October 2020
"He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."
2 Corinthians 9.10
Welcome to Generosity Matters from the Generous Giving Team. In this special edition, read all about 'The Generosity Week: Harvest' resource, as together we mark the festival of harvest.
Remember, all our advice and resources can be found on the diocesan website, here.
|
|
Editor's Pick - The Generosity Week: Harvest
Harvest is a time to gather what we have, a time to thank God for all he has given us, a time to think and reflect on what God is calling us to create.
These resources and materials from the National Giving Team can be used over the course of a week during the Harvest season and throughout the autumn to encourage people to live generously - and we're really pleased that Sammi Tooze from York's Generous Giving Team has putt together many of these worship materials. Find out more in the rest of this newsletter.
|
|
|
|
Journeying through the Bible
The Generosity Week takes us through an eight day journey through the Bible, exploring generosity themes through a chronological narrative. From the gift of creation in Genesis to giving as sacrifice in the Gospels, through to expressions of generosity in truth and action - this series of Morning Prayer and podcasts helps to unpack attributes of generosity in the nature of God and our Christian lives.
|
|
Join in with Daily Morning Prayer
Our reflections of generosity are grounded in prayer, and so this series of Morning Prayer is shaped to help us to learn more of the generosity of God, and reflect on our calling as disciples to a life of service and gratitude.
- Day One: The Gift of Creation
- Day Two: God’s Faithful Provision
- Day Three: By your Side
- Day Four: Generosity of Gift
- Day Five: Giving as Sacrifice
- Day Six: Giving as Worship
- Day Seven: Sharing in Diversity
- Day Eight: Love in Truth and Action
|
|
|
|
Listen to Daily Podcasts
Journey through the Bible with a range of different contributors from across the UK, as they bring experiences from their lives that speak of the generosity of God at work in the world today.
We can use this podcast series, which uses the same scripture as the series of Morning Prayer, to give ourselves a bit of space each day to focus on generosity and how we can positively impact the world around us.
|
|
Worship Matters - Services of Gratitude and Generosity
As well as services of Morning Prayer, The Generosity Week includes Eucharists and Services of the Word to celebrate generosity and gratitude. These are great services to use on Sundays - whether you are worshipping online or in the church building - and are packed with content to give thanks for the generosity we are blessed with, and how we can use these blessings to bless others.
Take a look here!
|
|
|
|
Service Content Packs
To sit alongside the Servies of Generosity and Gratitude, The Generosity Weeks also offers Service Content Packs. Each pack contains materials and links to help you develop your own service to introduce the themes. The content has been designed with the breadth of the Church of England in mind so you can choose the materials that are appropriate for your context. This resource enables us to form services that encourage the church community to grow in their giving and generosity.
Take a look here!
|
|
Look out for Expressions of Grace: Small Group studies
One way to help embed a culture of generosity in our churches is through small groups or homegroups, which are ideal contexts to discuss and articulate particular topics, and pray and grow together towards lasting change. To help explore the biblical themes of generosity, these short sessions are designed for further reflection and conversation - to teach, encourage and pray for one another to help in growing a culture of generosity. Each session includes a short video, echoing the themes covered in Morning Prayer and podcasts, and five talking points and questions.
Available soon - look out for them here.
|
|
|
|
|
Training Opportunities
Our recent programme, Equipping Generous Churches. was a great success, with almost 300 bookings across the collection of webinars! Thank you to all those who attended and offered feedback.
Do you have a suggestion of training we might be able to offer in the coming months? Let us know! You can contact the team here.
|
|
God of grace, ever creating and restoring,
you breathe life into all things
and embrace us with an everlasting love;
help us to grow in wonder and awe,
to embody a spirit of gratitude,
and to dream generous dreams;
that, in gathering what we have,
we may graciously offer ourselves
to accomplish what you will,
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
|
|
|
|
|
