God's Mission Our Gifts: Your March Mission and Service Stories and more!

Two Years of War in Ukraine Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, sparked a humanitarian crisis and has left more than 30,000 people dead. As of January 2024, more than 3.6 million people are displaced within the country and about 6.3 million others have sought refuge abroad. After two years of war, your help is still needed to address this ongoing crisis.   Your donations are supporting the work of people like Budolai and Katya, who put their faith into action to help Ukrainian refugees arriving in their country along with the people they were originally called to serve. Your March Mission and Service Stories MARCH 3 Your Generosity Accompanies Grandmothers   [Photo credit: World Council of Churches Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy]   In the Rift Valley of Kenya, grandmothers whose children have died of AIDS are often left alone to care for their grandchildren. Some pastors there believe and teach that the disease is a judgment from God. Through Mission and Service, these grandmothers and pastors had a chance to connect and learn from each other. MARCH 10 Public, Intentional, Explicit Inclusion   [Image credit: Affirm United]   March 14 is PIE Day. In church circles it has nothing to do with math. PIE is short for “public, intentional, and explicit.” These are the standards we hold ourselves to when we seek to be affirming, welcoming, and inclusive.      MARCH 17 Social Support through Education   [Photo credit:Simon Chambers/Act Alliance]   In Sambir, Ukraine, English teacher Ilona encourages her learners to enjoy social time with one another while learning English. This class, supported by Mission and Service partner ACT Alliance, is part of a psychosocial support program for Ukrainians displaced by war.   MARCH 24 Preserving Culture through Language Revitalization     [Photo credit: Haida Gwaii Skidegate]   Take a moment to think about your favourite story. Now imagine that story being at risk of disappearing because the language it’s written in is endangered. This is something that nine Elders from Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, are passionately trying to change.   MARCH 31  An Easter Message on Education   [Photo credit: by Aaron Burden on Unsplash]   Over the past few months, we have shared stories centered on traditional and non-traditional education. Mission and Service recognizes the profound connection between the resurrection story and the transformative potential of education.  Congregational Stewardship/Generosity This is your resource to help you grow generous disciples and do God’s mission. Please modify and use these ideas in your context. This Really Works!! Each month I invite you to get involved with Called to Be the Church: The Journey. I share what each course is about, what we expect the outcomes will be, and how to sign up. Well, this month, I have three real life stories about communities of faith that took up the challenge to focus on stewardship and walk The Journey. St. Luke's United, Tantallon, Nova Scotia Did a giving program they named “Stewardship in Action” and added a number of monthly donors through PAR, and had others request offering envelopes and sign up to get involved. Siloam United, London, Ontario Took Setting Up Your Giving Program and did a Giving Program resulting in $6,000 in one-time gifts and much more from new monthly PAR donors. Minnedosa United, Minnedosa, Manitoba Took the Stewardship Best Practices course and as a result added a few stewardship pieces to their life, including a giving program. They met their goal for immediate donations, added twelve monthly donors through PAR and had NO NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. These are just three stories of many. Please, come join The Journey and have success. This really works! Rev. Dave Jagger Community of Faith Stewardship Lead Called to Be the Church Called 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. It's Annual Meeting Time At your congregation's Annual Meeting, be sure to thank your leaders for their time, their energy, and all they do. Be creative. Have fun! Give thanks! It’s also good to invite people to get involved, but keep that separate. Help them make the link between service and discipleship. It’s another way we grow in faith. Remember: People are NOT resources to be extracted in the service of your Community of Faith! More than a Tax Receipt As you send out your tax receipts to your donors this year, be sure to fill the envelope. Please include a nice thank-you letter. Include a story of what your donors helped make possible with their gifts. Include a narrative budget. Say “thank you!” And leave the invitation to be generous for another time. You can find some sample thank-you letters for you to customize in the downloads section of the Encouraging Generosity In Your Community of Faith page. Check Out the Most Recent Stewardship Blog Watch for our February blog at Round the Table by the Rev. Melody Duncanson-Hales. Use “Church Life” in the blog theme box. It will also be on the Community of Faith Stewardship webpage. Getting Ready for Easter Sunday Start planning now for how you will increase your hospitality level to be ready for the visitors and returning family you can expect. How will you be extra welcoming and accommodating for those joining for the first time online? How will you share the inspiring story of what God is doing in and through the people of your Community of Faith? 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.  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.  Get the Stewardship Support You Need The people and resources to help you succeed are here.  Did you know that you can order new Mission and Service offering envelopes for your special events? Mission and Service offering envelopes have been redesigned to reflect the hope and aid that your Mission and Service gifts provide. They can be used in any special service or event in your life where you want to make a positive impact in the world. You can find them at the United Church bookstore. The envelopes come in packages of 25 and are free to you. And shipping is free as well! 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! Donate Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn   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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