The Cultivating Generous Congregations Seminar for pastors and lay leaders offers an opportunity to explore faithful, practical, and tested ways to promoting generosity in our congregations. The seminar draws on current research, seeks guidance from the wisdom of scripture, and discusses the best practices in church-based fundraising.
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Don’t Beg – Rethinking the Stewardship Sermon
Pastors will have the opportunity to attend Rev. Andrew's Bible Study, Don’t Beg – Rethinking the Stewardship Sermon on Tuesday, October 12th at 2:00 pm Arizona/ 3:00 pm New Mexico & El Paso. This Bible Study for pastors will think through options for sermons on Stewardship for a fall pledge campaign. It will be guided by Henri Nouwen’s observation, “Fundraising is precisely the opposite of begging. Rather, we are declaring, ‘We have a vision that is amazing and exciting.’”
Read MoreCultivating Generous Congregations Seminar Starting Soon
Can fundraising be ministry? Can stewardship be spiritual?
The Cultivating Generous Congregations Seminar this fall offers an opportunity for pastors and lay leaders to explore faithful, practical, and tested ways to promoting generosity in our congregations. We will draw on current research, seek guidance from the wisdom of scripture, and discuss the best practices in church-based fundraising. Pastors and leaders participating in this program will be equipped to lead an effective stewardship campaign and, more broadly, help their congregation reclaim generosity as a spiritual practice.
Read MoreWebinar series slated to help craft communications strategy to inspire giving and engagement begins Oct. 7
Creating a communications strategy to inspire engagement and generosity is often a daunting task for faith communities. That’s why two expert communications teams are collaborating in a series of fourth quarter webinars to provide the tools that church leaders can use and adapt to their individual settings.
The Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the United Church of Christ Office of Philanthropy, Technology, Identity, and Communication (OPTIC) are joining forces to present these four webinars, with the first scheduled for Oct. 7. Providing knowledge and skills for congregational leaders in key areas of organizational and mission effectiveness and nonprofit administration, the webinar series emphasizes strategic communications for development, stewardship, and related planning, management, and leadership activities.
The free webinar series is aimed at congregational, judicatory, and UCC agency leadership, both clergy and lay.
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