Your March Mission and Service Stories
APRIL 7
United Church Camps—But Make Them Year-Round!
[Photo credit: Cave Springs]
On a windy weekday morning in February, you might expect a camp to be quiet, anxiously awaiting the hustle and bustle that summertime will bring. But on the escarpment in Lincoln, ON, Cave Springs Camp is anything but quiet.
APRIL 14
Supporting a Rights-Based Approach to Growing Food
[Image credit: Christie Neufeldt]
In a rural community in El Salvador, Mission and Service partner ADES works with farmers on an agroecology project that benefits the land and water because it recycles nutrients back into the soil. It also reduces production costs, lessening the financial burden on rural farmers. APRIL 21
Building and Strengthening Community through Art  [Photo credit:Bissell Centre] Jon is one of the community members at Bissell Centre, and also Bissell’s artist in residence. Inspired by the love and support he has received, Jon wanted a way to give back. APRIL 28
Healing through Storytelling  [Photo credit: copyright (c) The Raven Collective] Bunk #7 is the true story of six boys rioting against the mistreatment and many forms of abuse they received at Edmonton Indian Residential School in St. Albert, Alberta, in the early 1960s. Written by the late Nisga’a MLA Larry Guno, the play is based on his own experience at the residential school and named for his bunk number. |
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Mission and Service Resources for EasterMarch 31 is Easter Sunday. Resources for the Easter season, along with lots of other Mission and Service material, are available on the Mission and Service in Worship webpage.
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Congregational Stewardship/Generosity
How’s It Goin’, Eh?
Such a simple question. “How are you?” We likely ask it numerous times a week, and we usually expect a standard response: “fine” or “OK.” But when we ask that question, and really mean it, and offer the gift of our time to listen to the response, we have done something incredible. We have started, or continued, a relationship. Even better, we have taken another person and their journey as seriously as we take our own. We have taken another step toward loving our neighbours as ourselves. This thing called relationship is critical. No tips and tricks, no Five Easy Steps, no silver bullet to solid stewardship will mean a thing without a good relationship. Solid relationships allow you to delve into real questions like: What matters to you? How do you understand what God is about in the world? How does your faith influence the way you live and the way you use your resources? And now you’re into stewardship! So I want to suggest to you that if you want to help deepen the stewardship of the people in your Community of Faith (and I know you do!) the best place to start is by really getting to know them, to nurture those relationships so that you can have those conversations. Create places and groups and situations where relationships are built up, where real conversation and sharing takes place, and watch what happens! So, how’s it goin’, eh? 
Rev. Dave Jagger
Community of Faith Stewardship Lead
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Called to Be the ChurchCalled to Be the Church: The Journey modules really make a difference. In each cohort, community of faith leaders rediscover how inspiring their church really is and get excited about telling their stories as they invite people to share their resources to grow in faith and make a difference in people’s lives. Come and join the movement!
Find more information and register for all these courses at CHURCHx.
Getting Started in Stewardship
Join United Church people across the country to learn some stewardship first principles.
Course fee: Free
Stewardship Best Practices
Best done AFTER Getting Started in Stewardship. Next course starts in the fall of 2024 to give you lots of time to do Getting Started in Stewardship and be ready.
Four two-week cycles of Learning Sessions and Cohort Discussion Groups interspersed with practical exercises to examine Stewardship Best Practices in order for you to set goals, create an annual stewardship plan, and get energized!
Course fee: Pay what you can. Recommended fee $100/team.
Setting Up Your Congregational Giving Program
Learn how best to utilize the Called to Be the Church Giving Program materials and develop a plan that will work for your church with two 2-hour online sessions and coaching.
Course fee: Free
Bequests and Planned Giving for Your Community of Faith
Explore how to set up and maintain a Planned Giving Program at your church, with two one-hour online sessions.
Course fee: $29.99/person
Find more information and register for all these courses at CHURCHx.
For more information on these and other stewardship supports, contact called@united-church.ca.
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Take Some PicturesWhen you are trying to inspire people about your Community of Faith – who it is and what it’s up to – pictures speak louder than words. And what better time to take some pictures than when your building is all dressed up for Easter? Special Easter events, food, and worship all make great pictures for newsletters, websites, narrative budgets, and more. Take them now so you’ll have them later.
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Stewardship Worship Resources for the Season of EasterWorship resources for Easter season: The Early Church in Eastertide & Lectionary Worship Starters 2024 are both available for downloading on the Stewardship in Worship webpage.
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Stewardship Seconds (revised for 2024)Short, pithy sayings that pack a punch, to help infiltrate stewardship thinking into your community of faith. Add them to newsletters, worship, announcements, webpages, wherever people gather! Find them at the Stewardship in Worship webpage.
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Offering Introductions and Dedication Prayers (revised for 2024) The offering time in worship is NOT about collecting money! It is about growing generous disciples and stewards. These Offering Introductions and Dedication Prayers, for each Sunday of the year, will help. Find them at the Stewardship in Worship webpage.
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Gifts with Vision: Food for the NorthGifts with Vision is making a difference in the Far North of Canada.
Inflation and global disruptions in the supply chain are increasing food prices around the world. This is concerning for many of us, but in the remote communities of the Far North, access to adequate and nourishing food was difficult even before the sharp price increases. Most staples and fresh food must be flown into these communities, adding to the prices their residents must pay.
When people have access to nutritious food, it has a positive impact on their health, mental well-being, and overall quality of life. And everyone has a right to have enough nourishing food for themselves and their families. Food for the North provides families in the Far North with grocery gift cards to help them access the food they need.
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Did you know that you can receive your tax receipts by email to speed up the process?
Choosing to receive your tax receipts by email also allows you to find them more easily at tax time. Don’t shuffle through piles of papers looking for your receipts—just check your email inbox! |
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GOD’S MISSION, OUR GIFTS is your newsletter. We want to provide news and information that you can use in your community of faith, whether you’re a minister, a board member, an administrator, a treasurer, or anyone else who wants to make a difference.
What else would you like to see? What can we do to help your community of faith get where it needs to go? Send us your thoughts! |
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Your generosity enables the United Church to love, serve, and minister in the world. Make an online donation or learn more about your options to support the work of the church. |
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