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Growing Healthy Stewards in Your Diocese – a year-round stewardship education program for parishes. Mr. Peter Misiaszek, CFRE June 6, 2014 TENS Conference Atlanta, Georgia. About Our Diocese. The Incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Toronto founded 1839 A.D.
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Growing Healthy Stewards in Your Diocese – a year-round stewardship education program for parishes Mr. Peter Misiaszek, CFRE June 6, 2014 TENS Conference Atlanta, Georgia
About Our Diocese • The Incorporated Synod of the Diocese of Toronto founded 1839 A.D. • 205 parishes covering 26,000 square kilometers stretching from Mississauga to Brighton and north to Haliburton. • Largest Anglican Diocese in Canada (by # of parishes and members) and includes the City of Toronto (population 2.5 million+) and considered to be most multicultural city in the world.
About Our Diocese • Culturally diverse congregations including: Chinese, Filipino, French, Hispanic, Japanese, Korean, Tamil. • Parishioners originate from all parts of the world including: Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, India, Middle East, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. • Diocese includes 4 episcopal areas, each with its own suffragan (assistant) bishop. • First Canadian Anglican Diocese to have a female bishop (The Rt. Rev. Victoria Matthews) and first and only Asian Bishop in Canada (The Rt. Rev. Patrick Yu).
Demographics • Overall ASA declined from 2000-2013 • Sunday attendance increased in 29% of parishes in 2013 • Number of givers has declined since 2000 –accelerated since 2009 • Offertory giving has crested at just over $32mm • Average annual gift per giver has increased every year since 2001 – stands at $1,215 • Every parish that engaged in some stewardship program increased their giving in 2013
Evolution of Stewardship Education • 1988-1990 – Faith in Action Ministry Campaign raised $18-million • Pre 2003 – No resources or staff support • 2004 – “A Plan for Stewardship Education and Development Through the Year” by David Gordon (diocese of New York) • Year-round • Intensive – lots of work • Results were not always immediate • Little variety
Evolution of Stewardship Education • 2005 – “A Program to Encourage Sacrificial Giving in Your Parish” • Six weeks in length • Encourages giving of time, talent and treasure • Increases offertory 15% in first year • Emphasis on education of congregation • Designed to be used annually • Works best in Fall • The “go-to” program in the diocese for 8 years • Used successfully by over 125 parishes
Evolution of Stewardship Education • 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 – diocesan stewardship conferences • Intensive period of volunteer identification and recruitment • Feasibility study for major fundraising campaign • 2010-2012 – Our Faith Our Hope: Reimagine Church Ministry Campaign - $41mm
Campaign engaged 180 parishes • 9,000 donors • 4 strategic objectives: • Strengthening local parishes • Building for the church of tomorrow • Revitalizing our inheritance • Giving to others
Evolution of Stewardship Education • Campaign was catalyst to begin thinking about doing stewardship education differently • Consulted the 30 most successful parishes and consolidated their ideas – we need a program that is • easy to follow and user friendly • results oriented • clear roles and responsibilities for volunteers • strong theological focus • The result… Growing Healthy Stewards
Program Overview Three unique features about Growing Healthy Stewards: • It is coached • Tried & tested • Measurable and results oriented
It is Coached • Each parish is teamed with an experienced lay volunteer • Trained as both facilitator and stewardship leader • Engages in quarterly meetings with parish teams and round-tables conversations with fellow coaches • Helps to motivate and “push through” road blocks; answer questions and identify resources • Ensures that parishes follow the program as designed • Doesn’t do the work for them
Tried and Tested • Each module has been tested in a parish environment • Components has been developed, used, critiqued and refined by clergy and volunteers in the diocese (and beyond) • >100 parishes have used some part of the program with consistent results • GHS consolidates all the parts • Is always changing – new ideas are constantly added
Measureable & Results Oriented • Use annual parish stats to help identify best practices and forecast outcomes • At its core is that each parish has capacity to become healthy, but they need a yardstick • Parishes are evaluated against 14 measureable best practices – indicate financial, congregational, ministry and leadership health • Objective to move parishes from C grade to A grade over three years
How is the program organized? • Orientation with parish leadership • Covenant • Calendar of monthly objectives • Individual parish charts • Position descriptions • Programs/Manuals • Reflections/Sermon Resources • Forms, etc.
Leadership Team • Chair • Vice Chair • Secretary • Arrangements Coordinator • Commitment Coordinator • Information Coordinator • Cleric • Coach
Personal Stewardship Audit – why? • To evaluate your own level of commitment • To better understand stewardship more deeply • To inspire leadership • To help assess what “blocks” you individually from being a more generous Christian • To help us evaluate our giftedness • To encourage us to give more of our time, talent and treasure
Why a Covenant? • Clarify the program • Outline the unique features of the program • Expectations – ours and yours • Help you understand that we take the process very seriously
GHS Annual Highlights • Meet with Coaches quarterly • Legacy Giving Sunday – February • FaithWorks/Outreach Campaign – Lent • Time and Talent Focus – April • Prepare Narrative Budget – Summer • Intentional Giving Campaign – October • Emphasize stewardship in all communications • Semi-annual assessment of progress • Regular preaching on the life of a faithful steward (at least seasonally)
14 Best Practices • Active stewardship committee • Committed clergy • Conduct annual intentional giving campaign • Get everybody engaged in some form of ministry • At least 4 stewardship sermons preached each year • Narrative Budget • Proportional Giving
14 Best Practices • Individual giving at diocesan average - $1,215 • Offertory equals 2.5% of average family income • 40% of givers use PAR • 70% of operating revenue comes from offertory • 10% of revenue goes to outreach • Engaged in new member ministry • Legacy giving promoted annually
C Grade Parish - Average • clerical enthusiasm but unsure of direction of parish • dated mission statement • some outreach • strong volunteers though in limited supply • inclined toward growth but not clear about what that means • frequently rotate the same people in leadership • static growth in congregation • would like to do stewardship but concerned about the reaction from the congregation • givings are barely sufficient to meet operations (and sometimes have to ask one of our top donors for a little Christmas gift)
A Grade Parish - Excellent • strong clerical leaders who are engaged in the life of the parish • energetic and enthusiastic volunteers • many opportunities for ministry involvement • variety in Eucharistic celebrations • clear vision statement • outreach/in reach is very important, strong support for diocesan activities • growing congregation with ministries serving diverse age groups • this is a place people want to be and feel at home • Giving is exceptional with funds invested and/or redirected to new ministry each year
St. Margaret, New Toronto, Challenges • ASA has declined 40% in 4 years • Number of givers fell 30% in 6 years • Offertory is substantial, but fewer giving more • Average gift is above diocesan average • Congregation: 33% between 46-65; 50% is >65 • FWs appears to be lost amid the other outreach taking place here • Sacred presence of the church is missing in the community
Observations • There is energy and enthusiasm. Parish reached its OFOH goal. • There is great potential for Legacy Giving. • Investment in new member ministry is key if the parish is to grow. People need to know you are here. • Need to convert new attendees to givers. • Of 70 donors, ? use PAR • If parish had the same # of donors today as in 2006, it could collect $168,064 • Fear of volunteer burn-out
Outcomes – Change is happening • Growth is happening – ASA/Easter growth in 2 successive years • Offertory increased by 14% in 2013 • Average gift is >$1,800 • PAR donors represent 34% of total donors • Did community walk – dist. 2000 flyers • Preaching, pledging and member participation is up • Legacy giving promoted • The “feel” of the place is different
What are people saying about GHS… • “Not a hard sell” – Gordon Longman, Stewardship Coach, St. Timothy, North Toronto • “Spirit of gratitude is abounding in this program” – Jim Finlay, Stewardship Chair, All Saints, Whitby • “Program consolidates stewardship essentials” Joy Packham, Stewardship Chair, St. Margaret, Barrie • “The relay doubled our commitment rate” – Eleanor Stevenson, Stewardship Coach, St. Dunstan, West Hill • “Giving, attendance and participation are all up in one year, what’s not to like” – Terry Grier, Stewardship Chair, St. Margaret, New Toronto
Ongoing parish support… • Semi-annual round-table discussion with Parish Chairs and Coaches • Semi-annual evaluation of parish progress against benchmarks • Annual review and upgrade of program as appropriate • New coaches are recruited from participating parishes • Touch-base with parishes after intensive coaching period • Annual coaches’ seminar to refresh, inspire and thank volunteers
And the Results Are… A Vibrant Faith Community