It all depends on how you see it
Dear Friends of Invested Faith,
Coming off of this Memorial Day weekend it seems a good time to pause to give some thought to legacy: that is, what we leave behind for those who come after us.
We’re thinking this week about people who made the ultimate sacrifice for what they believed in, and their memory should inspire all of us to thoughtfully consider what we will leave behind us.
As supporters of Invested Faith, you already know that this fund is a legacy opportunity for individuals, and especially institutions at the end of their institutional lifecycles, a way to send their witness forward and continue to support those who are carrying the values we hold most dear into a future world that will be made better by their work. Watch this space soon for stories of social entrepreneurs whose efforts have captured our imagination and whose work YOU are supporting.
In the meantime, I’m so pleased to tell you about a book to which I’ve had the honor of contributing. Below you’ll find a short article about the chapter I wrote about Invested Faith in Crisis and Care: Meditations on Faith and Philanthropy. If you’re someone thinking about the future of faith institutions and what it means to give money away, you need to get your hands on a copy of this book.
Thank you for investing in a future you cannot yet see. Your legacy will change lives far beyond your own, and what better way is there to live in this world?
P.S. We have now begun granting unrestricted funds to social entrepreneurs. This is so unusual in the world of new ideas, and it is an unexpected “shot in the arm” for those who are working, often tirelessly, and without immediate results. We want these world changers to keep at it, and your gifts help us help them. Please consider a tax deductible contribution to support the work of Invested Faith. Your gifts are making the work of world changers a reality!
The Invested Faith Team At Work
Watch for big announcements coming soon!
Invested Faith In the News
"It all depends on how you see it."
The ice cream may have been the tipping point, but it was a family trip with small children to Mount Rushmore that epitomized a shift in perspective.
In her insightful chapter in the soon-to-be-released Crisis and Care: Meditations on Faith and Philanthropy, Dr. Butler encourages us all to take a new look at how we see things. With an unflinching look at current statistics on falling church attendance and fading religious affiliation, Butler offers an alternative paradigm– that of changing our perspective to find innovation and possibility rather than decline and loss. Out of that shift in thinking came the seeds for Invested Faith.
Excerpt from Crisis and Care: Meditations on Faith and Philanthropy
Edited by Dustin D. Benac and Erin Weber-Johnson
From Chapter 12: Shifting How We See by Dr. Amy Butler
"Congregations still hold a compelling moral vision for doing good: the vision of the gospel and a holy imagination of a world restored. However, instead of being bold and courageous with these tremendous resources—both theological and financial—too many congregations are preoccupied with the narrative of decline and have defaulted to this theology of scarcity.
By contrast, seeing the world with a biblical theology of abundance is like sitting on the edge of your seat and holding your breath with anticipation for what God is planning next. Looking at the world with a lens of abundance means always allowing the possibility for new winds of God’s spirit. It is the belief that there is enough for everyone to thrive. It is not a belief that all our congregations have enough resources to sustain themselves but that, through abundance, we are able to both innovate and give away to our neighbors. And people of faith who see the world this way walk through life with hands and hearts open, working to love our neighbors generously and to view the stranger with open curiosity and the hope of relationship. A theology of abundance allows us to live, not with a fear of death, but rather boldly and with resurrection hope..."
"In the course of my work as a pastor and national faith leader, I`ve noticed two increasing trends: the diminishment of common expressions of congregational life, leading to their subsequent closings, and the rising trend of young church leaders striking out to create “church” in unconventional ways that often do not involve pews and pipe organs. I wondered: where is the generative place in which these two growing realities might meet? This is the impetus of Invested Faith."
Preorder Crisis and Care: Meditations on Faith and Philanthropy here:
https://wipfandstock.com/9781725297890/crisis-and-care/
published by Wipf and Stock Publishers Available July 1.
“It all depends on how you see it. In this moment of perceived scarcity, is it possible that God invites us to take risks that align with an alternative economy?
Changing our perspective is the first step to embracing the brave new world in which we find ourselves. It also is an act of faith: summoning the courage to follow God’s Spirit into the tremendous future that God surely hopes for us all.”Rev. Dr. Amy Butler
from Crisis and Care
Watch these stories of faith-based innovative leaders!
Last month, we congratulated Invested Faith Advisor De'Amon Harges on being a recipient of the Tom Locke Innovative Leadership Award. Now you can watch the inspiring award ceremony online. It's worth taking the time to listen to the powerful stories of these faith-based innovative leaders.
Watch the Tom Locke Innovative Leader Awards here.
Each of us has a responsibility to work together to create real change in the world. Every month, we will be suggesting one small act that each of us could take to create change in our own sphere of life and influence.
Words matter.
This month, pay attention to the language you use to refer to other people. Make sure your language is person-centered and inclusive. Gently confront a friend or family member when they use non-inclusive language.
Spread the word! Help us build our audience by using your social media presence and word of mouth to tell others about this important work. Join us on Facebook and LInkedIn.
Support the ongoing development of Invested Faith through a tax-deductible gift. Click here to support our work.
Grant a social entrepreneur. If you’d like your gift to go directly to someone working innovatively to reimagine the faith community, your tax-deductible gift of $5000.00 can make that happen.
