Last week, I talked about how to encourage generosity at the end of the year by making growing generosity a part of your teaching ministry, and teachers need to be creative. We’ve talked about getting creative by making a Christmas Wish List for your church. It’s a way to engage the people directly with the…
Make a Christmas Wish List for Your Church
We’ve talked a lot about increasing generosity at the end of the year. As we’ve posted elsewhere, the end of the year brings challenges. You’ve got this year’s budget gaps, next year’s budget planning, end-of-the-year appeal letters—it’s a lot. On top of that, Christmas is fast approaching. There are two temptations during seasons like this…
What’s on Your Christmas Wish List?
At LeaderWorks, we are all about helping church leaders do their work. To that end, we posted a new idea for helping your church give in the final month of the year: make a Christmas Wish List for your church! Still, you deserve more than a lump of coal, so take a break and write…
“The Day Beyond Christmas” (A Christmas Poem)
The Day Beyond Christmas “Hey! Good News has come here! I bring you Good News.”That’s the message I heard as I woke from my snooze.The daylight had gone, I had fallen asleep.I was cold to the bone and darkness was deep. I’m lonely at night like most young shepherd boysWith only some sticks and a…
What They Are Saying About The Incarnation
Here are a few lines from some of the wisest writers and thinkers on the Incarnation of Christ. Drink deep and believe! Hast thou not heard, that my Lord Jesus di’d? Then let me tell thee a strange storie. The God of power, as he did ride In his majestic robes of glorie, Reserv’d to…
Four Meditations for the Nine Lessons and Carols
Here is a question about the wonderful parish tradition of Lessons and Carols: Is there room for a brief homily or meditation during this service? Is there an opportunity to present the gospel from the lectern (through the nine lessons) AND through the pulpit? John Yates III thinks so. He has done so for the…
Advent: John the Baptist and Me (Part 1)
John the Baptist looms large on the horizon during Advent. Why John? Isn’t this after the birth of Christ? Why would we read this before Christmas? John’s ministry was to prepare the way for Christ, and we are doing this during Advent. You may remember the beautiful story of the baby who leaped for joy… (Note: To…
Themes of Advent
Advent is right around the corner. But what are the themes of Advent? The overarching theme of Advent derives from John the Baptist’s words: “Prepare the Way of the Lord!” What Does Advent Mean? Advent starts with an apocalyptic theme on the first Sunday. You might be wondering what the Second Coming of Christ has…
Christmas & The Holidays
In order to navigate this in our own culture, it might be helpful for us to see “the holidays” as distinct from “Christmas.”
