It’s been a few weeks since my last post on Out of Ur, so I wanted to take a moment to update you on some of what’s been going on. First, travel season has resumed. By Thanksgiving, I’ll have spoken in fifteen churches in eight states this fall. I enjoy the opportunity to get to…
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The Donor’s Bill of Rights
The Association of Fundraising Professionals has developed a Donor’s Bill of Rights as an ethical standard for not for profit organization fundraisers who solicit gifts. Does your church or favorite charity employ these standards?
The Maui Wildfires
One of the churches I have the privilege of working with is Hope Chapel, located in Maui. I was able to communicate this week with them, and yes, the need is great. Here is an excerpt from an email I received from Jim Franks who serves as the Church’s Executive Pastor: There are many ways…
Vote!
We have a form of absentee voting in Iowa that allows registered voters to vote early in person. Due to my extensive travel schedule I took time this week to vote at our county Auditor’s office. As I waited for my wife to finish casting her ballot I spoke with a volunteer election official who…
Three Times We Should Pray (James 5:13-18)
Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the…
Patience and Endurance (James 5:7-12)
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. Don’t grumble about…
A Bit of a New Look
Thanks for your patience with last week’s posts from the Out of Ur newsletter. My website was in need of some much needed maintenance so a lot of energy went into working on the site’s infrastructure this week. You’ll notice that there’s a new look, which is a transition step to what I hope to…
MLK Jr’s Volunteer Commitment Card
I was unaware that Martin Luther King, Jr., required every volunteer to sign the following commitment card: I HEREBY PLEDGE MYSELF–MY PERSON AND MY BODY–TO THE NONVIOLENT MOVEMENT. THEREFORE I WILL KEEP THE FOLLOWING TEN COMMANDMENTS. MEDITATE daily on the teachings and life of Jesus. REMEMBER always that the nonviolent movement in Birmingham seeks justice…
Tips on Officiating Your Child’s Wedding
Over the course of 36 years of ministry I’ve performed a lot of wedding ceremonies. Scores of them. The first one I did was for a high school friend at the mature age of 21. Since then I’ve seen a lot, from traditional ceremonies in churches with white dresses and black tuxedos to cowboy themed…
My New (Ad)Venture
As I’ve previously stated here on my blog site, I stepped out of pastoral ministry last August, concluding 36 years of work in the local church. Today I’m pleased to share with you that I have accepted a new position with Mortar Stone where I will serve as Generosity Ministry Partner with churches across America….