately I have been craving a pre-Covid moment, a night on the town or going to church and singing, to see people smiling - masks off. I think the Psalmist was blessed with a craving for God. In every situation, the focus was God, praying, singing praises, arguing, pleading, and most of all - thanking.

Parents crave for their children to be well-adjusted, happy, independent, and successful. But most of all, I think parents crave for their children and grandchildren to have a faith life, a relationship with Jesus. This craving is so powerful that they don’t even care if they are United Methodists – as long as they belong to a church, a faith community. This craving is their prayer.

I wonder what God craves for you and me. I seriously doubt that Jesus craves for me to be wealthy. I think he craves for me to be united in Him and with Him in his ministry, his purpose, and his love. The list of Christ’s cravings for me are a combination of love letters and marching orders. On one hand I am deep in prayer, and on the other arranging for meals for the homeless. Developing a craving to please God is scary, because this craving for God disrupts my own plans. Suddenly, where I spend my time, my talents, my treasure, is directed toward this new partnership with Jesus.

MUM'S THE WORD

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 13:35:17 GMT

MUM'S THE WORD

Mum’s the word. This phrase, which means keep silent, was coined by our friend Bill Shakespeare in the 1300’s. I didn’t know that and found it while I was looking up “mums”, the fall flower. Mums come from the flower Chrysanthe“mum”. It all started at the grocery store when I saw the workers setting the mums out for display.

Mums conjure up a mix of emotions for me. The first is sadness because they signal summer is coming to an end. But I love the fall because of the crisp air, New England colors, and football. We got married in September, so there’s that to look forward to for a celebration. When the kids were home, it meant getting ready to go back to school and endless carpooling for all the activities. Now it means getting the snowblower tuned up and prepping for the fall clean-up.

For me, mums mark the change of seasons. The physical earth science seasons bring a different feel, different emotions, and a different attitude. The loss of hours of sunlight in January combined with bone chilling cold temps create the need to snuggle up to a warm fireplace with a good book and watch the flames dance. Such a different seasonal experience from the summer picnic or fall apple picking. Indeed, the physical seasons have a real impact on our physical, mental, and spiritual being.

Is it any wonder that the church has spiritual seasons to mirror and balance the physical seasons of life? Before we know it, Advent will be here. This year Covid will disrupt our usual ways of “doing” Advent. Using this disruption, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can imagine a new way to encounter Christ in this Advent season. Afterall, all things work together for good for those who love the Lord. Don’t tell anyone, but if we cooperate, and let the Holy Spirit work within us, even this Covid season could be a blessing. Remember – Mum’s the word.

FUNDING MINISTRY IN 2021 WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN EVER

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 14:05:14 GMT

FUNDING MINISTRY IN 2021 WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN EVER

The Foundation and Joe Park of Horizons Stewardship are ministry partners that help serve local churches throughout New England.

Never in the 20 years since I left my role as a bank CEO and followed a call into ministry, have I seen anything approaching the level of exhaustion, stress, anxiety, and depression among pastors and key staff. The isolation created by social distancing protocols has left our church members largely unaware of the trauma their staff is experiencing. Now, after investing heroic efforts to pivot from an in-person ministry focus, the honeymoon seems to be over and disillusionment is beginning to set in.

Pastors and staff exhausted themselves by pouring their hearts, souls, and creative energies into solving the enormous technical challenges to get to this point, only to see their fall regathering plans disrupted by last minute delays in school openings and constantly shifting guidance on what’s safe and what’s not. Rather than being cheered on for their efforts, as would occur in most disasters, unaware church members are not just un-affirming, but often increasingly disgruntled and demanding.

In the midst of all of this change, pressure, and uncertainty, pastors are feeling tremendous stress to plan and fund ministries in 2021, and it is going to be harder than ever.

THE CHALLENGES ARE PILING UP

Despite the great financial year most churches are enjoying in 2020 due to PPP loans and lower operating costs, funding the 2021 ministry budget will be much different. In addition to exhausted staff and uncertainties due to COVID-19 and social distancing, churches are facing a number of other challenges. Here a just a few.

32% of practicing Christians have stopped attending during COVID-19. These are the findings of a recent Barna Group State of the Church study. It is a great concern that most churches don't even realize they have lost these folks, because online attendance numbers have generally held steady. The challenge is most churches have failed to invest in effective online worship registration strategies, so they simply do not know who is attending. It is likely the loss of these primarily Gen-X and Millennial worshipers is being masked by Boomers and Builders attending online worship more frequently than they attended in-person worship.

14% of practicing Christians have already switched churches. In the same Barna Group study, 14% reported they had already switched churches and another 18% are essentially church shopping by watching more than one worship service each week. That means that only 35% are still actively engaging in online worship with the church they were attending in March.

Giving to the church is in decline. Giving to religion fell 1.7% over the last two years in inflation adjusted dollars, making it one of only two major giving categories to see a decline. The other eight all grew from 2.7% to 14.4%. This is a long-term trend dating back to 1989 when religion received almost twice the percentage of total US giving as it does today. Click here to learn more .

Giving almost always falls in recessions. The US economy contracted by an annualized rate of over 32.9% in the second quarter, which is the worst decline in decades. It is almost certain this massive economic contraction will impact future giving.

Changes due to COVID-19 are impacting the reasons many donors give to the church. Each generation born after 1945 is increasingly quick to reduce giving when the church cannot demonstrate impactful life change and when they lose personal involvement in worship, discipleship, and service. Many churches have scaled back or ceased important ministries, small groups/Sunday schools, and service opportunities. Doing so, even if unavoidable, weakens many of your donors’ motivation to give to you. Sound year-round generosity discipleship strategies can effectively grow your worshipers to embrace percentage giving, tithing and beyond, but you are going to be increasingly asked to answer this question “Why should I invest God’s tithe in your church?” If they don’t like your answer, they will increasingly shift their giving elsewhere. The impact has been that most churches today are already receiving a minority of their members’ giving.

Financial leaders need a plan. There has been a significant shift in wealth (17%) since 1989 from the bottom 90% of households to the upper 10%. Recent changes in the tax codes have created a new normal where wealth is increasingly being concentrated in the top 1% of households. Consequently, church ministry funding is becoming increasingly dependent on high-capacity donors, who already tend to share only a minority of their charitable giving to religious causes. To maintain and grow these donors giving to your church or ministry, it is increasingly important for them to hear a clear ministry plan with measurable results. That means you must make your case as to why they should invest in your ministry or giving will continue to shift elsewhere.

Increased operating expenses. It will be increasingly rare for churches who worship over 100 to thrive if they do not fully embrace a digital strategy of ministry, in addition to continuing effective in-person strategies. This will require the addition of new skills and technology, which requires additional funding and/or the purposeful abandonment of many sacred cows. Making this pivot can be particularly difficult for some in the Builder and Boomer generations who are much more likely to connect with God through the familiar surroundings and patterns of in-person Sunday morning worship. Reverend John Thornburg refers to this as the Spirituality of Place which is not restricted to church buildings, as people also connect with God in nature or other in settings and activities.

SO, NOW WHAT?

In spite of the increasing difficulties, fully meeting your ministry funding needs is achievable and tens of thousands of churches will continue to succeed and prosper. But, the days of one size fits all generosity development strategies are long gone. In response, Horizons has developed a process to grow cultures of generosity we call Next Level Generosity . It’s grounded in five disciplines that provide a tangible and measurable plan forward in the midst of uncertainty. In fact, churches who work with Horizons see an average increase of 16% in the first year.

You don’t have to go through this alone, and I highly recommend you don’t. Horizons has a team of experienced, trained guides who have helped thousands of churches raise billions of dollars for ministry over the last few decades. Now is the time to gather your staff, key leaders, finance committees, and generosity teams to have an honest conversation about the macro trends that will impact your church in the next 30-120 days—if they haven’t already. To aid you in these conversations, you may request a highly-skilled Horizons Ministry Strategist to participate in or even guide these conversations on an hourly basis. The first hour is on us.

The decisions you make today will impact your capacity to fund your ministry plan, make more disciples, and, ultimately, do more ministry. All in a time when the world needs the church to rise up more than ever.

BEGIN THE CONVERSATION

PUT OUT INTO THE DEEP

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 12:19:15 GMT

GET OUT INTO THE DEEP

The beauty of having grandchildren around you is that you have real life angels asking questions several times a day. Most of the time the answers are simple: “Electricity comes from a power plant and comes into our house through wires.” But then suddenly you realize that you are like Captain Quint in the movie Jaws recounting a shark attack. Sometimes they accept the simple answer and go away, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they circle you, prodding and testing with more questions; how, why, who, what and where. Each time going a little deeper until you do a Google search to help explain charged particles and lighting storms. And just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, or the playroom, those angels hit you with the hard questions. You can see it coming, they get quiet, and display that pensive look. These are “why” questions. The angel asked, “I know God made us, but why?” “Well, so that we can praise God and serve God in this world, and be with God in the next.” Grampa thinks he is back, safe in the boat, but then the whys keep coming. I understand now why it is said that grandchildren keep you young, it is because they keep us thinking.

From our church perspective, could it be that we enjoy the children’s message time because it addresses the kid’s questions and helps us discover our own questions? The answers lead to new questions; they send us in our boats, out into the deep. This is where we encounter Christ, not in the shallow and safe questions, but in the deep, provoking and often scary deep-water questions. It appears to me that If I am going to continue to grow as a thinking and spiritual person, being willing to answer the deep questions is key.

Take for instance my financial gifts. If I remain comfortable wading the shallow shoreline, where safe questions keep me calm, my giving will be shallow. When I dare, with the help of my pastor and church friends, to push out into the deep where I must confront my fears, indeed be open to being confronted in and through the Holy Spirit, my giving will be deep and meaningful. I am being persuaded that much of our stewardship efforts avoid the deep questions because we want to keep people calm and comfortable. Wrestling with deep questions is both scary and exhausting. Remaining in shallow waters equates to fearful spiritual immaturity. Being called to put out into the deep requires both obedience and courage; virtues I desire for both my angel grandchildren and me.

THE HAPPINESS QUOTIENT

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 12:29:43 GMT

THE HAPPINESS QUOTIENT

I have been reading Paul Schervish’s book, “Wealth and the Will of God” and I highly recommend it. There are many aspects of wealth, and one that Mr. Schervish explores is the concept of happiness. A recent conversation with a pastor about a donor proved this book timely and formative for my own thinking. I cannot share who the pastor is, but only the essence of what I took away from our talk. Let us just say that a new member has, by participating in the Pastors’ Bible Study/prayer group, deepened their faith journey. Finding that pearl of faith has resulted in profound gratitude and generosity. The person expressed joy in being able to support the church financially.

What I also sensed was the happiness of the pastor. As a lay person, sometimes I forget what a responsibility the called and ordained have in being a channel, a vehicle of Christ. When I engage and trust my pastor to help me grow in my relationship with Jesus, my pastor shares in both my struggles and Holy Spirit-filled moments. This is a shared gift that I desire and one that my pastor treasures. My life of faith, rooted in gratitude, is the source of true happiness and joy. In speaking about our relationship with God, Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds rest in you.” In finding our faith, we find our true self, and we find that our acts of generosity are participating with Christ, not merely acts of autonomous benevolence.

It seems to me that a pastor’s work and vocation is helping me get closer to Christ, to live a Christ-centered life and experience Christ-centered giving; to be happy. I wonder how many pastors are happy in their work, and how many pastors feel bogged down by administrative tasks. This could be said of lay folk as well. How many of us are tired of being the ones to manage the church finances and building, or the next church supper? Could it be that we are so restless keeping the church going that we did not find time to rest in Christ?

From a stewardship perspective, the joy factor in measuring the happiness quotient is generosity. St. Paul tells us that God loves a hilarious giver. And like our pastor who shares in our faith experience, our God delights in our abundant generosity. The joy experienced in sacrificial giving cannot be understated. Small donations have little positive effect on our spiritual life; in fact, making a habit of nominal giving creates hardheartedness within us. Giving that comes from deep within the heart, that emanates like tangible prayers, is sacrificial. However, giving from a place of duty or pride is not sacrificial but a burden at best, or a quid pro quo at worst. Sacrifice means to make holy, and pure holiness is God and God is love. St. Paul warned us that if we make major gifts – to use today’s language – for our own pleasure and accolades, we are just making noise. The key is to give out of love, charity; to give out of God, in and through Christ.

FINDING C.O.V.I.D. IN YOUR ANNUAL FINANCE CAMPAIGN

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 14:25:37 GMT

FINDING C.O.V.I.D. IN YOUR ANNUAL FINANCE CAMPAIGN

As I write this, very few people are sitting in the pews of our faith communities (and won’t be for weeks), and there may be growing angst about the annual fall finance campaign. Sure, we can do the awesome stewardship sermons and watch videos of lay people giving thanks to God for their blessings and how their monetary support helps their church to do God’s work. We can also create awesome slides with lots of information about ways to give and even hold a book study during the campaign.

But will it work? That’s the wrong question.

Stewardship is a year-round opportunity for people to grow in their discipleship by responding to God’s grace in their lives. Stewardship is a means of grace by which people can grow closer to Christ. It is a spiritual discipline just like prayer, study, community, and worship. The annual finance campaign should be part of that year-round experience but in many churches, it is the main event in the ministry area of stewardship and generosity. If you are looking for information about year-round stewardship, contact me and we can talk about the many amazing and life transforming options that are available.

But what about this year? That’s a good question.

Whatever you are doing to fit your ministry context, be sure to include the following. I’ve created an acronym to help you remember these characteristics, COVID.

C elebrate – Now more than ever, it is especially important to celebrate what’s been happening in the life of the church and its people. It will be tempting to talk about reduced giving and higher bills but it’s not about the money. This is a valley moment for many folks but the best soil for growing is found in the valley so celebrate the fruit of this ministry season. Celebrate those Holy Spirit moments! Celebrate pandemic victories as well as realities and talk of answered prayers and new ministries. Things aren’t rosy for everyone and to ignore that will give the appearance of the church being out of touch. Celebrate what was and is being accomplished through their generosity and the additional goals as more financial support comes in.

O bligate – A strange word but it fits. As disciples, generosity – using God’s blessings for the good of others, is an essential part of who we are as children of God. Along with study, worship, and the other spiritual disciplines, the campaign gives people the opportunity to remain consistent in all aspects of their discipleship. Note: Let them decide what God is placing on their hearts for stewardship in the coming year, don’t try to anticipate it for them.

V alidate – Figuring out one’s giving percentage (provide a chart for them to figure it out themselves) rather than looking at the amount given, is important. Validate for people the percentage level at which they are giving now and empower people to use that same percentage when figuring their giving for the coming year. This will provide peace for those whose income has dropped this year and a challenge for those who have seen their income grow. You might also challenge them to prayerfully consider taking a percentage step in the coming year and cast the vision of the new ministry and mission that the new funding will provide.

I ntegrate – Show folks how their commitment to the church will impact God’s Kingdom as well as their local and global neighborhoods. Show pictures, get quotes, have some of the missionaries supported by the United Methodist Church record a short video specifically for your faith community. Tell the stories of God at work in and through your congregation and how their support is impacting lives.

D esignate – With prayers during worship, thank you notes via snail mail, and articles in your newsletter, give thanks for all gifts and donors and lift it all to God in prayer and commitment. Be transparent and share how together with God’s blessing the faith community will be living and loving examples of Christ’s love in the year to come.

The truth is that no matter when you hold your annual campaign and whether or not you have formal pledges, these five characteristics are essential in helping your faith community see stewardship as a vital and transforming part of their walk with Christ. If you’ve got questions about stewardship, a capital campaign, or your annual finance campaign, contact me and we’ll schedule a time to connect.

TRANSFIGURED GIVING

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 13:39:19 GMT

TRANSFIGURED GIVING

I heard a new connection about the Transfiguration, and it sparked some of my own thinking. After climbing up the mountain, Peter, John, and James witness Jesus glowing as the Sun and showing his fulfillment of the law through Moses and of the prophets through Elijah. Fr. Martin Hyatt shared the reason why they came down the mountain was that they had to; there was work to be done. Work takes place in the valleys not on the mountain tops. And we are valley people.

There are a few mountain top people, Martin Luther King Jr. comes to mind. Then there are the rest of us. I live in the region of the Merrimack Valley. During the industrial revolution, the mill owners lived on the high hills above their mills and the workhouses where the workers lived. The struggles took place in the valley, and they still do. The soup kitchens and shelters are found in the valley. I do not know the geography, but I suspect the city of Calcutta is in a valley. And that is where we would find St. Mother Teresa. Her work in the valley, and with people experiencing the lowest places of the human condition, gave rise to a mountain top experience for those who knew her, and the world leaders who sought her wisdom.

It is true that when you climb a mountain you have a panoramic view – the big picture. But you cannot live on top of Mt. Washington. Spiritually, having a mountain top experience is wonderful, and life giving. Such are the Walk to Emmaus or Cursillo weekends. But you cannot remain at the retreat center – you have to come down the mountain and go home. And like the disciples who saw how Jesus was transfigured, those around us see a difference in us after we have been to the mountain. But if we do not feed the fire of renewed faith, the glow will fade.

One way faith, and our mountain top experiences illumine us is through generous living. It is August, and the fall stewardship campaign is around the corner. If we want to transfigure giving in our churches we need to help people climb the mountain, to encounter Jesus in full sight, without the work and distractions of the valley. This is the work of stewards, to get people up the mountain. Talking about our need to balance the church budget is a valley distraction at best. Unfortunately, most annual campaigns and stewardship Sundays feel less like mountain top experiences and more like a trip to the bank.

HOW TO TACKLE GRANT WRITING: A STORY

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 14:57:15 GMT

HOW TO TACKLE GRANT WRITING: A STORY

Grant writing can be incredibly fruitful.

Also, it can and is often INCREDIBLY stressful and daunting.

In 2014, Old West Church (OWC) was told that we would need 5.6 million dollars in renovations done to our building. These costs came from a lot of deferred maintenance compounded by the fact our church is a historic landmark. All of this on top of an operating budget under 250k which hadn’t balanced in almost a decade, and a church with a membership at 30 or under.

So, what to do?

A. Panic

B. Cry

C. Sell the Church (and merge with another congregation)

D. Write Grants

OWC ended up with D but in all honesty, I certainly experienced A and considered B and C.

Why is “C” important?

We knew that even if we somehow managed to raise all of those funds (miracle of miracles), we would still be needing to raise these kinds of funds again for regular maintenance. This problem would come back up again, be it three, five, or ten years down the line. While that may not be my problem, it would be a pastors with whom I was in connection with and I could not, in good faith, set this kind of obstacle up for another pastor to deal with. That had been done to me and the cycle of toxicity has to end.

We had to innovate.

Because if you really want to reinvent and revitalize (all congregational development people’s favorite catchphrase) then you actually have to innovate. This means putting it all on the line and considering all options. However, that story of innovation is not one directly related to grant writing as is our restoration. If you want more information about that, what that story looks like, and how it walks alongside OWC’s need for restoration and renovation, I urge you to check out my blog for Emory summarizing my thesis on this. And please don't hesitate to email me.

So, back to how you start raising that kind of money in a small church, with a big price tag, and little to no experience with grant writing.

A LOT of research was done. I was sent around Boston to different churches who had done fundraising. Most were haughty or dismissive - the responses seemed to vacillate between “reach out to your rich donors” ( I would have done that if we had any) or implying that I wanted their list of grants so that I could poach money from them. I also reached out to the conference and was met with even less support. This included my request for us to get a grant writer on the conf staff to help out their own churches that are struggling to maintain the buildings the conference bought (like OWC).

Then OWC turned to the United Methodist Foundation of New England. They have two grants of which I cannot speak more highly, the annual grant program and the rapid response. Over the past six years, OWC has been the recipient of many of these grants for various projects, and most recently, in 2019, for a rapid response grant for $2,500 (more than 1% of our yearly budget). Sure, that money is great you say but that is NOTHING compared to the 5.6 million dollars needed (it’s only 0.0446% of what we need)!

Correct.

But there is some truth to the adage, “you have to spend money to make money.”

Our idea and what we presented to the Foundation was a plan to take their funding to pay a grant writer. Not for a small grant, but a major one. One of our grant writing team members (and OWC Lay Leader), Karen Spiller knew of an amazing grant writer from previous work, and thus, at her invitation, we ended up working with the ineffable Jane Bowers.

With Jane’s expertise, we were able to raise over $500,000.

That is a ridiculous percent of return on the investment made by UMFNE!

Still not 5.6 million dollars but we are starting to get somewhere. And with the tips about matching grants (in the next blog), this investment can be doubled, and, with the proper application to certain grants, it can be multiplied many times over to get us closer to our goals.

All of this to say, I encourage you to start with the Foundation. Come with a plan on how you will use the grant to apply for other grants and put that before them. With 2-5k, you will have a great baseline with which to hire a professional grant writer.

From there, you have to put in the work with their help and guidance.

In the next post, there will be tips / best practices that we learned, some by others telling us and others from trial and error.

Rev. Dr. Sara Garrard (she/her)/ Pastor Old West Church

2019 Foundation Rapid Response Recipient 8/3/2020

Email Sara

HOW TO TACKLE GRANT WRITING: HOT TAKES & TIPS

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 14:57:09 GMT

HOW TO TACKLE GRANT WRITING: HOT TAKES & TIPS

The learning curve for grant writing can seem insurmountable and certainly astronomical. We are six years into the realization that Old West Church (OWC) would not survive without continual massive injections of funds from grants and I still find the process daunting.

Perhaps you do too.

Most pastors could write a book on the things we were not taught (but really need to know how to do) in seminary. Grant writing is the top of my list. Unlike some pastors I know, like Rev. Tamra Tucker of The Crossing , my undergraduate degree was not in religious studies AND non-profit organizational management. Granted, many of us might not have known in undergrad that we were going to end up pastors. C’est la vie. It still means that we have this missing skill set and a steep learning curve.

Thus, though not complete, here are a few things I think can help when considering grants for financial support.

Hot Takes and Some Tips

Create a team at your church to manage grant writing/ help your grant writer.None of this would have been possible without the team at OWC. They made this happen. Not me. The OWC team consists of two lay people who are both incredible storytellers and meticulous writers. Those are not my gifts. This team is the powerhouse behind the grants. They work with Jane constantly to make sure everything is done. Without them doing this incredible work, I would not be able to pastor/ lead my church. As a pastor, you have three options: A) you either need to have a team, B) not have a work-life balance and thus run a greater risk of burnout, or C) not pastor while you write grants. As a congregation/ layperson, you have three options: A) step up be on/ help create a team, B) expect too much of your pastor and drive them to burn out, C) step up and help do the pastoral needs (pastoral care, lay preaching, etc.) while they write the grant. Basically, this cannot be done by the pastor. It is not sustainable and should not be expected. If you want to undertake major grants, it HAS to be a team effort. Lay people have to be willing to step up and take this on. Pastors cannot do this alone or in isolation. The OWC is incredible at this. While I am there for some of the meetings, they take on the brunt of this work. Without them, none of this would be possible.
Tell your story and tell it well . Your church’s story is important. If it isn’t, well, consider option C from the previous blog. Honestly. But if it is, then you need to be able to tell that story in a compelling way. You/ your church/ your team has to be able to do this because the grant writer can only do so much. They don’t know your story, your vision,or the way you do what you do. Be clear about your story. This includes not only who you are now but where you are going. If you aren't going anywhere, go back to option C. Seriously.
Gather key information . You are going to have to have certain pieces of information for almost every grant budget. This includes your yearly budget and proof of tax exemption status, including your EIN. These are fairly basic components, but it is necessary to have them on hand. Because if you don't, you won't be able to fulfill most grant requirements. Seriously, trying to get the EIN number from the conference was like pulling teeth. It took me months of asking and continuously being sent to different people saying it wasn’t their job or they didn’t know. I need their number because MA has a little law that basically states churches are automatically tax exempt and therefore don't need EIN numbers. Not helpful if it’s required. Thus, OWC had to use the conference number as we are under its umbrella. This can be tricky because we are not asking for money for the conference, but a particular part of its “umbrella.”
PR0-TIP: Create a google drive folder to store all key information. This includes your annual budget, EIN number, contact information. I would also recommend putting photos in here. They need to be high quality, engaging, dynamic, and captivating, even if they are just of your building and grounds.
Distinguish your asks - between secular and sacred. Yes, we use our building for the work of the church. That work is sacred. HOWEVER, the work we do, like the restoration, though it benefits the sacred work of the church, is a secular endeavor. We are restoring a national historic landmark. In many cases, those things need to be distinguished, especially if you are applying for statewide or citywide grant programs. For example: we know a church that asked for funding from the Community Preservation Act to restore a Tiffany window. However, the window depicted religious scenes. That was not funded. But the entrance facade and the ramp to get into the building was. Note the difference.
Develop relationships before asking for examples . There are a lot of churches who have gotten grants before. IF (and only if) you have a good relationship with that congregation, ask them if you could see their grant. Trust has to be built. Grant requests can be deeply revealing about the finances, visions, and goals of the church. These are personal and sometimes, can contain confidential (not yet public) information. You might be asking for very sensitive information. And people don’t just give that out willy-nilly. AND, if you do have a good relationship, make the ask. Make sure they know they don’t have to give you the info and you will understand either way (and make sure you do actually, understand and won’t be bitter about it if they cannot/ won’t share it with you. We are in fact, not owed anyone else’s work). If they do share, thank them. If it is appropriate, you can give them credit in the ask (for help with the project), and certainly, if you are awarded a grant, again you can give them credit. For example: OWC would not be where we are without examples from churches like Union (we LOVE Jay!!), HopeGateWay (Yay, Sara and Allen!), and the grant writer recommendations from young leaders at Harvard-Epworth (Shout out to Steve and Kim).
Big grants first . We had done a few small grants, but we knew 5k here, 2k there, even the occasional 10k, wasn’t going to add up fast enough to do the repairs, and even those grants were an incredible amount of work. So, identify a major grant that you want to apply for. THAT is what you pay a grant writer for. The bigger the grant, the more work it is on your end. But at the end of it, you will have most of the component pieces you need for smaller grants. Thus, you are able to apply for smaller grants (or even comparable grants) with the same data, saving you time, money, and stress in the long run.
PRO-TIP: Not all grants are going to work for you and your church. As Jane Bowers puts it, “ finding prospects -- organizations, foundations, individuals -- who might make a good match for a grant or gift is a key step.” Find organizations that fit your interest. And often, once you find those, they will lead you to others.
Don’t skimp on who you hire. It is worth the investment in the long run. Whether it is your grant writer or whom you hire with the grant, I cannot stress enough the importance of balancing what is cost effective but also and perhaps more importantly, what is the right fit for your context. For example, when we began our renovation process, we had no idea where to begin. We just had a massive financial hurdle and no clue what to do next. So, we hired Spencer, Sullivan, and Vogt (SSV) to do our restoration assessment. SSV is the Tesla of historic restoration in and around New England. They are the best of the best and are priced accordingly. When we sought bids for our renovation assessment, SSV was far and away the most expensive. However, we realized that we would get what we pay for. That initial investment came before we did any fundraising. But, we knew it would set us up with the tools we needed to fill out even the most rigorous grant application.
And, we were right.
Lynne Spencer, the principal preservationist is absolutely brilliant, tenacious, compassionate, and thoughtful. The finished deliverable was a massive document, detailing the history and needs of our space. It also included a budget for each phase of restoration. Lynne and her team took what was a 5.6 million dollar cost and broke it down into achievable goals. Additionally, Lynne practically held our hand through many grant processes, advocating on our behalf at hearings (ex: Community Preservation Act requires approval from the Boston City Council before funds are distributed), went to grant meetings with us, and has continued our relationship even after the final deliverable was, well, delivered. I cannot stress enough the importance of that decision and our relationship with SSV. The same can be said for our grant writer, Jane Bowers. Those relationships were critical to the success of our grant writing campaign.
Matching grants can be frustrating but also magic. If it is a matching grant, make sure you make an ask you can match, so you might have to start smaller. But the thing about matching grants is that you can match your match (once you have it).
For Example: if the grant requires a 1:1 match and you know you can raise 10k, ask for 10k. You can then take that 20k and match it with another 1:1 grant. And sometimes, grants will allow you to come back to them with that same match (woot!). You can now just turn around and double your money again with the same grant.

Now, for some information that you probably wanted all along.
Where to start looking for those big grants?

Well, my recommendations are very Boston centric because that is my context. But you can take my suggestions and see what your area/ context has.

Here is what OWC has been awarded:

1. Henderson Foundation: matching grant/ awards up to ~40k

2. Community Preservation Act: includes awards for restoration, affordable housing, public space/ gardens. Grants can range anywhere in size (we know of a number of ~400k grants that were awarded).

3. Browne Fund: Public space and beautification (grants range but we know they can exceed ~100k)

The cool thing about the first two grants, you can reapply for them. If you get a Browne Fund grant, those are amazing because it is a continued partnership and they will continue to invest in what you do so it is an ongoing relationship.

Best of luck and happy fundraising!

Rev. Dr. Sara Garrard (she/her) / Pastor, Old West Church

2019 Foundation Rapid Response Recipient

Email Sara

OF BIRTHDAYS

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 14:35:37 GMT

OF BIRTHDAYS

Well it is almost here, another birthday to celebrate. At 63 I am still considered a young man by some readers and approaching geezer status by others. I miss not being able to call my mother on my birthday to say thank you. She gave me life and instruction and meaning for living. Her memory is my birthday gift, as are other fond memories that come - oddly triggered by a smell. Just this weekend I was kayaking the Concord River and that smell, that damp musty wood smell, reminded me so well of fishing the Mill Pond so long ago.

This experience reminded me of Wordsworth’s “Ode: Imitations of Immortality.” Of birthdays that seem so long ago that the smoke and smell of time bring both the fondness and an uneasy mourning of things that cannot be relived, revisited or re-loved. The gift of this birthday is like the poem Wordsworth penned. I can envy that young boy digging worms and eating green apples while being thankful for the gift of perspective that calms the urge to reach back in time, to see only as I could then, without the dampening faded color of time.

William Wordsworth closes his poem with these words:

“Thanks to the human heart by which we live,

Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,

To me the meanest flower that blows can give

Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.”

I am grateful to have a grandson whose unfiltered experience of the world can ground me in my mortality and allow me a glimpse of immortality through a life in Christ. For my baptism was my eternal birthday. Now, how will I celebrate my birthdays? With cake and Communion, with mortal frosting, and eternal Bread.

LESSONS FROM THE "AMERICAN PICKERS"

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 17:10:35 GMT

LESSONS FROM THE "AMERICAN PICKERS"

I am a big fan of the American Pickers show. If you have not seen the show, it is about two friends; Mike and Frank, who travel the country looking at antiques and old stuff, meeting great people, and making deals. Often they share a short history lesson, a story, about how things were manufactured and used. There are items, auto’s for instance, that are purchased to have them restored. Other items are stabilized to retain their current condition because the patina or rust gives the piece character.

Mike and Frank get leads from Danielle, another cast member, who searches out collectors who are potential sellers of old things. Occasionally, Mike and Frank ride around the countryside “freelancing” looking for properties with lots of stuff – rusty and otherwise. Always though, they present the owners with a flyer of the things they are interested in buying. They are excited to meet new people. Rarely do people decline to talk to them.

So here is a lesson for the church. What if we had a couple church friends who were interested in souls that needed restoration, or those souls who were comfortable with the patina and rust that life had created. Sometimes these friends would go out “freelancing”, the local coffee shop, - dare I say local watering hole. They might have another church friend that sets up meetings at the prison, half-way house, nursing home, college, etc..

Mike and Frank of the American Pickers are successful because they are passionate about their business. They are antique evangelists - stretching the definition. It seems to me that the Mainline Church could learn from Mike and Frank. If we do not, Mike and Frank will be visiting antique buildings called churches looking for a deal on stained glass and architectural salvage – oak doors and tin ceilings. And the sad thing – there will not be a soul to be found.

VACCINATION

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 13:51:25 GMT

VACCINATION

I was reading this morning about a French company working on a Lyme disease vaccine. Wouldn’t that be wonderful. I know so many people living with long-term health problems because of a tiny tick bite. Vaccinations are really incredible. I remember my third-grade teacher wearing leg braces because the polio vaccine had not been found until after she was infected with that horrible virus.

Physical vaccines, those preventing and protecting us from a physical illness, are common and evolving, even as new viruses and diseases are becoming known. I wonder what the world would look like if we had spiritual and emotional vaccines. Where to begin; the obvious one to me would be an addiction vaccine. And then there would be one for depression, panic disorders, bi-polar – you get the idea. How about a fear vaccine? A friend had a saying – “What would you do if you were not afraid?” How about the liar vaccine? Imagine what relationships or government would look like based on truth. What if we had to be honest with ourselves? I wish there was a procrastination vaccine, but I’d probably never get around to that one. And wouldn’t the world be better off if there was an “ism” vaccine? You know, racism, sexism, etc. Let’s not forget the jealousy, envy, and anger vaccine – we could bundle that one. OMG – how about a low-self-esteem vaccine. Oh, and then there could be a hoarding and miser vaccine to promote generous living.

Ok, I better stop here; the possibilities are as endless as the human condition. Maybe the reason why there are no spiritual and emotional vaccines is because “working” through these issues makes us stronger and more empathetic; maybe even holy. Working on being virtuous is not popular given our “I’m ok – you’re ok” society. In fact, not having a filter, being self-centered and self-promoting, is quite in vogue. We are becoming a “selfie” culture. Maybe the first vaccine needs to be a self-centered antidote. Of course, there will be a spiritual director reading this who will say our faith is the vaccine I’m looking for, and that dying to self is the first step in the cure. If we know this to be true, then why aren’t our churches (waiting rooms for the spiritually and emotionally ill) filled? I’m not sure why, maybe there is a vaccine for that.

NOTE: I am on vacation this week so I am sharing a reflection from 7/17/18. Given the vaccine quest for the Covid 19 virus this piece seemed worth reprinting.

HEARTWORMS

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 13:19:52 GMT

HEARTWORMS

My son Jared rescued a 6 month old Lab mixed pup, now about a year old. It appeared that the dog had heartworm, most likely contracted before he made the trip up north from Arkansas. Early detection meant a better outcome for Arlo, the lovable dog. Years ago, I had a similar experience, after I purchased a 5 year-old Brittany Spaniel named Duke for $50. His case was severe, and the pneumonia that follow treatment almost killed him. The worms come from that mosquitoes fill the heart. The medication kills the worms, but the dead worms find their way to the lungs which can cause pneumonia. Fortunately, there is preventative heartworm medication that can lead to fewer cases.

I share this because I see a spiritual connection. While you and I cannot get physical heartworms from our dog, we are susceptible to spiritual heartworms. Theologians would argue about this condition being caused from the mosquito bite of original sin. Others would say the heartworms enter in through our environment, how we grew up, what we were taught and experienced. There are different kinds of spiritual heartworms, and each requires a different treatment plan.

Diagnosing our heartworms can be tricky. The self-examination that is required is difficult, and often calls for a spiritual director/doctor to help. Looking into my heart is more than looking into the mirror. The worm of lies can tell me my image is just fine. Only going deeper into my heart can begin the process of removing the worms. The worms are an alphabet of artery cloggers; apathy, covetous, greed, hatred, lust, prejudice, racism, self-centeredness, unforgiveness - to name a few. Left untreated these worms overwhelm the heart. The spiritual death they cause is not permanent, we can experience more than resuscitation, because we were baptized into the resurrection.

SINNER OR SUPERHERO?

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 13:12:56 GMT

SINNER OR SUPERHERO?

“You do realize that Jesus was talking to a group of Jewish people” said the professor in my first year of seminary. What is the big deal you might say, because Jesus often talked to such a crowd. For me, the big deal was the story was about a man who was beaten on the road, ignored by two men of the church passing by, and then cared for by someone considered unclean/unacceptable in the church of the day. Have you heard the story? Many know it by its title, “The Good Samaritan”.

I had not considered the tidbit of information about the crowd before that day. It made sense but I had never given it thought. It immediately got me to thinking. How would I have felt listening to a story about folks like me and finding out that someone my culture told me not to like, became the hero (or superhero as people like to say today) in the story. The Samaritan did not just stoop down and see that the man was breathing. He stopped, took out his resources, offered care and kindness, put him on his own donkey, and took him to an inn. When they arrived, the Samaritan was not finished. He made sure the man had a room, engaged the services of a stranger, and then offered to pay for any additional expenses.

For the crowd listening to Jesus tell the story, they might have easily explained away the actions of the first two as they were important people. After all, there were cleanliness laws to be considered – especially if the guy was dead or was not a “clean” person.

As for the third person who saw the injured man, to the crowd listening, this one was unacceptable (insert a group of people for whom we have negative stereotypes). Certainly, he would pass the man by because of who they thought he was. But Jesus was not having it. Surprise! The person they had been taught had no value, cared for someone who was another human being. He took what he had and offered it for the well-being of a stranger.

When we look at people who have been negatively labeled – people who are homeless, poor, have mental health issues, or are of another culture, what do we really know about them? What justifications do we use to see them as those whom we serve rather than people who have gifts to share? What would happen if we began to see the value in all people, sought to hear about their gifts and talents, and put aside systemic stereotypes in favor of personal relationships?

Mike Mather, author of Having Nothing, Possessing Everything , made this comment when talking about caring for the poor around the faith communities in which he served, “Our church and community began asking ourselves a set of new questions. For instance, we asked how we could use money to reveal the power and abundance we witnessed in others. We began to notice a subtle shift that moved us from asking how we could help to how we could become venture capitalists. Where could we invest our money in this neighbor? What services or products that these gifted entrepreneurs offered could we multiply by helping them share their paintings, poetry, fishing talent, jewelry, carpentry, and more?”

As we live in the new reality of being the living and loving representatives of Jesus Christ in, and with, those around us, we cannot look at “those people” the same way as we did before 2020. We need to be like the Good Samaritan and cross the lines that culture has so destructively created. But we cannot stop there. We must invest ourselves as individuals and faith communities. We must also see the abundance of those who have been the focus of our mission and see how we can invest in, and with, “our brothers and sisters”.

This is not about giving money to a great cause or creating a new mission to address a problem. The stewardship message today is to see and celebrate the abundance of opportunities around us to build bridges over chasms, engage in authentic relationships with neighbors, and see people for who they are, not what we think they need to be like us.

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 12:41:00 GMT

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU

The pain began when I popped the chewing gum in my mouth. I thought I broke a tooth. Long story short, two rounds of antibiotics and consults with a dentist and endodontist resulted in a root canal and crown. Yesterday I was sitting in the dentist chair for the making of the crown. Dr. Paul, my dentist for 40 years, could have retired years ago except for one thing – he loves his work. He said, “It is why I get out of bed in the morning, and if I ever stop loving my work, tell me to stop.” He shared that he watched another dentist’s crown technique on YouTube the night before because he is always looking for ways to improve. He teaches at Tufts Dental School as well. No wonder he made the top 100 dentists list.

He gave me some Novocain even though there was no root left in the tooth. He said he would be poking around the gum line. I said, “I know, pain-free dentistry.” He said, “Because I love you.” I love you – now that is the ultimate reason. What a gift I received, and what a gift Dr. Paul is to his patients and his profession. While it is comforting to be attended to by a very competent doctor, it is a joy to be loved.

I can relate to Dr. Paul. I love my work and the people I interact with. I do not know if Dr. Paul would refer to his work as a ministry, but I do know he views his work as both a vocation and avocation.

The words “because I love you” have lingered within me. I now have a “heart” understanding of what St. Paul talked about in Colossians – always working as if working for the Lord. Because I love you, I will sacrifice, remain humble, seek your comfort, understand your needs, listen, have empathy, forgive, and ask forgiveness. But most of all I will look for the Christo Logos, for Jesus within you, and pray that you see him in me.

Imagine for a moment if all our human interactions were “because I love you.” From families to workplaces, “because I love you” would transform the world. It is so radically simple yet so hard to do. It is so hard because I must make a choice each day, and perhaps each moment of each day. Because I love you is the cross Jesus asks me to pick up so that I can follow him. The hard part is not picking up the cross, it is placing down my self-centeredness.

SIMPLE STEWARDSHIP STEPS IN A SYSTEMIC SHIFT

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 14:42:11 GMT

SIMPLE STEWARDSHIP STEPS IN A SYSTEMIC SHIFT

Years ago, Clif Christopher, in his book Not Your Parent’s Offering Plate stated that there are common principles with individuals who decide where to make donations to institutions, including the church,

1) They believe in the mission

2) They have regard for the staff leadership

3) They can see strong financial responsibility

And I would add a fourth based on research:

4) Their donation will make a positive impact.

These principles remain the same today, even in the midst of this pandemic and the call to make a new cultural system that ensures justice for all. Presently churches across the country report that since February, when many church buildings closed, that giving has remained at high levels. Some faith communities even report an increase in giving because people understand the importance of sharing of God’s message of hope for a time such as this.

But what about the future? In response to the call to be part of creating a new culture of justice and equality, what specific works of love will your church share? What action will your faith community take? As it says in James, “faith without works is dead”. Why do I ask? Because the donor principles stated above still apply. The difference is that many donors will now want to know if your mission includes responding to the appeal for justice and equality within the church, nation, and world. Are your decisions, actions, and attitudes living out the call to love your neighbor as God loves you according 1 Corinthians 13? Or do they still maintain the current cultural practices of suppression that has been a part of our nation and church for over 200 years?

Here are five simple stewardship steps that can be taken while your faith community prayerfully discerns what they will do in the future to help eradicate racial injustice.

1. Research how your money is invested – In what companies, products, and systems are your endowment funds invested? What do your choices say about your commitment to social justice? If you are invested with the Foundation, your investments are already socially screened in close alignment with the social principles of the United Methodist Church.

2. Find local agencies involved in racial justice work – Once you have chosen, develop a relationship by investing your time, talent, and treasures. Why create something new when you can join in partnership with something that is already working?

3. Invest in businesses owned by people of color – Business supplies, accounting, catering, and more. It may take time to find these businesses but in the long run your investment and the new relationship could be life giving to all involved. This is a great way to discover local businesses to help support your ministries.

4. Review companies who send emails to request your business – What are their belief statements? Are they in line with what your faith community believes about justice and equality? If not, consider unsubscribing or bringing the differences to their attention.

5. Have the leadership team read Michael Mather’s Book Having Nothing, Possessing Everything . It invites us to move from our current position at the table to the opposite side for a different perspective of the people we serve. Mather says, “see abundance where others only see poverty”.

In addition to the new reality of the church after Covid 19, is for all congregations to acknowledge systemic racism in our country and church and respond. In the midst of it all, your stewardship ministry area must remain a means of grace through which all can encounter, and share, Christ’s love, grace, acceptance, and challenge.

BEING COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 13:56:09 GMT

BEING COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

The NHL is going to have their hockey playoffs after all – albeit in summer. When asked about a completely different schedule and without fan support, the coach answered, “We have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Wisdom.

There are plenty of times when being comfortable with being uncomfortable would suit us well. St. Paul said I can be content in all things, having and not having, being a prisoner or being free, adding that he could do anything through Christ who strengthens him. His words provide comfort as well as instruction, for we are told to be in Christ.

I think the Covid virus and our collective response, especially in the hard-hit areas, has made even going to the grocery store uncomfortable. Nearly 25 million people have sought unemployment insurance. Many are uncomfortable and wondering if they will be called back.

In addition to our acute stress caused by the pandemic, there is, for many, a chronic uncomfortableness created by the rate of technological change at home and at work. 43 years ago I bought my first car: a used VW Bug. I learned to drive a standard the day I drove it home. I did not need a manual to turn on the radio and the heat did not work anyway. My next car will require a skilled technician to help me program and connect my smart phone to the radio – if they even call it a radio any more, show me how the GPS works, possibly show me how to start the car with my phone, how the car can parallel park itself, and describe how the safety sensors will tell me if I’m getting too close to another car. The pace of change is incredible. Who would have thought 20 years ago that even the smallest of churches would be streaming their worship services with viewers all over the country.

It seems to me that much of the modern life is coping and hoping. Coping with being uncomfortable and hoping in Christ. So far I am uncomfortable with “2020”: the Covid Pandemic, dramatic unemployment, and social upheaval marked by marches, riots, and the takeover of city streets.

One way of being comfortable with this situation is to first remain calm and pray, and second is discerned action. These two steps are equally as important and being still and praying in and with Jesus always comes first. With respect to the Pandemic, I can support my neighbors, first responders, especially healthcare workers, through gifts of prayer, time, talent, money, food, and doing my part to social distance. To counteract racism, I can look to see how I can be an advocate and agent of change, and to investigate and financially support proven organizations that have had a marked impact in this area of social justice.

It takes self and social discipline to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. This concept is not new; most readers will remember Britain’s response to being bombed by Germany: Keep Calm and Carry On, which reminds us that the more things change the more they stay the same.

LET ME

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 14:22:25 GMT

LET ME

It was not that long ago, but far enough for me to not remember which church I was visiting, that the members closed the service with everyone making a big circle (holding hands) to sing, “Let There Be Peace on Earth”. I am always struck by the lyric –“and let it begin with me”. It moves me from sending my thoughts and prayers up the God, to having those thoughts and prayers dwell within me, rather in Christ who dwells within me.

Suddenly peace has begun and has begun in the first person - me. And like Mary, I say let it be done to me. For how could I be forced or coerced into a state of peace or being a peacemaker. “Let it begin” is both a prayer and an announcement of a new birth. It is also a sort of starting gun for a race or a new journey.

So there I was, standing in a circle, linked by hands, if not hearts, part of a community of faith. Yet, I was singing, proclaiming "let it begin with me". Such is our faith, personal holiness connected tangibly through our social holiness.

In all things in the spiritual life whether it be humility, generosity, justice, my yes combined with your yes is the beginning of change, as individuals and of the community. The yes is allowing Jesus to reform and remold us in his image. And to let it be done to me, to let it begin with me, I have to let go of me and my self-centeredness.

From a stewardship lens, when I address the role of money and wealth in my life, proclaiming let it be done to me, or to begin with me, is a living out of John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer:

I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, Exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O Glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

POURING THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO STEWARDSHIP

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 18:37:15 GMT

POURING THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO STEWARDSHIP

In this video, Pastor Steve Smith (First UMC in Bangor, Me and Corinth UMC in Corinth, ME) and his two granddaughters, Brooklyn & McKenna Rand, explore what happens when we invite the Holy Spirit into our stewardship ministry. Quoting Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and God will establish your plans” , they try everything on their own first, then decide to invite God into the equation. It’s a great video to share during your weekly worship service.

LEGACY ROADBLOCKS OR OBSTACLES TO MEANING

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 12:54:38 GMT

LEGACY ROADBLOCKS OR OBSTACLES TO MEANING

Recently the Foundation invited people to participate in a donor survey. Forty-six percent of the respondents said they have thought about leaving a legacy gift to their church or another charity and 21% said they already had made such a gift. However, and this is telling, 48% of the respondents said that they are concerned about what would happen to their legacy gift should their church close without a successor.

The uncertain future is always more troublesome than knowing; just ask someone waiting for a doctor’s report. That uncertain future is on the minds of nearly half the people in our pews, or at least those in positions of leadership to whom the survey was sent. Seeing the decline in the membership in our church, going from a fully staffed church to a part-time pastor, and the constant money issues are symptoms that present a roadblock in planning our legacy journey. And, left to our proclivity to worry, they impede the planning process and create resentment and distrust in the very church we love and serve.

Perhaps the deeper issue is how these roadblocks create a real and disquieting obstacle to answering the question, “How will I give and support the church and ministry which is most important to me and my family?” I can share that my relationship with Jesus and being within the Body of Christ – the church – is paramount in my life. I suspect many readers share these thoughts.

In the world of philanthropy, discerning what is most important to us brings a clarity to our vision, and informs our decisions and actions. If I have discerned that my faith and my church are most important to me and my family, how can I overcome the obstacle that my worry about the future of my church presents? Without a resolution, the obstacle prevents me from finding fulfillment and meaning in making a legacy gift. Only through giving does my wealth, such that it is, have meaning.

Enter the philanthropic advisor. Finding our vision by answering the important question is indeed the hardest step in the philanthropic journey. And this question we can only answer for ourselves. But the next step, finding the solutions to removing the obstacles to generosity, requires a special knowledge and expertise. Your Foundation has such knowledge and expertise. If you have concerns about your legacy gift, call us, we can help.

DEMONSTRATIONS

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 13:46:26 GMT

DEMONSTRATION

I had to respond to the yet again demonstration of racism in the brutal killing of George Floyd. There have been many peaceful demonstrations of outrage and life-long frustration. The riots and violence are demonstrations of deep pain and, unfortunately, a demonstration of outside groups leveraging that pain. Atlanta’s Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told the outsiders to go home, demonstrating both her pain in seeing her community being destroyed and her righteous anger.

I can understand righteous anger; even Jesus turned over the tables in the temple. How many of us have pounded our fist on the table, punched a wall, broke a dish? But why burn your own community? Perhaps for the same reason that an abused person often cuts themselves – self mutilation. When the pain is so deep, the tearing apart of flesh demonstrates the tearing apart of the soul within.

Through the spiritual lens our racism demonstrates a chasm in the Body of Christ. How painful it was for Christ to have died with a knee on his neck. Jesus, who said: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, (your neck) and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I saw a picture of police officers taking a knee demonstrating that the power used to kill a man can also be used to humble themselves before the people protesting George Floyd’s death.

What does this systemic racism demonstrate? Could it be my self-centeredness, my fear, my need for power, my willful blindness and deafness, my upbringing and education, my hanging on to false thinking, my shallow relationship with Jesus, my unconfessed sins, my willingness to accept the lies of the enemy? I am afraid the list is too long.

Yet maybe racism is something to be claimed like the alcoholic who acknowledges the disease within, and that healing can only take place one day at a time. How can I address racism if I have not acknowledged my knee on my brother’s neck?

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Wed, 27 May 2020 13:28:37 GMT

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

From time to time I see a website article asking, “Where are they now?” in relation to an old TV show. The Brady Bunch or Little House on the Prairie are common examples. Sometimes the “Where are they now?” question has to do with rock stars or sports players. The human-interest stories are fun to read and often reveal things that we can relate to, especially hardships and suffering.

There is a deeper level to the “Where are they now?” question. It has to do with life after death. My wife Carol and I found a well-kept old cemetery in which to take our daily walk; rarely seeing anyone along the way. The engraved names and sentiments on the gravestones and monuments are but a peek at a life lived long ago. There are soldiers and ministers, captains of industry, infants and even some dear friends. It could be asked, “Where are they now?” Absent a faith that sees human death as not the end but a beginning, something new, a resurrection, I would not even ask the question.

I feel a connection through the Holy Spirit with my friends and family who have died yet live in Christ. This is a Pentecost connection. The birth of the Church is the “in Christ” human event where we become the Body of Christ. It is odd to hear news reports that the churches are closed. You and I are the doors of the church and we are always open to share and be the love of Jesus to a hurting world. Inside the church building, our holy place, the saints gather, they celebrate Communion, sing hymns, and pray for us as they wait for us to return.

The question, “Where are they now?” is about space and time. With God there is only now, God Is. Every day is Pentecost. John Wesley is still praying for our hearts to be strangely warmed as we encounter Christ through the Holy Spirit. Where are they now? They never left.

REMOVING THE MASK OR SHOWING OUR TRUE COLORS

Wed, 20 May 2020 12:59:43 GMT

REMOVING THE MASK OR SHOWING OUR TRUE COLORS

Back in 1986 Cyndi Lauper sang the song, “True Colors” for which she received a Grammy Award. I heard the song and reflected on the title. At first, I thought of the tall ships with flags flying from their topmast. During times of war, a false flag would be flown to get close to the enemy and then the true flag, the true colors, would be raised before the battle. The concept of true colors goes back even further to the time of Hippocrates who identified four different temperaments of humans: Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic, and the Melancholic. These ideas were similar to Plato’s Theory of Personality. The concept of showing our true personality, our true self, asks an underlying question – when are we showing our false self?

Instead of flying a false flag I think it is clearer to say wearing a false mask. Our masks can protect us, shield us from having people know what we truly think and feel. Our masks are like chameleons, they have the ability to change colors and adapt to changing social requirements and norms. I think most masks are created by fear. The fear of being rejected and alone. Everyone wants to fit in, to belong and have status. I suppose low self-esteem is the culprit because my true self, and showing my true colors, is not good enough. The lie of flying our false colors begins with the lie that we are not worthy.

Being made in the image and likeness of God makes me wonder why I would wear any mask that would hide Christ that is within me. Clearly it is when I think and act as Christ that I show my true colors. My choice is not whether to wear the mask or not, it is to know and believe that I am worthy as I am, baptized in Christ, or succumb to the lies of Satan, lies that imprison me behind false masks.

From a stewardship lens, my true colors appear as generosity and Jesus selflessness. My false self is hiding behind the masks of fear of not having enough, or of pride and self-centeredness. If I do not choose Christ, my true self, I will either live in fear of scarcity, or with the pride of believing I am the creator and owner of my wealth. I can sing my doxologies – praising God, or, like Frank Sinatra, sing, “I Did It My Way.” This choice is an internal battle; as much as I want to raise the flag of Christ, my true colors, it is often easier, and perhaps more pleasurable to my ego, to raise my own colors, false as they may be. When the offering plate is passed, the question is not how much money to give, but rather which self will I give and what colors will I show. It might be a good idea to place a mirror in the bottom of the offering plate so that I could see my colors, and pray that I see not my own reflection, my false self, but the gaze of Christ, my true self, my true colors.

A MOTHER'S DAY BEHIND THE WALLS

Thu, 14 May 2020 14:11:24 GMT

A MOTHER'S DAY BEHIND THE WALLS

Mother’s Day has come and gone. As my sons remembered their mom with gifts, I remembered my mom with prayers. I am grateful because my mom by all accounts was, and still is, a role model for the women who knew her. I am also painfully aware that not all sons and daughters were so blessed. It is with this awareness that I share a different Mother’s Day reflection.

Some of you have lived a Walk to Emmaus, Cursillo or Tres Dias weekend. For those who have experienced the weekend, you know the transforming power of being in close Christian community with those who wish to deepen their faith. If you have not participated, I encourage you to give yourself this gift. Before the Covid 19 pandemic hit, I was gathering a team of 20 men to lead a Cursillo at a prison in Massachusetts. There is another 20+ men behind the walls who support the outside team working throughout the year recruiting men to attend the weekend. For the past 26 years, 30 to 40 men “live” their weekend on Mother’s Day weekend behind the walls. Of course, the Cursillo was cancelled this year as were all visits by family and volunteers. Fortunately, there have been no reported cases of the virus in the prison. For the men behind the walls, social distancing takes on new meaning without cell phones, email, video calls or virtual church. The prison chapel has been closed – no church - period.

Our St. Basil’s Cursillo community usually meets with the men on the 3rd Wednesday of the month in the prison chapel. Our last visit was in January. It could be June or July before we are together again. For us on the outside, social distancing has been at worst an inconvenience, for some even a welcomed slower pace of life. We can still visit with our moms albeit from six feet away and wearing a mask. For the men behind the walls, the Cursillo Mother’s Day weekend is something that is planned for and looked forward to with great anticipation. One of the reasons why is that on Sunday morning our families and friends join us in a closing service. Many of the men do not receive visits or even letters from family – burnt bridges have become walls within their family structure. For these men, being greeted by women of all ages is deeply moving. I imagine this Mother’s Day was particularly hard for the men, and I pray that we can join them soon.

There are many things I miss – going to work at the Foundation office and having a nice dinner out with friends come to mind. Mostly I miss church, communion, and my faith community. I miss not being with the men behind the walls. I pray I learn something from this time apart, and that I maintain deep gratitude when we all can once again greet each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

OF THE DAY AND HOUR

Wed, 06 May 2020 13:53:16 GMT

OF THE DAY AND HOUR

Last week I learned that at a local nursing home 41 residents died from the Covid 19 virus. It is an excellent and well-run facility. Having served on the Board of another facility in a neighboring city, I know how the staff cares for each person. For some residents and patients in these homes, the staff are the only family they have left. At the Nevins Home where I served, we have a special Memorial Day service and remembrance of those who died during the year. The mayor, clergy from all faiths, our state representatives, and family and friends remember loved ones and thank the staff, who participate and share stories and tears. This Memorial Day will be raw for eldercare facilities hit hard by the virus. Many will still be in the fight to save lives. The staff are those who, because of the no-visitor rule, will be the last ones to hold the dying mother, father, grandparent, life-long friend. The last ones to pray with, say I love you, and to shed the first tears over our loved ones.

Fortunately, we do not know the day and hour of death when we are young and healthy. But as we grow old, or perhaps have a terminal disease, we become aware of a day and hour that will come. I am not sure how people with little or no faith handle these mortal thoughts and the awareness of our last breath. As I approach retirement, clearly in my second half of life, I find my faith taking on even more meaning and depth. I pray that the 41 residents who died in April had a deep and meaningful faith. I pray they had a faith community and family that held them in prayer even as the staff held them physically. I pray that on that day and in that hour, Christ cast out all fear and they felt his touch through all those caring for them.

There are many reasons people give for not attending church, perhaps you have family members who have shared a few thoughts on the subject. But there is a reason to keep and share our faith, it is this: that the day and the hour will arrive for us all – and time is fleeting.

We have three United Methodist Eldercare Organizations in New England: Aldersbridge Communities in Rhode Island, Deaconess Abundant Life Communities in Massachusetts, and the Methodist Conference Home in Maine. These ministries have been, and continue to be, on the frontlines protecting our elders. I not sure how hard the virus hit these facilities, but I do know they need our prayers, notes of affirmation, and, yes, even our financial gifts.

BEING THE [VIRTUAL] CHURCH

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 13:08:40 GMT

BEING THE [VIRTUAL] CHURCH

Questions for a New Normal

When I think about the amount of energy, skill, sweat and risk that church leaders have exhibited in the last month, I’m in awe. I'm so grateful for people who gutted it up and figured things out. It’s hard to care for folks who are overwhelmed when you are overwhelmed yourself. I hear people say they are exhausted, and that they’re working as hard or harder than before we began to shelter-in-place.

When you feel overwhelmed, it’s hard to look toward a future as filled with unknowns as our present moment is. But as you begin to find new energy and find yourself more able to think about what you’ve been learning about yourself and your church, it will be essential to have conversations in lots of places about what God is calling the post-pandemic church to be and do. These conversations will require courage and creativity in imagining a church more driven by purpose than by preservation. They will require a wrestling match in which, like our ancestor, Jacob, we may come away both blessed and bruised.

The window for these courageous conversations may be surprisingly brief. When it is finally safe to return to our church buildings, we'll be sorely tempted to rush back to the familiar, not recognizing the parts of congregational life that weren’t healthy. "Finally," we may say, "we can get back to what we know how to do!"

In the midst of the current crisis, the staff of TMF’s Leadership Ministry have had conversations with people who are ‘leaders of leaders.’ We asked two questions: What are you observing? and What are you learning? Our hope was to discover some questions that might help us as we emerge from the crisis. Here are some of the highlights of those conversations:

The leaders with whom we've been talking testify that there's widespread support for their leadership precisely because it's so clear what has to get done. What they worry about is what resistance will re-emerge once CHOICE returns. When there are more options for what to do or not to do, it will be harder to move forward.

What's clear is that the churches best positioned to emerge strongly from the crisis will be the ones that had the clearest sense of purpose before the crisis started. Some congregations may have to painfully admit that they cannot name the purpose of their church's ministry.

The leaders with whom we've spoken, especially those who head non-profits, have become so much more aware that they need other people to help them curate the vision of the organization, i.e., to share the load of dreaming and doing. Therefore, they are seeing their emerging role as EMPOWERERS.

The leaders with whom we've spoken have lamented that even though they have turned massive amounts of energy to serving their neighbors, and are making a huge difference, they are still being judged by the church hierarchy by how many people are watching their live stream worship services. The old metrics, they say, discourage the very innovation that they are being sent to do.

These and other reflections from those leaders lead us to a few questions:

What will need to be true about us to turn to the core task of discerning our purpose more than to the planning our activities when shelter-in-place is over? The temptation will be to plan lots of activities to prove that we're still in business rather than asking the central question, "God, given what we have been through, what is the difference you are calling us to make?"

What will it take to lead our people on the journey through grief and loss rather than around it? We cannot afford to give people simplistic answers or to assume that we know 'what it all means.'

How can we continue to stretch and exercise the muscle we've developed to ask the age-old question, "Who is my neighbor?" in courageous ways? How can we elevate the voices of those who struggle all the time so we can walk alongside them, learn from them, and forge a new future with them?

What will it take to break out of the captivity of spending such a vast amount of money and energy gathering like-minded people in one place for one hour on Sunday?

Given the wondrous explosion of care and creativity which has happened in recent days, we hope you'll call groups of people together to ask these and other questions.

WALKING IN LOSS. LIVING IN LOVE

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 12:39:03 GMT

WALKING IN LOSS. LIVING IN LOVE.

It’s been an interesting past few weeks. Everything as we knew it, changed with the Coronavirus. Some of have been massive adaptations while others are simple adjustments.

I am privileged to work from home, and I know that is not the case for everyone. Some are facing the daily threat of the virus in their workplace. Others have lost their sources of income because of it. The losses are everywhere and in many different ways. Personally, what looked like another summer, with trips to favorite haunts, has now potentially turned into visiting different areas of the yard and wondering if I should create yet another garden.

We are all walking in loss.

Two of my favorite people in the Bible are Cleopas and his friend from the road to Emmaus story in Luke’s Gospel. They are so relatable to everyday life. They are followers of Jesus who, a few days before we meet them, are excited by what the future holds because of how things are going. He might very well be the one who will restore the Jewish people to power. He heals, restores, welcomes, and offers grace to all people.

And then it happens. In less than 24 hours, everything changes. I can’t help but wonder if the disciples initially thought that Jesus might get off with a few lashings or prison time. That it would be a painful setback but not enough to destroy what had been building. Then Jesus is crucified and one of their first thoughts had to be that it’s all gone. All the plans, the trips, the community, the ministry. It is finished.

Then Sunday comes and what happens with Cleopas and his friend is why these two people are so important to me. As they leave what had become the norm for them, they are walking in loss. Who they were, what they were doing, how it was being done, is gone. It’ll never again be what it was.

In this season of life, we are just like them. When this pandemic started, I figured I was homebound for a couple of weeks and then life would return to normal. Inconvenienced but not too bad. But then reality set in. Life has a new norm that is being formed during the Covid 19 season of ministry.

You see, for Cleopas and his friend, they knew things were finished as they knew them. Without that, what good could the future hold? And then a stranger appeared to them along the road. A stranger who knew their story, who knew the “rest of the story”, and who offered through his words, the gift of remembrance, celebration, and anticipation. Even walking in loss, this stranger, Jesus the Christ, offered a way forward that would be different than what they had known but would still bring them to God, the creator in the midst of chaos.

In this midst of our walking in loss from this pandemic, where has Christ entered your life and spoken similar words? Where have you been called to be the living and loving presence of Christ for others during this ministry season within the pandemic? How are you telling the Story to bring hope, healing, and wholeness?

It’s been amazing to watch pastors and faith communities adapt to what was proclaimed as the end of church as we knew it, or at the least, a big bump in the road. People are accepting the change they’ve talked about or fought against for years because the new situation requires it. Some have done it very well while others took some time to get going. As I’ve watched, those who knew their ministry context, as well as the gifts of their community, have adjusted very well to this new way of ministry. It didn’t matter how they adjusted but because of their knowledge, they knew who to call on.

I’ve also noticed that those who have been willing to risk, are also finding new ways to minister. There have been more than a few “oops” in technology use and communication but it hasn’t stopped folks from exploring better ways. No more waiting for the new camera purchased with money from a church supper or the online giving the Finance Chair has wanted or the Ad Council meeting where only a few people attended. Their approach has been to figure it out along the way. And I hear that those congregations have been more patient, not to mention more willing, to give these new things a try.

In the story of Cleopas and his friend walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus, there comes a time when in a moment, Christ is revealed to them. They rush back to Jerusalem to tell everyone what they’ve seen and heard. Please notice that they aren’t going back to tell them to get things back to the way things were, but rather to share that beyond the loss that they all knew, Christ is alive, Christ walks with us, and Christ is waiting to continue the journey with us. Christ is Risen! Alleluia!!

So, how are you celebrating that in this perceived walk of loss, Christ is indeed with us? What are you hearing as you are in Christ’s presence? When this “shelter at home” journey ends, will you go back and proclaim the promise of the risen Lord? Will you call everyone forward on the journey? What will you do?

It is the challenge that Cleopas and his friend give to us as Christ’s followers in the 21st century. We aren’t called to go back to what we’ve known but rather to have the confidence and promise that Christ is with us as we move forward in our new reality. May these two individuals be a symbol of how we as individuals and faith communities respond, to the loss of what was and what we always thought would be, and to our own understanding of Church. May we remember the loss, but let us choose to live in Christ’s love. To do so is healthy stewardship.

THE SILVER LINING - A GIVING OPPORTUNITY

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 14:44:41 GMT

THE SILVER LINING - A GIVING OPPORTUNITY

The Government COVID-19 CARES relief package has been passed and many have already received a check that represents a tangible lifeline.

For the essential workers who remain employed, and others who can work remotely from their desk at home, this relief check represents not a lifeline – but an opportunity for generosity. This act of generosity requires discernment. Certainly, our churches need assistance – church employees are exempted from unemployment insurance and being laid-off means no income. Our church camps are particularly vulnerable at this time because the income stream from campers has ceased. Added to the loss of income is the uncertainty about how long into the summer people will be practicing social distancing.

For churches that are holding up well, the newly created Zarephath fund is a way to support other congregations with missional donations during this Pandemic.

Whether as an individual or a faith community, The Zarephath Emergency Relief Fund provides grants to help local churches that are unable to pay their pastors.

In addition to supporting the church, there are tremendous needs in our surrounding communities that demand a quick infusion of cash. We hear the calls for help from the healthcare field as well as local and wide-reaching organizations that serve the poor by providing various resources and stable housing to shelter-in-place.

If you are in a position to give a portion or all of your relief check, know that you are indeed providing relief. If you would like assistance in discerning where to give, we are happy to have that conversation – please call 800-595-4347 – Ted Crass x 104 / David Abbott x 106 / Gary Melville x 103.

RESURRECTION HOPE & THE RESPONSE TO COVID 19

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 20:24:08 GMT

Resurrection Hope & the Response to Covid 19

Resurrection involves transformation, and to proclaim resurrection hope is to affirm the possibility of change. Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff sees resurrection hope in the willingness of so many churches to embrace new and innovative approaches to ministry in this time of uncertainty and travail.

Our Lenten journey this year has been dominated by fear and anxiety, disruption and disease, economic uncertainty and loss. Churches are adapting daily to changing circumstances — congregants sheltering in place, suspended worship gatherings, and disrupted patterns of engagement and activity. Under normal circumstances church life can be stubbornly resistant to change. But in the face of these unprecedented challenges, many congregations and congregational leaders have proven surprisingly nimble and adaptive — embracing online worship, digital meeting spaces, electronic giving, social media connections, and even rediscovering the lost art of the telephone conversation.

"There is much we do not understand about the profound miracle of resurrection. But one thing we know for sure is that resurrection involves transformation. And to proclaim resurrection hope is to affirm the possibility of change".

New patterns and new possibilities.

In this time of heightened anxiety, one of our fears is that a crisis of this magnitude could strike the fatal blow to congregations already weakened by declining worship attendance, aging constituents, and troubling giving trends. But what if, instead, this jolt to the system is a necessary wakeup call, opening our eyes to new possibilities, new patterns of relationship, and new ways of being together that other sectors of society embraced long ago?

The response to this crisis has made it abundantly clear that church is not bound by our buildings, as much as we may love our buildings. It has demonstrated that our worship is essential, even when it happens in new and unusual ways. That our relational ties extend far beyond the hour we are together on Sunday mornings. That the support of community surrounds and sustains us when we need it most. And that faith really matters in the face of adversity.

Things are different on the other side of resurrection.

As we prepare to celebrate the joy and apprehend the mystery of the resurrection, one thing we know from Scripture is that things look different on the other side. In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene does not recognize the risen Jesus. She mistakes him for the gardener. In Luke’s Gospel, the disciples on the road to Emmaus also do not recognize Jesus. They believe him to be a stranger. Things appear to be different after the resurrection because they are different. Jesus clued us in to this when he revealed to the Sadducees that children of the resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage. Paul explains that in the resurrection, our perishable physical bodies will be raised as imperishable, spiritual bodies.

There is much we do not understand about the profound miracle of resurrection. But one thing we know for sure is that resurrection involves transformation. And to proclaim resurrection hope is to affirm the possibility of change. Pundits are already predicting that life as we know it will never be the same after the COVID-19 crisis. And life in the church will probably never be the same either. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

We will not die. But we will all be changed.

Resurrection hope is more than a security blanket or a blind faith that God will make things right. It affords us new ways of seeing and new ways of being. It is the assurance of transformation, new life, and God’s presence in changing circumstances. This year, we stand in wait of Easter dawn in a time of great uncertainty and travail, but also in faith that God is leading us to a new day. “Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed.” (1 Cor. 15:51)

Go to all the info on Lewis website

UPDATE: Filling Out Your Paycheck Protection Program Application

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:15:19 GMT

UPDATE: Filling Out Your Paycheck Protection Program Application

Here are some observations as you prepare your PPP Application:

1. Click Here for the official Information Sheet from the US Treasury.

2. Let your DS know you are going to be applying for this program.

3. Recognize that the loans can be accepted beginning April 3, 2020 and they will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis. It is estimated that the money in this program will be expended very quickly.

4. Find out if your bank offers SBA loans. If so, let them know you are interested in applying for the PPP loan and how might they help you complete it as soon as possible. If your bank is not, ask them who does offer SBA loans. Then ask who you might speak with at that bank.

a. Set up your interview with the SBA loan officer and in doing so, ask them what they are looking for from a church applicant. This could save you plenty of time. Note: not all banks will have the same requirements. Get your information from the bank only.

b. Understand your bank and the SBA (Small Business Administration) have had very little time to work on this process and so expect changes and requests for additional information along the way. This is a great time to practice and share grace.

5. Download the application and read pages 3 and 4 for information and understanding before beginning. (It won’t take that long) You can find the application, as well as a great deal of beneficial information about this program, in posts down below).

6. Realize that this forgivable loan can be for payroll (including the pastor), Rent/Mortgage Interest, Utilities, and Other (other operational expenses that your lender can help you define)

7. Gather all financial information for 2019 in order to correctly complete the financial areas of the application.

a. If you need help with your 501C3 status, go to GCFA.org for the group ruling letter under which all United Methodist Churches are covered.

8. When working on filling out the loan, under Applicant Ownership, talk with your bank as to what they want you to include. It may be a member of the leadership team – Trustees chairperson, or it may be information about the church itself. The SBA is not familiar working with churches and therefore may not understand the structure of the UMC. You might even leave this area blank until you talk with your bank and find out exactly what they want and then complete the paperwork. The same may apply to the signatures required for the application.

9. Submit the paperwork to your bank (or a bank that makes SBA loans) making sure to have them review it for completeness. (You might want to bring your paperwork and signatories when you go to the bank in case things need to be adjusted, supported, or signed).

If you are approved for a PPP forgivable loan,

1. Remember that you need to keep clear and concise records of all expenses that relate to the program.

2. It has been suggested by a lawyer with lots of church and law experience that the money be put into its own account and that money is transferred into the general fund only as the money is spent. Keep a record of each transaction from the PPP account to the general fund.

3. Having a very clear paper trail of all expenditures is essential.

ADDITIONAL CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE...$5000??

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 14:47:41 GMT

What Would It Take...$5000??

Do you have a mission dream that you would like to become a transforming ministry reality? What if you had a financial partner to invest in your idea? Wouldn’t a grant of up to $5,000 from the Foundation do just that?

Are you seeking to build partnerships with other organizations in your community? Would you and other faith communities like to come together in a regional ministry like the River Churches above? Receive “seed money” to raise additional funds in order to create over 51,000 meals for hungry neighbors in Western Massachusetts? Introduce your youth group to cultures of which they are unfamiliar? Maybe you’ve

got a unique dream for your context and now is the time to bring it to life.

Well you might want to take a closer look at the Foundation’s Grant Ministry. These Annual Grants are given to help fund strategic, vital, and creative ministries of organizations and faith communities of the New England Annual Conference. Annual Grants will be awarded in June and you’ve got until May 15, 2020 to submit a completed application.

Interested yet? Check out the details on our Grants Ministry page where you can review the guidelines and download/print the application for our Annual Grant Program. Take time to explore the other grants offered by the Foundation throughout the year. If you’ve still got questions, contact David Abbott at the Foundation.

In a season of ministry where funding new mission dreams might not be able to happen within the local faith community, why not partner with the United Methodist Foundation of New England to make your mission dreams come true?

We look forward to working with you!

THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 13:39:49 GMT

The Long and the Short of It

In the world of finance, the terms “long and short” are commonly used when talking about taking a position in the stock market. In fact, if you had shorted the market in February, you would have made a bundle. But the Shakespearian phrase has more to do with an in-depth or short version of a topic. Or as the country orator would say: “I told you that so I could tell you this.”

There is much being said and reflected on about the world pandemic. Depending on the tint in the lens I’m looking through, I’ll see the world situation colored to meet my predisposed thinking. The naturalist could say the earth is fighting back. The religious groups differ wildly, from God is teaching us a lesson and Satan is showing deathly power, to no matter what happens Jesus is with us. The political junkie monitors political leaders using statements and actions to help their party and bury the opposition. I could go on – the optimist and pessimist, the scientist and poet, the senior in High School with cancelled prom and graduation, the senior citizen feeling that a target has been placed on their back – but the long and short of it is that all of humanity is now in the same boat. And that boat is on a stormy sea. Jesus is sleeping calmly on the deck. I suspect at some point each of us will need to wake him from his rest so that we can rest in him.

Read Additional "Stewardship Reflections"

CASTING THE 2020 VISION - Pastoral Leadership Development Opportunities

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 12:44:34 GMT

CASTING THE 2020 VISION

Pastoral Leadership Development Opportunities

Now in its third year, the Foundation’s Innovate, Integrate, Elevate (IIE) pastoral leadership development program is offering additional cohort and day conference opportunities to all pastors within the New England Annual Conference.

PLEASE NOTE: In response to Covid 19, the Foundation has currently put all programming on hold. The hope, pandemic allowing, is to restore our cohorts, day conferences, and more in the fall.

Two main areas of focus for 2020 will be Integrate 1, a cohort for Cross Cultural/Cross Racial (CC/CR) appointments and a variety of programming for part-time local pastors.

I am happy to share that we’ve been enhancing and further defining the program during our first two years and are now ready to greatly expand the program beginning in 2020. If things go as planned, we hope to provide resources, support, and tools for almost 100 pastors in the next 12-months.

The goals of the IIE program are to:

deepen one’s relationship with Christ while continuing to define their personal ministry
create supportive peer networks
further enable participants to become agents of change in the New England area of God’s kingdom.

What do the current participants say about IIE? One person said they experienced, “a renewing of self and of Spirit for ministry.” They also noted that it was “refreshing to experience the quality and depth of sharing within group. [That the] thoughtfulness, sincerity, integrity of folks responding to God’s work in the world is renewing for them.” Another person noted, “To be able to learn or hear other experiences and wisdoms in a diverse way is really valuable.”

Integrate 1 will consist of up to 15 Korean pastors serving in CC/CR appointments will begin in October 2020. The cohort will address the challenge of such appointments but also contextual pastoral leadership development. It will be a place to listen and learn as well as share and be heard. Contextual challenges and innovative responses will be named, explored, and addressed during each of the six 48-hour gatherings over the next two years.

Another program beginning in October are semi-annual Day Conferences at locations across New England. Each gathering will include good worship, peer community building, and keynote addresses from leaders on current and applicable ministry challenges. Offered in the spring and fall over the next three years, each Day Conference is open to all pastors. Each will have a different focus and no time commitment, beyond the that day, is required of those attending.

Boost , the IIE program focusing on multi-vocational pastors, has been created to address technical as well as adaptive challenges for these appointments while understanding the time limitations for such individuals. The Foundation wants to resource and empower part-time/bi-vocational pastors without adding to the their already heavy time commitments.

One Boost cohort scheduled to begin in fall 2020, where people will gather on-line around clustered conversations at various times of the year.

To find out more about any of the IIE cohort programs, or to apply for a spot, you can contact Christyn Bergquist or David Abbott at the Foundation.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS - A Means of Grace

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 14:00:00 GMT

CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS - A Means of Grace

Spring is coming and churches are beginning to explore projects around their facilities that cost more than what’s in their Trustees budget. So, what is a church to do?

In the last month, I’ve received calls from a number of churches wanting to explore capital campaigns. They want to repair the roof, replace a parking lot, create more storage space, fix all the little things that have been building up over the years. The reasons are many and they can’t be ignored. The stress they create must be addressed. Anxiety about a capital campaign can come out in different ways. Concerns can be spoken or unspoken. So, what is a church to do??? What if we started by asking some vital questions?

Why do we need this capital campaign and how does it impact our ministry?

1) Knowing your “why” is essential. Why is the work essential to the present and future ministry of your faith community? I.e. we need a new roof to ensure that this space is weather tight and safe for the groups that use this facility during the week.

2) Is the work being done for God’s purpose or the congregation’s preference?

Who are you inviting to be a part of the capital campaign?

1) Giving has three pockets.

a. day to day (general budget),

b. special gifts (capital campaigns), and

c. planned gifts (intentionally planned for before or after death). People may have more in their special gifts pocket because of investments, land, or other items, than for their daily giving. You need to ask.

2) Major supporters of the general budget. Inviting them to be lead donors (making commitments before the beginning of the public phase of the campaign) with large gifts will inspire others to give. This is one of the ways they use their gifts.

3) Everyone! Give everyone, including youth, users of the facility, and widow’s mite donors the opportunity to participate. To do less is to send a message that they aren’t really a part of the family. They will choose how and if they can give.

How will this campaign help people to grow deeper in their relationship with God through Christ and the Holy Spirit?

1) It’s a means of grace. When people give to the campaign, it should be an opportunity to experience the transforming joy of giving. A capital campaign is a great time to preach, teach, and talk about the spiritual discipline of generosity.

2) It’s important to choose an applicable scripture verse/story that will guide the campaign. It is also essential that the campaign be bathed in prayer. Start praying now.

What do we need to do to share the importance of this capital campaign?

1) Stories! Tell them in worship, the newsletter, at meetings, and with the folks whom you are inviting to participate in this amazing opportunity. If you are replacing the parking lot, tell the stories of how it will provide safe entry to the facility, level ground for walking, and more.

2) Be transparent. Let the entire church know what is happening. It may raise questions or ideas that will even better serve the “why” of the campaign.

When is the best time to hold the campaign?

1) When the most people can get involved. It can be done alongside the annual finance campaign, but many consultants suggest separating the two.

2) When you have enough time to implement many of the steps listed above. Some situations require immediate action, but many can wait for the best result.

A capital campaign is not just about raising money for a project, it is inviting people to dive deeper into their faith and their response to God’s love in their lives. If you want to talk more about a capital campaign and the rich blessing it can be to your faith community, call 800-595-4347 x106 or email me.