By Laura Stephens-Reed It’s that time again! Many congregations launch stewardship campaigns in the fall to coincide with budgeting for the following fiscal year. Talking about money can be awkward for pastors because the largest portion of most church budgets is devoted to personnel costs. This is not a bad thing, by the way. Staff … Continue reading
By Jennifer Colosimo In Tullahoma, Tennessee, it can cost a pretty penny to clean clothes. As a community one-quarter of whom live below the poverty line, it’s often a chore families skip or save up for, sometimes choosing between groceries or clean clothes for the month. One small group out of King’s Cross Church in … Continue reading
By Kelly Rhodes Adams If I had a dollar for every time in the last seven months I’ve been asked, “What’s the ‘Clergy Support Ecosystem?” I’d call Shauw Chin Chapps, CBF Foundation President/CBF Chief Development Officer, to make an endowed gift. CBF has three primary ways of supporting clergy: Fellows, Peer Learning Groups and the Thriving … Continue reading
We live in a highly polarized time. You’ve probably heard it a thousand times, knowing we often discuss it on the Podcast. It is easy in our given times not to pull our heads above the mess to see that we have been here before. In other words, there have been other catalytic moments in … Continue reading
By Jennifer Colosimo The story of First Baptist Church of Abilene starts more than 100 years ago. Founded in 1881, its long history of sending people out into the world to share God’s love, plant new churches and be God’s presence is still exercised today. They’ve put their name on the map as a haven … Continue reading
By Scarlette Jasper Scarlette Jasper is a CBF field personnel serving in Southern Kentucky. She works with Together for Hope, CBF’s rural poverty initiative. “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance … Continue reading
Pastoral counselor Michon McCorkle encourages clients to see themselves as God does to recover from mental and emotional stress. By Kristen Thomason America is in the middle of a mental health crisis and, thankfully, pastoral counselor Michon McCorkle is there to help. “Over the last few years, Americans have dealt with polarizing political beliefs, social … Continue reading
During this year’s General Assembly, we hosted over twenty inverviews. This week, we are featuring our conversation with: Subscribe or Livestream CBF’s podcast shares stories from across the Fellowship and innovative practices of those working to renew God’s world. The vision is to share ideas, stories, and innovations from ministers, authors, and practitioners. Join this … Continue reading
By Rick Burnette Rick and his wife Ellen are CBF field personnel in Florida. They founded Cultivate Abundance in Immokalee in 2017. “There are few places in America more beloved than the Blue Ridge, rising like an ancient Great Wall across a third of the breadth of the nation. It has the burnished beauty of … Continue reading
By Grayson Hester To care for mothers is to care for humanity. Michelle Norman and Elisabet Roca do their work in this sacred “Magnificat” tradition of Mary, mother of God. “We started a program called Mamáventura,” explained Michelle. “It’s a ministry to immigrant moms and their children.” Stationed in Catalonia, Spain, CBF field personnel Michelle … Continue reading