It started with an idea. Create a class for seminary students about money. Not just a course on stewardship as a church campaign, but a conversation about stewardship as a way of life. A place where seminarians could examine their own relationship with money — without guilt, shame or inadequacy. A curriculum that could help them preach it to their congregants. This spring, “Faith [Read More …]
How Much Is Enough? The Living Symbol of the Manna Jar
“This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.’” The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of [Read More …]
Faith and Money During a Pandemic
How far down the “What if?” hole have you gone in recent weeks? From the news cycle, to email lists, to social media, to neighbors and friends, the most pressing topic is the coronavirus and how it is impacting our lives. My wife helps run a community health center which provides critical medical, behavioral health, and dental support to under-resourced communities, so the virus weighs heavily [Read More …]
Sabbath economics and COVID-19
“Fear not!” the angels are recorded as saying throughout Scripture. “Fear not!” is easier said than done during a pandemic, in my opinion. To ease the fear, I find myself looking for comforts of the soul. Three things that comfort my spirit during the pandemic of 2020: The Sabbath Economy is at work everywhere People are picking up groceries for their neighbors, creating [Read More …]
Three Ways to Resist Money-Driven Fears (and Fantasies)
Let me get honest here for a minute. If I play the lottery, it throws me into days of imagining what I would do first, the wonderful places I would go, and the lovely things I would buy – so I never play. Even seeing reports of a particularly large lottery prize amount can send me into days of imaginary decisions around my newfound wealth. I don’t even need to purchase a ticket! And although the [Read More …]
Money, Faith and You: New Study Groups Begin in February 2020
Updated, 2/11/20: Registration for the February 2020 Money, Faith and You study groups is now closed. Click here to find the next scheduled session or to join the waiting the list. Is there more to life than working and buying? What does Christian faith say about managing our living, working, and spending in ways that support people and the planet? Join Faith and Money Network’s Mike [Read More …]
The generosity of Margaret Harrington
Margaret Harrington was a military brat. She also served in the government as an illustrator, a civil servant. She and her brother loved their home in Alexandria, and also their hometown, Washington DC. Margaret liked travel with friends, taking cruises and various tours. She never married. A great deal of her time was also spent as a participant in the life of the Church [Read More …]
Partners and Friends in Haiti
Because of the political turmoil in Haiti, Faith and Money Network had to cancel its summer Trip of Perspective this year. FMN travelers could have flown into Port-au-Prince, but navigating streets crammed with protestors and chaos could prevent them from getting around in the city, from meeting with the leaders there they planned to see, and even, potentially, from getting food and water. The [Read More …]
In Memoriam, Bob Hadley
On August 29, Faith and Money Network lost one of its long-time board members and board secretary, and part-time, unpaid staff, Bob Hadley. We miss him. My introduction to Bob was on a Trip of Perspective to Haiti in the mid-1990s. This was one of many such pilgrimages he led to Haiti, to India, and later with me to Palestine/Israel. He also was a marvelous presenter to many FMN retreats and [Read More …]
Money, Faith and You: A new six-week online study group
Updated, 10/14/19: Registration for this fall's Money, Faith and You study groups is now closed. Because of the strong response, we're running two groups this fall and are planning for new sessions to start in 2020. Join the waiting list here, and we'll be in touch when the next groups are scheduled. Is there more to life than working and buying? What does Christian faith say about managing [Read More …]