In this Issue:

• • The Power of a Story Shelf
  • Expanded Perspective—Redirecting our Attention
  • Explore: Story Shelf Resources
  • Learn: ECRF 2025 Schedule and Scholarship

By Beth McMullen Daniel

Growing numbers of clergy are leaving ministry. Growing numbers of laity are leaving congregations. The sky is falling. We have all seen it, experienced it, heard it, expressed it, or read about it – even if our particular congregations and communities are thriving. Countless blogs, articles, and reports have raised the alarm. And countless products, programs, and people have peddled fixes.  

No one has ever accused me of being overly positive or optimistic, but as a Christian I am convinced that God loves the Church and is at work, redeeming and recreating, in this new and challenging time. So, I wonder if there are not only lessons to learn, but also opportunities to embrace, in this time of “crisis.” What is the good news here? 

About a year ago, a friend introduced me to Lake Institute’s Faithful Generosity Story Shelf, and it felt like such a gift of encouragement – maybe even an answer to prayer. Here was a collection of stories that describe good, creative, innovative, exciting, and often extraordinarily simple ways that faith communities are embracing all kinds of new opportunities that this time presents. 

This story collection highlights congregations and other religious groups who are using their assets and resources in creative ways as an expression of faithful giving. Each story is short enough to read and discuss during a committee meeting or other group gathering. Use these accessible vignettes to spark new questions, conversation, and imagination with your leaders about funds, buildings, land, and other resources in your care.  –Lake Institute on Faith & Giving 

The Story Shelf is well written and well organized, making it very readable and user-friendly. Stories are divided into four main categories: Investing for Impact, Innovative Giving, Selling/Donating Property, and Sharing Property. Of course, as in many areas of life and faith, these are not hard categorizations, and the stories often span across subject boundaries. I read articles from them all! I particularly appreciate that all kinds of congregations and faith communities are featured, each seeking to use what they uniquely have to offer to make a difference in the world through their particular context.   

The Power of a Story 

Storytelling is a powerful tool. At its best, it grabs our attention, allows us to find threads of connection, and inspires us to make changes and take action. The Story Shelf does all these things… and more. It is clear that these stories are not simply feel-good accounts of what other people are doing in various places, but rather are offered as an encouragement, even a catalyst, to start thinking differently about how we evaluate, appreciate, and use our own assets and resources in new and maybe unconventional ways.  Reflecting this goal, there are two free discussion guides for groups to download, both of which prompt imagination and discernment – and help us refrain from seeing the endeavors described as “how to” manuals.  

I immediately shared the Story Shelf with several different people in my congregation: 

• The very first person I shared it with was our Director for Mission, who is always exploring and discerning new ways to be “a love letter” to our particular time and place – paying careful attention to its unique contextual needs, not just to our church’s “great ideas!”  

• I suggested it as a resource to a colleague who pursues creative ways to use our resources and impact our community, by partnering with others who are already working for the greater good “out there.”   

• I recommended it to those on our staff and in our community who appreciate good writing and powerful storytelling.   

An Unlikely Audience 

But perhaps most surprisingly (and meaningfully), I used the Story Shelf with a class of older adults that I teach every month. Why?   

• Because they sometimes struggle with the changes they see in both church and culture…  
• They worry that they can no longer be the difference-makers they once were, either as individuals or as a congregation…  
• They fear that the faith community they love is dwindling, irrelevant, unwanted, unneeded, unappreciated…  

And engaging the Story Shelf challenged that narrative and sparked conversation and imagination about what might be possible.   

One example was a story of how a church chili cook-off became a beloved community-wide event held in the church parking lot. Our context does not lend itself to copy that model, but we had great discussions about bringing people together around food, people’s need and desire for community, and the ways that even the likes of a parking lot is a valuable resource that can be used to express faithful generosity. The exercise reminded them that the things that they are able and willing to do – no matter how seemingly small and “ordinary” – make a significant difference. The group even realized that they had stories and examples worth sharing.   

The Faithful Generosity Story Shelf is a valuable resource and an effective tool that serves to: 

• Lift our eyes to see beyond our own congregation and ministry 
• Show what good storytelling looks like 
• Foster creative ways of using what we already have 
• Encourage with some good news!  

I hope and trust that there will be many more stories of faithful generosity for the Story Shelf to highlight as we learn from and encourage one another. 

Beth McMullen Daniel was born and raised in the coal-mining valleys of South Wales. She received a Bachelor of Science from the European Business Management School at the University of Wales, Swansea. Beth intended to live and teach in Japan for a year before pursuing her MBA in Wales. But God had a different plan. She met and married her American husband, Thomas, and after two years in Japan, she moved to Atlanta, GA. While there, she earned Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Columbia Theological Seminary.

Beth has served as a Director of Christian Education, Associate Pastor for Discipleship, Co-Founder and Co-Pastor of a new church development, and currently as the Parish Associate at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX. Beth also serves on staff of The Ministry Collaborative. She’s led many retreats, courses, and classes—particularly for women’s groups—and has taught both Greek and Hebrew. 

She and Thomas have two daughters, Miriam Grace and Hannah Joy. Beth enjoys time with her family, traveling, and watching Welsh rugby. She drinks too much British tea and knows the lyrics (and the dance moves) to most 80s songs.