Category Archives: Giving

Devoting Ourselves for Greater Meaning and Purpose

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The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.           ~Mitch Albom

There are those individuals we encounter in our lives that teach about the importance of philanthropy–the generosity and devoting of one’s time and resources for the betterment of humanity.  They are the individuals whose love of people shines brightly when they enter a room, attracting others to them with their personal warmth and caring presence.

Through the sharing of stories and by example, we can observe how those philanthropists are faithfully devoted to bring their best of selves–energy, time, attention, and resources–to the greater good of community.    It is essential for those of us who aspire to this way of being to watch, listen, and feel the unique dynamic at work, integrating what we learn in our interactions with others.

Greater meaning and a clearer sense of purpose comes from cultivation of compassion, love of humanity, and living a life of gratitude, generosity, and devotion to something greater than the individual.

Here are some of the things these philanthropic role models teach us:

  • Listen to the calling of your faith and deepest values, and respond by actively giving of yourself, your time, and your resources.
  • Volunteer time in the community where there is a need.
  • Be a steward of the environment.
  • Advocate for those who are oppressed.
  • Respond to those in need with compassion, generosity, and respect.

Giving Speaks Poll–Sharing the Offering Plate

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More and more congregations are sharing all or a portion of their cash or non-pledge offering received, weekly or monthly.   The offering is then given by the congregation to a cause or organization with a mission that aligns with their faith principles and values.  Many congregation leaders report that giving overall has increased, with thousands of dollars contributed to do good works in the wider community.

I have created a short poll for you to indicate your congregation’s decisions and practices around sharing offering plate contributions.  I invite you to go respond to the poll question using the online poll below.

The responses will be visible in a graph and I will share what I learn in a future blog post.   In the meantime, I am interested in any stories of how sharing in this way enhances the culture of generosity in a congregation

There is still time to respond to the “sharing the offering plate” poll on the Giving Speaks blog, if you haven’t already.  There are many congregation leaders interested in what the overall giving trends were in your congregations before, during and after the economic recession.  Did overall congregational giving go up?  Down?  Stay the same?

Thank you for your interest and participation!

For more information about sharing offering plate contributions, go to:

InterConnections Articles

http://www.uuworld.org/life/articles/2390.shtml

http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/2389.shtml

A Communion of Flowers

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May we cherish friendship as one of thy most precious gifts. May we not let awareness of another’s talents discourage
us, or sully our relationship but may we realize that, whatever we can do, great or small, the efforts of all of us are needed to do thy work in this world.                        ~Norbert Capek

Field of Lupine, Portland, Maine

 Our spring gardens, fields of wildflowers, and roadside lupines are handy reminders of the natural beauty and generosity of diversity, with all its dazzling colors, unique shapes, and ways of being.  Each a gift.

 And so it is with people.  Each person we encounter contributes something to our lives:  a unique blend of love, friendship, joy, pain, challenge, information, expectations, attention, fear, amazement, and the list goes on.   What we learn over time is that all of our relationships are precious and need careful tending  that promotes health, beauty, and generosity.

Twice in the last month, I have participated in a flower communion, a lovely celebration of the beauty of the human community, symbolized in the gift of flowers.  Each person adds a flower to a common vase, forming a colorful bouquet which is blessed by the community and natural world that created it.  At the end of the service, each person is invited to choose a flower from the bouquet as a gift and a blessing of community to carry out into the world.

Leo Buscaglia, author and motivational speaker, is quoted as saying, “The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another’s, smile at someone and receive a smile in return, are to me continual spiritual exercises.”

It is important for us to remember that we each have a gift to offer one another and our communities.  Every act of kindness, compassion, and generosity is a blessing to the world.

For more information about the history, tradition, and celebration of the Flower Communion: http://www.uua.org/worship/seasons/174534.shtml