Generosity

1. Generosity Discovering joy

3. Karen Plater, Associate Secretary for Stewardship & Planned Giving

4. Stygwaerden

5. the person taking care of the pig sty

7. Economos(Greek word) • The economos knew the economia of the owner, the over-all plan for the estate; the owner’s deepest intentions and greatest hopes • Stewardship invite us to live out the will of God, as revealed in the Scriptures and especially in Jesus

8. Stewardship is a spiritual discipline Stewardship is not about giving to a budget but responding to the call of God in our lives with all our gifts – time, treasure, talent.

9. There are 2,530 passages in the Bible dealing with money and material possessions - but it’s the least talked about subject in the church.Brian Sluth, Christian Stewardship Association

10. God’s Grace We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia. II Corinthians 8:1

11. charis grace charisto I thank

12. When charis comes from God to us, Bible translators call it grace. When charis goes from us to God, translators call it gratitude.

13. God gives us grace. We give God gratitude.

14. Giving and Receiving are so closely related that you can use the same word for both

15. The Joy of Generosity II Corinthians 9:7

16. Any size For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has – not according to what one does not have. II Corinthians 8:12

17. Thinking of financial generosity as a spiritual practice redirects our attention from the church’s need to receive and toward the individual’s need to give.

18. Tithing Tithing is the practice of giving 10% of one’s income for sacred purposes. The Old Testament writings include many commands to the people to present a tithe of their produce to the Lord.

19. Tithing Principals • Intentional • Proportional • Off the top

20. New Testament In the New Testament, tithing is never commanded of God’s people. Jesus himself condemned tithing when it led to self-righteousness • Matthew 23:23 • Luke 11:42 • Luke 18:12

21. New Testament Zaccheus gave more than half of his savings away after he had been touched by Jesus’ love (Luke 19:8) Early Christians went far beyond tithing when they gave everything they owned to the church to be used for the common good (c.f. Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-25).

22. Stewards of God’s Grace Written by Herb & Shirley Gale The New Testament writers do not lay down any laws about giving, but challenge us to learn to give with the same whole-hearted generosity that we see in Jesus. Add a footer

23. Notes on tithing • It’s way more than most Christians give • Makes a wonderful goal for people learning to give • Makes an excellent baseline for mature givers Add a footer

24. Inspire Ask Thank

25. Inspire • Donors don’t give their money TO your ministry • they give THROUGH your ministry to touch the lives of other people & to do God’s work

26. Inspire • As Stewards, we need to be sure the gifts are accomplishing God’s Mission • We need to share the stories of what God is doing with the gifts

27. Inspire • What do you love about your congregation/ministry? • What is your greatest hope for your congregation/ministry?

28. Growing Generous Givers It’s about PEOPLE!

32. Story Telling • Who • What • Where • Why • When • How

33. Motivation (from Dr. Callahan, Stewards by Design)

34. Compassion Community Hope Challenge Reasonability Commitment

35. Use numbers • $70 each week provides Christian Education material for our children • $15 provides a hot meal for our Out of the Cold Ministry for one person • $3000 will repaint our Sunday School • $700 will send a youth to Canada Youth

36. Use numbers • # of people attending/reached • # of hours invested • $ given

37. A Narrative Budget • Combines allocated costs, ministry descriptions, and future plans • It’s meaningful, motivating, and inspiring • Helps you talk about the impact you are having

39. When you give $100 • $30 goes to meaningful and vibrant worship • $15 supports care for people in our community • $10 encourages and equips our children • $7 supports evangelism program • $12 allows pastoral care • $8 supports our youth • $8 supports mission programs • $10 is for Administration

40. Case for support • Annual/Operating Fund • vision of the organization, impact, trust, transparency • Spontaneous Gifts, Special Projects, Major gifts & Capital Campaign • – inspired by specific case, impact • Bequests/Legacy Gifts • - long-term impact, long term vision, viability

41. Many ways to ASK • Offering Plate • Monthly donors (PAR) • Letters • Conversations • Online giving • Special offerings • Campaigns • Fundraising events – must be FUN

42. Teach stewardship to children • Involve children/youth in the offering • Give them offering envelopes • Involve them in the congregation’s stewardship program • Involve them in ways where they can share their time, abilities and money

43. Orient new members • Invite discussions of faith and money • Teach about the spiritual discipline of giving • Be clear about the impact of financial gifts • Provide offering envelopes/PAR program

44. Develop Our Giving Family Leaders informal, formal __ Friends, Family __ Mission Project Persons __ Community Persons __ Persons Served in Mission __ Constituents __ Members __

45. A word about online ‘visibility’ The new front door of the church is https://

46. St. Andrew’s Picton • We are too small to “do it all ourselves” • In this era, it’s all about making connections • We have raised thousands of dollars for our projects from outside of the congregation • $30,000 to start Ten Thousand Villages • $50,000 to date for Reaching for Rainbows

47. Community Partnerships

48. St. Andrew’s Picton • We are too small to “do it all ourselves” • In this era, it’s all about making connections • We have raised thousands of dollars for our projects from outside of the congregation

49. Creating a circle of friends!

50. Community Partnerships $30,000 to start Ten Thousand Villages