My wife is a good global citizen. She’s compassionate and well informed, makes sacrifices to her bank balance in the pursuit of justice, and is always in it for the long haul. In short, Emma’s exactly the kind of supporter that charities want.
I was sat in church about two years ago listening to a sermon about modern slavery. We were invited to think about each garment of clothing that we were wearing and ask the questions; where did it come from, who made it, what was life like for the overseas garment worker?
Alphabetical ratings have long been used in the financial sector to assess the strength of investments. AAA (better known as 'Triple A') is the highest possible rating indicating financial strength. At Stewardship, we have taken the concept of the 'Triple A' rating and applied it to churches. Here it is not a measure of financial strength but is shorthand for three attributes important for churches and church leaders to live by when it comes to handling money.
Money, sex and power. Three of the most significant and enduring dangers facing churches, church leaders and Christians. Jesus spoke extensively on all three topics with many of the New Testament letters addressing unhealthy situations caused by them. Still today, modern media feasts on churches where scandals and failures arise in these areas or where Christians seem to fall below the high standards of the gospel.
Risk is part and parcel of everyday life. The book of Acts shows the early church prepared to take risks as they embarked on the adventure which God placed before them. When driving in the dark, we don’t stop driving but we do turn on our lights to see better what is ahead; in the same way, taking risks does not mean that we just go on haphazardly or recklessly. Before being accepted, risks need to be properly assessed and managed within the overall context of the role of trustee.
“For most charities it is now a question of when, not if, they are targeted”. These are the sobering words of the Charity Commission speaking of fraud in their recent publication “Tackling Charity Fraud”. Fraud is already thought to cost the charity sector around £2.3bn per year and although thankfully, fraud is still rare in churches, it is not unheard of and at Stewardship we have come across too many for trustees to become complacent.
What was it that motivated you to go into mission in the first place? How would you describe the ‘pull’? Was it a lightbulb moment or perhaps a slowly growing sense of calling?
During the many training days we’ve run over the last decade we’ve pretty much heard it all and could probably distil it down into this ‘Top 10’
Stewardship’s Deposit Account is a gift to churches and Christian charities, with no setup charges, monthly interest and plenty of flexibility.
After 9 years at Stewardship, the last 7 leading the charity, Michael O’Neill has decided to leave his role as Chief Executive this summer to pursue a role that allows him to return his family to his native United States.
7,094. That’s the number of direct debits that Oxfam reported cancelled in the wake of the Haiti scandal. Minnie Driver and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both removed their support from the charity, and for days on end politicians and the media lined up to air their public criticism.
blogs by the Stewardship team and selected guest writers.
Stewardship is the operating name of Stewardship Services (UKET) Limited. Established in 1906.
Registered charity no. 234714, and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no. 90305.
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