Your newsletter – either electronic or in print – is an excellent way for you to get your message out to your people. It, like your website, can also be a doorway to further engagement with your congregation and visitors.

It’s not an understatement: Having a good website is critical to your ministry. It is your front door.

But can we – modern-day disciples and the Church – be more like those elephants, circling to protect and defend those whose voices and bodies are literally and figuratively being crushed?

Your congregation – in spite of whatever is happening in the economy – is doing great work being the hands and feet of Jesus. This is the time to lean into that.

Frankly (and frankly, I’ll use the word now), we church-folk need to embrace any good excuse to literally get our house in order. Company, visitors, guests, and God’s beloved at Easter are excellent reasons to put our best foot forward.

Money is a spiritual issue. We can control it or we can give God control over it. “God is the owner, I am the ower.” Do we really believe that?  When we say “yes” to Jesus do we really say, “You can have my life Jesus but let me keep my wallet”?

Social proof is a way that community is built. Most of us do care what others think. We want to be part of the pack – in a good way. We want to know that there are other disciples and siblings in the faith with whom we identify.

The church is a place where we make meaning. It gives us a home base. It can bring all ages together to go forth into the world and make a difference. That Third Grade Bible can be transformational.

I admit it. Writing thank you notes gives me that hit of dopamine that keeps my spirits up. And during these times – we need to do whatever we can to bring joy to ourselves and others.
 

You may not be able to turn water into wine, but you can surprise and delight your staff, your congregation, or your donors in a lot of inexpensive and creative ways.