1 / 36

Cultivating Stewardship: Building Generosity in Your Church

Learn the Biblical concept of stewardship, engage in year-round generosity, and share joyful stories to fuel giving and mission alignment in your church community.

barneyl
Download Presentation

Cultivating Stewardship: Building Generosity in Your Church

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Presented to: Presbytery of Arkansas October 10, 2014

  2. Established in 1799. • A vital part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Foundation cultivates, attracts, and manages financial resources of individuals and institutions to serve Christ’s mission.

  3. The Board of Pensions … is a nonprofit corporation established by the PC(U.S.A.) to administer pension, medical, disability, and death benefits for members of the Benefits Plan, their spouses, eligible dependents and beneficiaries. The Board collects dues, invests money, as well as designs and administers the benefits programs that comprise the Benefits Plan.

  4. What is Stewardship? • Stewardship is Biblical • Stewardship is the Church’s theological antidote to the chief idols of our age: consumerism and materialism • Stewardship is the joyous discipline of thanking God by the way we live our lives and spend and share our time, talent, and treasure

  5. Stewardship is Not • A once-a-year event • Just about money • Fundraising (but we have things to learn from effective fundraising principles) • Meeting a budget • About us (as individuals or as a church)

  6. Leadership • Generosity Team • Session • Pastor

  7. Generosity Team • Chartered by Session • Represented by each committee of the church • Coordinates ALL story-telling, asks, and thanks • Works year-round

  8. Session • Charters and supports the Generosity Team • Shares their stories • Leads the way in giving

  9. Pastor • Talks about his/her own stewardship • Preaches about generosity regularly • Tells stories – excites and energizes people with what the church is doing • Invites participation in the mission

  10. Pastor - To Know or Not to Know? • Pastor as CEO/Executive Director • Time, Talent, AND Treasure • Giving is a pastoral care indicator • Knowing allows thanking

  11. Secular Fundraising Cycle Recognition Cultivation Solicitation Identification

  12. Identification - To WHOM Do We Tell Our Story? • Active Members • Members • Visitors • Partners and Beneficiaries

  13. Cultivation - WHAT Is Our Story? • What do you do well? In your church, in your community, in the world? • How are you being the hands and feet of Christ?

  14. Cultivation - WHY Do We Tell Our Story? • Connect to the strategic plan • Raise awareness about the Church • Clarify mission • Celebrate our church • Create energy about our church • Invite people to engage in our church

  15. Cultivation - WHEN Do We Tell Our Story? March October July December August September January April May June November February Recognition Cultivation Solicitation Identification

  16. Cultivation – WHERE Do We Tell Our Story? • Worship and events • One-on-one conversations • New member orientations • Church communications and publications

  17. Dessert & Dialogue Sunday School Testimonials Video Testimonials Narrative Budget Cultivation - HOW Do We Tell Our story? • Preaching • Minute for mission • During/before offering • Newsletter/E-Newsletter • Brochures • Town Hall Meetings • Vision Sunday & 6-month checkup

  18. Visioning Tool Shows the programs of the church having a positive impact Inspires and helps us see our gifts are really making a difference Help us to reframe finances to be about ministry BUDGETLine Item vs Narrative • Accounting Tool • Does not show how money is being invested • Does not show how volunteer time and talents are impacting the church • Should be used by the session

  19. Steps Toward Creating Your First Narrative Budget Define your “Ministry Areas.” Allocate staff time to each area. Allocate other resources proportionally to each area. Consider adding volunteer time to each area. Write about the successes of the past year in each area.

  20. Solicitation Invitation • Sermons • Session testimonials • Vision Sunday- Share the vision for the next year and invite people to support it • Every member visitation • Small group meetings • Fellowship Dinner

  21. Invitation- Letter/Email • Dear “NAME,” • Start with a story and connect it with the narrative budget or strategic plan and then connect with a biblical, theological, or spiritual case • Tell what our investments will do • Invite (by generational trends and past giving patterns) • Thank you for consideration, how to reply • P.S. Restate the theme • Include response vehicle and giving options

  22. Generations • GENERATION BIRTH YEAR • GI and Silent 1900-1942 • Boomer 1943-1960 • Generation X 1961-1981 • Millennials 1981+

  23. Speaking to Generations • GI and Silent: • Dedication to the church institution • Emphasis on planned giving • Encouragement to share stories and values with younger generations

  24. Speaking to Generations • Boomers: • Trust • Choice and control in giving • Stewardship education • Model sacrifice: set an example with church giving

  25. Speaking to Generations • Generation X: • Transparency • Designated giving • Opportunities for service • Online giving

  26. Speaking to Generations • Millennials • Education on the impact of generosity • Continue to observe and learn to understand their giving trends

  27. Stewardship Brochure/Website • Shorter version of Narrative budget, with Ministry Areas highlighted and maybe just a % of the budget • Ways people can give (MAKE IT EASY): • Cash • Check • Online Bill Pay • Credit/Debit Card • Bank draft • Securities

  28. Wills andPlanned Giving • Planned Giving Program • Wills Program • Legacy Society • Ministry Relations Officer

  29. Recognition - Saying Thank You • Pastor-written thank-you notes • Session-written thank-you notes • Generosity Team writes thank-you notes • Phone calls • Annual celebration • Legacy Society event

  30. Keys to Success • Be prayerful • Celebrate your church • Be visionary • Communicate • Involve everyone • Funds ministry, not fundraising • Be inviting, not threatening • Challenge your congregation

  31. Don’t • Do it by yourself – you need a team • Cut corners • Be afraid to spend some money • Use a “line item” budget • Use a “One Letter Fits All” mailing • Put financial information in the bulletin

  32. DO • Recruit and empower a Generosity Team • Tell your story • Develop a narrative budget • Invite people to be a part • Make it easy for people to give (ONLINE) • Say, “Thank you!”

  33. Resources • Books by J. Clif Christopher • Presbyterian Foundation Ministry Relations Officer • www.presbyterianfoundation.org

  34. Wrap Up • Questions • Comments • Closing Prayer

  35. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God.2 Corinthians 9:11

  36. Thank you for coming! Sherry Kenney Ministry Relations Officer Presbyterian FoundationSherry.Kenney@PresbyterianFoundation.org Kevin Keaton Regional Representative Board of PensionsKKeaton@Pensions.org

More Related