Fish this well-stocked pool for books, videos, articles,
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publisher to use.
Story About a Man Who Collects Pearls
This is a great illustration and way to think about what you own and what gifts you have been given.
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 Illustration
Author: The Reverend Greg Rickel,
Vicar, St. James' Episcopal Church, Austin, Texas.
Posted: 9/17/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
© The Reverend Greg Rickel
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Hand in Glove
Hold up a glove.
The glove, by itself, does not pick up anything. It is limp, helpless.
Slide your hand into it.
The glove now has dexterity and power.
It has become a gifted, smart glove that can accomplish innumerable tasks.
Money is a glove through which the hand of human personality expresses itself.
The glove by itself is neither good nor bad.
The hand in the glove can take on either self-centered or self-giving characteristics.
It can either open to give or grasp in greed.
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Illustration
Author: Herb Miller
Posted: 7/11/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
© Copied with permission from Money Is/Isn't Everything by Herb Miller
© Discipleship Resources, Nashville, TN
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Be a Big Pie Person
Thinking in terms of abundance rather then scarcity.
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Illustration
Author: Tim Sanders has deep experience in cutting-edge businesses and marketing. He was the Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo! and later their Leadership Coach.
Posted: 7/9/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
© Sanders Says
by Tim Sanders
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God Is No Fool
An illustration about a man who promises everything if only... then when God gives it to him nothing happens.
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Illustration
Author: Lois Cheney
Posted: 6/17/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message - Humor
© Abingdon Press
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Baptism and Your (Job) Vocation
A great illustration of how stewardship and baptism work together. Here, Dennis Anderson tells a story of how the two helped a man he met on an airplane. It comes from his forthcoming book, Let's Begin With Chocolate.
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Illustration
Author: Dennis Anderson was formerly president of Trinity Lutheran Seminary and bishop of the Nebraska synod of the Lutheran Church in America. In his retirement he is writing, teaching and speaking.
Posted: 6/4/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
© Dennis A. Anderson
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We are Not Our Own
According to a January 15, 1989 article in the Lexington Herald-Leader, the family living in a home in West Palm Beach, Florida, told a film crew it was okay to use the front lawn as a set for an episode of "B. L. Stryker" television series.
They knew cars would be crashing violently in front of the house.
While the front yard was being blown up, the owner of the home was tipped off and called from New York demanding to know what was happening to his house.
It seems the people who were living in the house were only tenants and had no right to allow the property to be destroyed as the cameras rolled.
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Illustration
Author:
Posted: 5/28/2008
Theme: Resources
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Three Kinds of Giving
There are three kinds of giving.
The first is 'Grudge Giving'. 'Grudge Giving' says, "I suppose I have to give even though I have a hundred other obligations to meet."
The second is 'Dutiful Giving'. 'Dutiful Giving' says, "I'll do my share because that is what is expected of me."
The third is 'Thanks Giving'. 'Thanks Giving' says, "I want to give because I am grateful to God for the blessings of this life."
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Illustration
Author: Unknown
Posted: 5/28/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
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HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH
J. Paul Getty, at one time the richest man in the world, installed a pay
phone in his mansion for his friends and relatives to use. When asked
directly, "How much is enough?" he answered, "Just a little more."
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Illustration
Author: J. Paul Getty
Posted: 5/28/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
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Widow's Mite
Mark 12:38-44
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Illustration
Author: Pastor Jeff Sackett, South Santiago Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, MN
Posted: 5/28/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
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Deceitfulness of Wealth
What is the difference between a window and a mirror?
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Illustration
Author: Unknown
Posted: 5/28/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
© Sermon Illustractions
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The Wedding Ring
Here's a heart-warming illustration of the theology of abundance.
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Illustration
Author: Unknown
Posted: 3/20/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
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Three Critical Elements in Downhill Skiing
We can learn a lot about giving from the sport of downhill skiing. The trick is to keep your weight on the downhill ski and go fast enough to execute a turn.
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Illustration
Author: Earl Palmer is pastor of University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Wash.
Posted: 3/20/2008
Theme: Communicating the Message
© Earl Palmer
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Break the Giving Barrier
A stewardship letter to Beaver Lake Lutheran Church encouraging people to be faithful in the stewardship of the whole life and to be a growing generous giver.
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Illustration
Author: George Thornson a retired ELCA pastor who is currently serving as an interim pastor. He was serving Beaver Lutheran Church, Maplewood, MN when this letter was sent.
Posted: 3/20/2008
Theme: Happenings in Congregations
© George Thronson
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Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Light (7)
Time and talent commitment
The time and talent commitment piece is a four-panel, 8-1/2 x 14-inch brochure. Read below for the text of the brochure.
For more on this stewardship series, click on
Mount Olivet Stewardship
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Illustration
Author: Paul M. Youngdahl is the senior pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.
Posted: 2/28/2008
Theme: Happenings in Congregations
© Paul M. Youngdahl
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Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Light (8)
Eight pledge cards
For its annual stewardship campaign, Mount Olivet creates a set of three pledge cards for each parishioner. Each card in the set is a different color and lists the person's name and past pledge information in each of three categories: current and benevolence, Mount Olivet Retreat Center and community concern. Parishioners complete and submit the card, retaining the detachable stub for their records.
Read below for the text of each of the cards.
For more on this stewardship series, click on Mount Olivet Stewardship.
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Illustration
Author: Paul M. Youngdahl is the senior pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis.
Posted: 2/28/2008
Theme: Happenings in Congregations
© Mount Olivet Lutheran Church,
5025 Knox Ave S,
Minneapolis, MN 55419-1095
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Gifts from Heaven ... Rivers of Light (10)
Stewardship dinner reservations
On Rally Sunday, which is the first Sunday after Labor Day, and for the three Sundays before and the two after, there is a stewardship dinner reservation form inserted in the Sunday bulletin. As the weeks pass, only remaining dates are listed.
Read below for the text of the form, which was a half-sheet of paper.
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Illustration
Author: Paul M. Youngdahl is senior pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.
Posted: 2/28/2008
Theme: Happenings in Congregations
© Mount Olivet Lutheran Church,
5025 Knox Ave S,
Minneapolis, MN 55419-1095
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God Calls Us to Adventure
Adult birds know that what birds do best is fly. To get their babies to fly, the adult pushes them out of the nest.
God knows that giving ourselves to God's work, God's kingdom and to others is what we do best.
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Illustration
Author: Source unknown
Posted: 2/19/2008
Theme: Happenings in Congregations
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Living on Purpose -- Faith Mission Statement Foundations
A list of verses of Biblical faith statements.
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Illustration
Author: Various Biblical
Posted: 5/24/2006
Theme: Happenings in Congregations
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Living on Purpose -- Sample Mission Statements
Examples of mission statements from various sources.
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Illustration
Author: Numerous
Posted: 5/24/2006
Theme: Happenings in Congregations
© Compiled by St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, 17205 County Road 6, Plymouth, MN 55447 - 763-475-7128
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Greedy Monkey
This is how monkeys are captured in Southeast Asia.
In some areas of that part of the world (mostly in the rural villages),monkey meat is considered a viable food source. An easy way to catch a monkey is to tie a jar or vase with a very narrow neck out where there are monkeys.
The mouth of the vessel is just wide enough for the monkey to squeeze it's paw inside. Peanuts are placed in the container. The monkey wants the nuts, so it reaches in, grabs a fistful of peanuts but cannot withdraw its paw because of the fist it has made.
What is obvious is that all the creature has to do is let go of the fistful of peanuts and it can go free. But their stubborness in holding on to that fistful of peanuts results in a lot of monkeys winding up on the dinner table.
I wonder what we are holding on to so tightly in our lives? What do we have clenched in our fists that we are unwilling to let go?
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Illustration
Author: Unknown
Posted: 6/8/2004
Theme: Resources - Children's Books
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FAITH STATEMENTS AND GOOD SHEPHERD FACTS OF 2002
What do you do when at the end of September you are faced with the reality that the income for the year is falling significantly short of the need?
This congregation's Board of Finance chose to share their faith stories, celebrate significant accomplishments of the congregation while asking the people to respond to the need for their generosity.
They communicated this message through "temple talks" and the brochure that follows.
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Illustration
Author: Board of Finance, The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Minneapolis, MN
Posted: 11/7/2003
Theme: Happenings in Congregations
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