Slide 1 Essential Annual Commitment Program Strategies Tom Gossen Executive Director, TENS

I’m New to Stewardship Part 3 Essential Annual Commitment Program Strategies Part 4 Building Relationships: A Key Ingredient in Stewardship Growth Part 1 God’s Story ··· † ··· Our Story Connecting the Dots Part 2 Leadership’s Role: Creating a Climate That Inspires Generosity

Slide 3 “… all learning and action must begin with the question why?” Aristotle

Slide 4 Our Christian faith puts giving at the central point in our relationship with God. Our Christian faith puts giving at the central point in our relationship with God. The biblical story is about giving, receiving, using, and giving back, and the indisputable giver is always God. God gives. God’s followers give. The biblical story is about giving, receiving, using, and giving back, and the indisputable giver is always God. God gives. God’s followers give.

Slide 5 We give because we have been graced God has given each of us time, potential, and opportunities so that our lives can fulfill a purpose, and at the same time, strengthen the work of Christ. God has given each of us time, potential, and opportunities so that our lives can fulfill a purpose, and at the same time, strengthen the work of Christ. God’s giving is not determined by our giving. God’s giving is not determined by our giving.

Slide 6 We give because we have been graced God is the continual giver who waits for our responses to those gifts. God is the continual giver who waits for our responses to those gifts. When we fail to teach the people who worship with us the principles of Christian giving we frustrate them. When we fail to teach the people who worship with us the principles of Christian giving we frustrate them.

Slide 7 When to Teach About Giving? Giving, as a principle of our faith, should be taught and re-taught at every age.

Slide 8 When to Teach About Giving? All Who Seek Membership All Who Seek Membership Prior to and Throughout Commitment Programs Prior to and Throughout Commitment Programs Sermons Sermons At the Offertory At the Offertory Monthly & Quarterly Reports Monthly & Quarterly Reports Parish Communications Parish Communications Reports to Vestry Reports to Vestry Pastoral Visits Pastoral Visits See Questions as Opportunities to Teach See Questions as Opportunities to Teach Economic Crisis Economic Crisis

Slide 9 Remember! Faith and commitment cannot thrive when understood and presented in terms of problems that must be overcome and needs that must be met.

Slide 10 Financially Healthy Congregations Balance between stewardship techniques and fundraising strategies Balance between stewardship techniques and fundraising strategies Recognition that money is a symbol of our value system Recognition that money is a symbol of our value system Openness to discuss money within the life of the congregation Openness to discuss money within the life of the congregation Affirmation of our status as “gifted” people. Affirmation of our status as “gifted” people. Regular two-way communication between the leadership and the membership regarding financial information Regular two-way communication between the leadership and the membership regarding financial information

Slide 11 Financially Healthy Congregations Systematic challenges to grow in giving appropriate for each member. Systematic challenges to grow in giving appropriate for each member. Regular opportunities for additional giving. Regular opportunities for additional giving. Both operating and capital funding invite gifts from donor income and capital. Both operating and capital funding invite gifts from donor income and capital. Planned giving is encouraged and a support system is in place. Planned giving is encouraged and a support system is in place. People appreciate giving opportunities as opportunities rather than burdens. People appreciate giving opportunities as opportunities rather than burdens.

Slide 12 Transformation vs. Transaction Licensed for use by TENS

Slide 13 The Financial Response Objective: To give every member the opportunity to intentionally and consciously respond to the love and grace of God through their giving to and through the ministries of their congregation.

Slide 14 The Financial Response Strategy: At least once a year, every member of the congregation is to be contacted, made aware of the various ministries and opportunities within the congregation, and challenged to decide upon his or her participation. The method by which contact will be made is selected each year. The response includes the opportunity to make financial commitments (or estimates of giving).

Slide 15 Remember! Success is not solely dependent on the response method chosen. The response method is just one part of an integrated effort which involves careful planning, a meaningful and challenging Vision for Ministry, and well- executed programs of stewardship education and ministry interpretation. A solid emphasis of year-round Christian stewardship education will enhance your success in the annual Response Program.

Slide 16 Initial Planning What program are we ready for? What program are we ready for? What do we want to achieve? What do we want to achieve? Schedule considerations Schedule considerations Theme Theme Education components Education components (adults, youth and children)

Slide 17 Resource Needs Database access/use Database access/use Demographic targets Demographic targets Staffing requirements Staffing requirements Mentor/consultant requirements Mentor/consultant requirements Budget Budget

Slide 18 Clergy & Vestry Roles Licensed for use by TENS

Slide 19 Clergy & Vestry Roles New or revised Vestry Stewardship Statement? New or revised Vestry Stewardship Statement? Personal visits or notes? Personal visits or notes? Approval of plan and budget Approval of plan and budget Advance pledges and reporting? Advance pledges and reporting?

Slide 20 Recruiting and Training Leadership Select the right persons for the job Select the right persons for the job Recruit!!! DON’T ask for volunteers Recruit!!! DON’T ask for volunteers Written job descriptions Written job descriptions

Slide 21 Mailings Stationery Stationery –Letters –Invitations & response cards –Thank you notes –Pledge cards How many, from whom and when? How many, from whom and when? Customizing by demographics? Customizing by demographics? Personalized Personalized Individualized Individualized Postage Postage

Slide 22 Witness Voices How many and who? How many and who? How do we recruit them? How do we recruit them? What do we want them to say? What do we want them to say? Written or verbal? Both? Written or verbal? Both?

Slide 23 Theme Materials Vision for mission / ministry Vision for mission / ministry Poster(s) / recognition wall Poster(s) / recognition wall Stationery for letters Stationery for letters Thank you cards / letters Thank you cards / letters Invitations Invitations Response cards Response cards Decorations Decorations

Slide 24 Meal Events Best time of day Best time of day One time or multiple? One time or multiple? Format (content) Format (content) Length Length Catered? Catered? Music? Music? Keynoter selection criteria Keynoter selection criteria

Slide 25 Ingathering Sunday Date (? All Saint’s Sunday?) Date (? All Saint’s Sunday?) Format Format

Slide 26 Saying Thank You █ How? (Personal Notes, list in publication, billboard, etc.) █ When? █ Who authors? █ Content?

Slide 27 Follow-Through When to begin? When to begin? What (letters, calls, visits, other)? What (letters, calls, visits, other)? Who does it? Who does it? To whom? To whom? For how long? For how long?

Slide 28 Then What???? Reward those who worked Reward those who worked Nurture those who don’t pledge Nurture those who don’t pledge Newcomer incorporation Newcomer incorporation Envelope systems Envelope systems

Slide 29 Available From TENS Summary of these programs is included in your handout material

Slide 30 Available From TENS (catalogue p. 18)

Slide 31 This popular stewardship financial response method takes place during worship. It is a stewardship program for congregations of all sizes, rural or urban, and speaks from a spiritual rather than a fund-raising perspective. Abingdon Press, 2002, ISBN: , $9.00 New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program Guest Leader Guide by Herb Miller, Abingdon Press, 2002, ISBN , $ New Consecration Sunday is based on a biblical/spiritual theology of the need of the giver to give for his or her own spiritual benefit rather than on the need of the church to receive. Directed toward raising the level of stewardship rather than toward raising the church budget, its no-gimmick approach focuses on the question, "What is God calling me to do?" rather than on the question, "What does the church need in order to pay its bills?" New Consecration Sunday by Herb Miller

Slide 32 Resources on Flash Drive 1.Bible Study – Personal Response Approach 2.“Teaching Christians to Give” by Hilbert J. Berger from Vol. 2 of Abingdon Guide to Funding Ministry 3.Five Popular Annual Commitment Programs 4.Three Easy Steps to Compute Your Pledge 5.The Official Stewardship Panic Kit 6.Outline of a Pledge Program Using Mailings and Witnesses

Slide 33 Further Discussion

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