Many churches offer “come & go events” in spring. Lots of them! Easter breakfast. Mother’s Day teas and Father’s Day donut gatherings after services. Graduation and Confirmation receptions. Sunday school staff meet & greets.
Honoring members in this way is a good idea. But how could you step the value up from merely good to great, [...]
By Jane Fryar
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Posted in Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Graduation, Lent/Preparing for Easter, Ministry, Visitors
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Tagged assimilation, Encouragement, Father's Day gift, Graduation, Mother's Day, Sunday School, Volunteers|
January 22, 2010 – 12:46 am
You may know several young men like Sam. He grew up far from where he now lives. He moved into your neighborhood after college, looking for a job and for other opportunities, opportunities unavailable back home.
Now he’s arrived on the doorstep of your church. You are strangers to him, and he’s a stranger to you, [...]
By Bobbi Dunn
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Posted in Christian Worker, Church Volunteers, Encouragement, Encouraging Volunteers, Men's Ministry, Ministry, Women's Ministry
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Tagged Christian, encouraging, legacy, mentor, Volunteers, young adults|
January 18, 2010 – 9:03 am
We are now several weeks into the New Year, and I find myself reflecting on New Year’s resolutions and another new year in my own life.
Here in Minnesota, it can be hard to think of January as a time of new beginnings. We are in the heart of winter; everything is covered with snow and [...]
December 15, 2009 – 12:06 am
Christmas is everywhere. How many times this week do you think you’ve heard or shared the greeting “Merry Christmas”? At the very least, you’v probably hummed a few cheery fa-la-la-lala’s. Bells have jingled across the country for several weeks now, as Christians everywhere sing “Joy to the World.” Carolers remind us that “it’s the most [...]
By Tim Wesemann
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Posted in Christian Worker, Christmas, Devotions, Encouragement, Free Resources, Men's Ministry, Ministry, Sermon Ideas, Women's Ministry
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Tagged Christian, Christmas, devotion, Encouragement, men's ministry, Pastoral Ministry, Women's Ministry|
November 16, 2009 – 10:24 am
As we approach that one special day of the year we’ve intentionally set aside to reflect on our blessings, I am reminding myself to take some time to count all of mine. This is not always an easy thing to do.
It’s so easy to look around at other people and envy the things that they have: I [...]
November 10, 2009 – 10:07 am
Happy Thanksgiving Day!
But wait! What about the month? What about a Happy Thanksgiving month?!
I’ve always enjoyed sharing Thanksgiving Day at church and with my family. But this year, I’ve decided to observe a personal thanksgiving month. I want to take some time and effort to say thanks to people who have been a such blessing [...]
November 4, 2009 – 11:02 am
Have you ever felt awkward about talking with a friend who has lost a loved one? We all probably have. The good news for us as Christians is that Jesus is the master when it comes to directing our steps. He encourages us to get ourselves out of the way and reach out to the [...]
November 3, 2009 – 8:20 am
How empty life would feel if we could not remember!
The happy lick of a puppy’s tongue.
That week we spent in bed with chicken pox at age seven.
The tottering gait of our child’s first step.
The splendor of a path cut through a yellow, orange, green, brown forest.
The agony of sacrifice that backlights, as it were, our [...]
Pay Your Blessings Forward
Our culture has a term—“Pay it forward! ” The idea is that we don’t expect people we help to pay us back. Instead, we hope they will remember our kindness and help someone else.
It’s not a new idea. In fact, our heavenly Father has always encouraged his people to “pay it forward.” We don’t pay [...]