Here’sYourStewardship‘Toolkit’forFebruary2018!Rev.RobBlezard,AssistanttotheBishop

LowerSusquehannaSynodrblezard@lss-elca.org

Good,thoughtful,consistentcommunication,educationandactionwillhelpdevelopahealthycultureofstewardshipandgenerosityinyourcongregation.Thiskitisdesignedtohelpgetyouthere!Here’swhatyou’llfindbelow:-StewardshipSnippets:Puta“StewardshipSnippet”everyweekinyourSundaybulletin!It’saquotefromtheweek’sRevisedCommonLectionarylessons,followedbyabriefreflection.Justcutandpaste!-NewsletterArticles:Publishsomethinginyournewslettereverymonthonmoneyandfaith,orpostitonyourwebsite.Keepyourpeoplethinkingaboutstewardship.Justcutandpaste!-LinkstoResources:You’llfindlinkstoresourcesontheWeb:

-The“thinkit”resource–Somethingthoughtfulandinsightfultogetyourmindturningandyoursoulfiredup.Shareitwithyourleadership,oruseitforatempletalk.-The“teachit”resource–Yourfolksoughttoprayerfullyandfaithfullywrestlewithsomeofstewardship’sbiblical,theologicalanddiscipleshipissues.-The“doit”resource–Talk,astheysay,ischeap,soputyourstewardshipeffortsintoaction.-The“preachit”resource–CheckouttheweeklyLectionaryReflectionwrittenbyLowerSusquehannaSynodpastorandsynodstaffpersonSharronBlezard.

-GeneralResourceWebsites:–Theseareplacesyoucangoforgreatideas!

StewardshipSnippetsCopyandpasteintoyourbulletin!Source:RobBlezard

StewardshipSnippetFebruary4,2018FifthSundayaftertheEpiphany,YearB)Isaiah40:31--“ThosewhowaitfortheLORDshallrenewtheirstrength,theyshallmountupwithwingslikeeagles,theyshallrunandnotbeweary,theyshallwalkandnotfaint.”Godentrustsustobegoodstewardsofallwehave,butespeciallyourstrength,ourvision,ourcourage,ourlife-energy.Andinusingthesegifts,wearenotalone.IsaiahremindsusthatGodrenewsus,fillsuswithpowerandfocus.Howdoyou“wait”forGod’srenewal?

StewardshipSnippetFebruary11,2018(TransfigurationSunday,YearB)2Corinthians4:6–-ForitistheGodwhosaid,"Letlightshineoutofdarkness,"whohasshoneinourheartstogivethelightoftheknowledgeofthegloryofGodinthefaceofJesusChrist.

Whendofeeldim,moreindarknessthaninlight?Everyonedoesonceinawhile.HereweareremindedthatGod’seternallightalwaysshinesinourhearts.AsstewardsofthemysteriesofGod,inprayerandfaithwedrawclosetothelight.

StewardshipSnippetFebruary18,2018(1stSundayinLent,YearB)Psalm25:4-5–Makemetoknowyourways,OLORD;teachmeyourpaths.Leadmeinyourtruth,andteachme,foryouaretheGodofmysalvation;foryouIwaitalldaylong.Assteward-disciplesofGod,howdowekeepourlivesfocusedandontrack?OnlywithGod’shelp.DailyweprayfortheAlmightytoteachus,guideus,leadus,correctus.Howdoyou“wait”forGod?

StewardshipSnippetFebruary25,2018(2ndSundayinLent,YearB)Exodus20:8-11–Rememberthesabbathday,andkeepitholy.Sixdaysyoushalllaboranddoallyourwork.ButtheseventhdayisasabbathtotheLORDyourGod;youshallnotdoanywork–you,yoursonoryourdaughter,yourmaleorfemaleslave,yourlivestock,orthealienresidentinyourtowns.ForinsixdaystheLORDmadeheavenandearth,thesea,andallthatisinthem,butrestedtheseventhday;thereforetheLORDblessedthesabbathdayandconsecratedit.Takeonedayoffperweek–God’sorders!GodspendsFOURversestotellustokeepthesabbathdayholy.It’sthatimportant!Holystewardshipofourlivesmeanswetaketimetorefrainfromwork.Sochillout!It’sliterallyasinnotto!

NewsletterarticleJustcopyandpasteintoyournewsletter!Pleaseincludethecopyrightnotice.Reprintpermissiongrantedforlocalcongregationaluse.Otherusespleaseinquire:rblezard@lss-elca.org.Source:RobBlezard,LowerSusquehannaSynodStewardship101

AshWednesdaystewardship“Rememberthatyouaredust,andtodustyoushallreturn.”-EvangelicalLutheranWorship,p.254

WiththeseancientwordsfromGenesis3:19andtheswipeofadirtythumbacrossourforeheads,AshWednesdaypropelsusintotheseasonofLentwiththepropercontexttounderstandourlivesasstewardsoftherichesthatGodentruststous.

TheessentialteachingofAshWednesday–thatwearejustmortals,afterall–crushesourego,dispelsourpretentionsanddrivesusdeepintoGod’smysteries.Whyarewehere?Whatareourlivesallabout?What’sreallyimportant?Prayoverthesequestionsandprofoundinsightsemerge.

Wearedust.Yes,butweareGod’sdust.Ourbodyconsistsoftrillionsofatoms,eachoneaspeckof“dust”createdbyofGod,billionsofyearsago.Godputustogetherfromtheverystuffoftheuniverse.

• Therefore,wearequiteliterally“earthy”beings,madeofthesamematerialasair,water,soilandstone.Partofcreation,notseparatefromit,weworktopreserveandsustainthehealthofGod’screationforallpeopleandfuturegenerations.

• Therefore,wehavereverenceforourbodies,expressedthroughhealthyliving–eatingright,exercising,andavoidingillegaldrugsandotherpoisons.

Wearebreath.Weare“dust,”certainly,butnotonlydust.Genesis2:7describesusas“dust”intowhichGodhas“breathedtheHolybreathoflife.”OurlifeisthebreathofGodinourdust.

• Therefore,everybreathwetakeisholy.EverybreathisaprayerthatwhispersGod’spraiseandremindsusofGod’slifeforceinus.

• Therefore,welooktoGodtoalignourlivesandourselveswithGod’sholyrealitythatarcstowardsGod’spurposesofpeace,love,joy,justiceandtruth.

Ourtimeisbrief.Betweenthetimethatthe“dust”ofourlivescomestogethertoformusandwhenitreturnstotheearth,wehaveafinitenumberofminutesonearth.

• Therefore,everyhour,everysecondissacred.Thereisnotasinglemomentonetowaste.Wespendourtimewisely,carefully,prayerfully.

• Therefore,wedonotclingtoourpossessions,knowingthatwedon’treally“own”anything,butonlyholdontoitforalittlewhile.

• Therefore,wenourishourliveswithworldtreasuresofrealandlastingvalue–friendships,trust,love,joy,service,generosityandharmony.

ThisLentspendtimeinprayer,withopennessandhonesty.SeehowGodwillturnyourheartandmind,transformingyouintothepersonyouwerecreatedtobe.ReflecteachdayonAshWednesday.“Rememberyouaredust,andtodustyoushallreturn.”

--Rob Blezard Copyright©2018,Rev.RobertBlezard.Reprintedbypermission.PastorBlezardservesasanassistanttothebishopoftheLowerSusquehannaSynodandalsoworksascontenteditorforwww.stewardshipoflife.org.

LinkstoresourcesThe“thinkit”resourceMartinLuther’sPastoralTeachingsonMoney:Sure,MartinLuthershookthe16thcenturychurchwithhisinsightsaboutjustificationbygracethroughfaith,butdidyouknowhehadsomedownrightpropheticobservationsonwealth?Moneyisadeeplyspiritualmatter,Luthersays,thatrevealsandchallengesustoloveGodandneighbor.ThisarticleinLutherSeminary’s“Word&World”explainsitwell.The“teachit”resource

TheMeaningoftheSabbath:Helpyourpeopleunderstandwhatitmeanstolivein“God’stime.”InourcultureSundayshavebecomejustlikeourbusyweekendSaturday,soit’simportanttorememberthatkeepingtheSabbathdayholyisnotjustagoodtipforyourmentalandphysicalhealth,it’sacommandment—oneoftheBigTen!Makeitapartofyour2018ChristianeducationplantoteachaboutyourfaithfulpeopleabouttheSabbath.ThisarticlefromBible.orghasgreatinformationfromwhichtocraftalessonplan.The“doit”resourceStewardsofGod’sLove:Thisisagreatcomprehensiveresourceforcongregationstoliftupthespiritualaspectsofstewardshipandgivingthroughouttheyear.TheELCApublishedthe58-pageguideandinsertsin2013,andithasprovenquiteahit.AvailableforfreePDFdownload.The“preachit”resourceWeeklyLectionaryStewardshipReflection–SharronBlezard,LowerSusquehannaSynodassistanttothebishopandpastor,takesalookatstewardshipimplicationsintheweek’sRevisedCommonLectionarylessons.

GeneralStewardshipResourceWebsitesStewardshipofLifeInstitute–HeadquarteredatUnitedLutheranSeminary,thissitehasatroveofresourcesonstewardshipinareasofcongregationalfinance,individualfinance,discipleship,education,preaching,creationcare,andmore.CenterforStewardLeadership–LutherSeminary’sexcellentwebsitewithlotsofresources.TheELCAFoundationhasresourcesatitswebsite,aswellasconsultantswhocanmeetwithyourcongregationalleaderstodevelopideasandplansforlong-termfinancialstability.LowerSusquehannaSynodStewardship–You’llfindaselectedgroupofgreatresources.

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