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Your July Mission & Service Stories
JULY 3
Rising Above Tragedy to Transform Lives
[Photo credit: Asian Rural Institute]
Sailove, a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, is one of the Asian Rural Institute’s most recent graduates. With skills she developed at the agricultural school, she plans to initiate community cooperatives to pass on the skills she learned–skills developed with help from your support through Mission & Service.
JULY 10
Every Gift Is a Story of Generosity
[Photo credit: Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay]
Behind every act of generosity, there’s a story. But this note included in a cheque sent by Rock Lake Pastoral Charge in Manitoba is especially delightful.
JULY 17
Supporting Refugees and Migrants in Morocco
[Photo credit: Église Évangélique Au Maroc ]
In the last two years, the number of refugees and asylum seekers in Morocco has more than doubled. Today, the country is both a transit and host country with 19,620 refugee and asylum seekers. Many attempt to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, seeking a better life in Europe. Some make the 14km trip; others don’t. Here’s how Mission & Service is helping.
JULY 24
Every Child Has a Right to Learn: Meshack’s Story
[Photo credit: The United Church of Canada ]
School fees, violence, child labour and discrimination prevent children from going to and staying in school. The Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children supported through your Mission & Service gifts brings together child rights organizations to share information about child protection and safeguarding and to support children who are in schools.
JULY 31
Gifts with Vision at Work in Ukraine
[Photo credit: ACT Alliance]
“We are grateful for any kind of help, as the people of Kharkiv have been suffering from this serious humanitarian crisis for many weeks now,” says Sergei Babin, a volunteer who is helping deliver food and hygiene packages supported through Gifts with Vision to Ukrainian refugees. Thank you for your generous support!
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Mission & Service Certificates to Be Delivered This Summer
Every day, we help transform lives through Mission & Service—and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for your support!
Your certificate of thanks, as well as copies of the 2021 Mission & Service report, will be arriving in the mail this summer. Please highlight them in your community of faith and celebrate the generosity of your people.
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Help Support Ukrainian Refugees
[Photo credit: Antti Yrjonen/FCA]
More than 6,000,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes for safety in neighbouring countries since the devastating invasion began. Many refugees are struggling to meet basic needs while grieving the loss of family, friends, and home. You can help.
For just $25, you can give a hygiene package with items like toothpaste, laundry detergent and disinfectant. For $38, a food basket of staples. For $40, a hygiene package and incontinence products.
All of these gifts go directly to support Ukrainian refugees through our Mission & Service partner ACT Alliance. Please make a gift today.
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Congregational Stewardship/Generosity
This is your resource to help you grow generous disciples and gather the resources you need to transform yourselves, your community, and your world to be closer to God. Please modify and use these ideas in your context.
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And the Winners Are…
Congratulations to the 36 community of faith learning teams across Canada that completed either the Stewardship Best Practices module or the Congregational Giving Program module of Called to Be the Church: The Journey this spring!! You are amazing!
Now, with ongoing support from our Stewardship Support staff, they embark on the real journey: making a difference in their community of faith and beyond!
"This is an excellent way of gathering open minded folk to learn, explore and devise new methods of Stewardship in your Church. The course inspires new energy!” -participant Kay Mountford of Westminster United Church, Mississauga, ON
New cohorts for the Stewardship Best Practices module start October 24. Start gathering your learning team now and don’t miss out! Find the details here. Registration will open in the fall.
New cohorts for the Congregational Giving Program module start in January 2023. Find the details here. Registration will open in the fall.
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Without Them, I Wouldn’t Be Here
[Photo credit: Kerstin Reimer from Pixabay]
Rev. Roger Janes connects the dots between the legacy left by others and his own journey to ministry. What will your legacy be? Read the whole story here.
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Looking Ahead to Autumn
Even if you aren’t doing a fall Congregational Giving Program, here are three things you can do this autumn to encourage generosity and grow stewardship in your community of faith.
- Preach ONE sermon that links giving and generosity to following the Way of Jesus.
The point here is not “give more,” but that giving is a normal part of faith-filled living. How did Jesus give? How does giving set you free from greed? How does giving build your faith?
- Invite ONE person to share “why they give.”
During worship before the offering, in a newsletter, or on your YouTube channel or website, ask one person from your community of faith to share their brief story of why they give. What does it feel like to give generously? How does generosity connect to their faith? Why would they invite other people to try it?
- Have a conversation with your Council/Board.
Share the “Discipleship Flower” with your leadership group and talk about what your community of faith does to grow each of the petals into a balanced community of faith.
Image available in “Downloads” section of this page.
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Free Worship Materials for Every Week of the Year
Newly Updated for July-December
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!
- Offering Introductions & Dedication Prayers
The offering time in worship is NOT about collecting money! It is about growing generous disciples and stewards. These Introductions and Dedication Prayers, for each Sunday of the year, will help.
Find it all at “Related Material” on the lower section of the Stewardship in Worship webpage.
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Suggestions for Summer Reading
[Photo credit: ToniaD on Pixabay.com]
I Like Giving, by Brad Formsma
Practical ideas and inspiring true stories of real generosity. A fun read!
Generosity, Stewardship and Abundance, by Lovett H. Weems Jr. and Ann A. Michel
Church finance, stewardship, discipleship, this book has it all. A solid text for any community of faith to build their finances and financial stewardship around. A little information dense at times, but not a difficult read.
Bounty: Ten Ways to Increase Giving at Your Church, by Kristine Miller and Scott McKenzie
"Bounty explores the single most critical aspect of giving - the spiritual one. Authors Kristine Miller and Scott McKenzie offer ten steps that are immediately doable in any church setting and clear instruction for pastors and laity on how to lead others to grow in generosity." (from back cover)
You can also find more great stewardship reading in the Stewardship Collection at the United Church Bookstore.
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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!
Fill out your Mission & Service goal-setting form online! |
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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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