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NEWS
In this issue of
Heart & Treasure, we would like to introduce Bonita Shields, our new Associate Director for Stewardship Ministries, who began on February 21, 2016.
She has served as a local church pastor, assistant editor of the
Adventist Review
and
Adventist World
magazines, assistant director of discipleship in the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department of the General Conference, and as an editor of several Sabbath School publications. Most recently, she served as editor of the
Collegiate Quarterly
for the world church.
Bonita brings with her experience in speaking and training in local churches, camp meetings, and women's retreats. Her unique perspective on stewardship will be very helpful in developing practical skills for daily living.
She enjoys reading, writing, and taking walks with her husband Roy of 31 years. She plays racquetball (when she can find a court and a willing partner), creates culinary "experiments," and, along with her very sanguine husband, enjoys opening up their home to family and friends to celebrate life together.
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Results from a comprehensive stewardship survey done in 2013 presented interesting statistics. The study indicated that 51% of the participants said that their pastors preach on stewardship only once or twice a year, and 28% responded that their pastors never preach on this topic.
Extracted from
Stewardship Motivations, p. 28
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NEWS FROM
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| Pastors attending seminars on personal finances in New Jersey. |
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THE FIELD
At the Tranquil Valley Retreat Center on December 8-9, 2015, Leonel Pottinger, Stewardship Director of the New Jersey Conference, led out a ministers' meeting that emphasized principles of personal finances for pastors. John Mathews, Stewardship Director for NAD, gave presentations on family budget, the importance of savings, how to buy a car, how to buy real estate, how to get out of debt, and how pastors can use mutual funds that have been set aside for their retirement.
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If you would like to invite Elder John Mathews or Bonita Shields to your
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RESOURCES
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2016 STEWARDSHIP CALENDAR
April Stewardship Month
April 9
Stewardship Sabbath
November 5 Stewardship Sabbath
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Stewardship Jack
'
s Corner
The Potomac Conference, under the leadership of Ana María Benzaquen,
the Hispanic Children's Ministry Coordinator, hosted a training on stewardship that was targeted to children's Sabbath School teachers.
This event took place at the Adventist Center of Evangelism and Discipleship (CEDA in Spanish) in Maryland, with an attendance of approximately 250 teachers from 72 local churches.
"It was a great success," said Benzaquen. "Teachers were introduced to materials on stewardship that they have never seen before, and they were very excited about the new resources." These new materials include Children's Church in Spanish, tithe calculators in Spanish, and the series of Jack's books that promote great teaching lessons to children. "I like the way they instructed our teachers on how to adapt this material for a VBS in our churches," said Benzaquen. "We have to teach our kids at an early age how and why we are to be faithful to God."
The teachers were also delighted to see Stewardship Jack perform some of his tricks under the direction of Janice Mathews, who is Jack's proud owner and author of the Stewardship Jack series. Freckles, the dog, was also present, and made the audience smile with a surprise entrance.
"This is the first time stewardship was included in our curriculum," said Benzaquen. "From now on it will be part of my presentations."
Mrs. Benzaquen is frequently invited to other conferences. Under her own initiative, and because of this training experience, she has decided to keep sharing stewardship with teachers.
We thank the Potomac Conference Hispanic Children's Ministries for their efforts in promoting valuable principles of fidelity.
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Ana María Benzaquen Hispanic Children's Ministry Coordinator Potomac Conference
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| Ileana Vázquez, Stewardship Jack, Janice Mathews, and Pr. Willy Benzaquen. |
| Freckles made a surprise entrance and made the audience smile. |
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For resources and more information on Stewardship Jack, visit
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MONEY AND ATTITUDES
by Vanessa Perlá
You've heard the phrase before, "God doesn't need our money, He wants our hearts." As accurate as this may be, it is also true that when we start getting too attached to money and neglect our responsibilities to God, our hearts and lives become self-centered and we slowly stray away from God.
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