You have done some stewardship activity often near the end of the calendar year. Time to get more intentional and co-ordinated.
So you remember!
This giving program is based on three pillars: Inspiring, Inviting, and Thanking.
Next steps
Let’s build a Giving Team to make this happen.
A well-planned giving program helps to shape and strengthen the future ministry of your parish and the church, while providing an opportunity for parishioners to deepen their faith. And like most important ministries, giving programs are most effective when commitment and leadership are shared between the clergy and respected lay leaders.
Orientation
Recruiting leadership, setting goals, and planning implementation are good grounding for success.
Program workbook
- Getting started resources: Gathering and introducing the Giving Team
- Setting goals
Checklists
Introducing Giving Our Thanks & Praise
Let your parish know what is being planned to build support and encourage participation. Write church announcements and letters to parishioners, and use liturgy to commission the Giving Team.
Resources
- Introducing the Giving Program
- Announcing the program
- Introductory letter
- Writing a prayer
- Communications
- Download Bulletin covers (2 styles, b&w and colour)
- Print Prayer cards and Bookmarks (PDF’s for your printer)
You’ve established a Giving Team—now what? Good stewardship involves finding opportunities wherever they are, and creating new opportunities whenever possible. Reaching out to your congregation and encouraging stewardship can take many forms. Giving Our Thanks & Praise takes a multi-pronged approach based on its three key actions.
There are a few things you can do take the next steps on inspiring your congregation to give. Conveying information about the positive impact of giving can be your most powerful tool for inspiration.
⇒ Increase the detail in your Narrative Budget. Include testimonials, photos, and ideas describing what increased generosity would mean in the future ministry.
⇒ Get more people sharing their stories of generosity.
⇒ Search out opportunities in the lectionary to preach directly on giving and gratitude, no matter the season.
Resources to help
Let donors know how they can make even more of an impact. Contact them directly with thanks and details on new possibilities for giving.
⇒ Create different letters for those who are regular givers:
- Not on Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR)
- On PAR with thanks
- Those new to giving in the past year
- Those who have not yet given regularly
⇒ Invite people who regularly give to informal gatherings to hear how ministry is impacted by their donations, and invite them to prepare an Intention Card.
⇒ Invite people who give through PAR to similar gatherings to hear how ministry is impacted by their constant and generous gifts, and invite them to prepare an Intention Card.
⇒ Invite people who give through PAR to share—in writing or in person—details with the congregation on why they give monthly.
Make sure givers understand how much their efforts are appreciated! Offer thanks for their gifts and details on the positive change they are helping to create. Be timely, personal and sincere.
⇒ Contact every new donor (even visitors!) within a week of their donation.
⇒ Write personal, handwritten messages of gratitude.
Resources to help
Keep the momentum going and take giving to the next level. Videos and testimonials can help orient leaders and inspire givers to new heights of stewardship.
Sign up to the Giving Our Thanks & Praise email list to get regular tips, tricks, and help. In addition, you will receive 20 free thank-you cards just for signing up.