Training for Parish Visiting

2 Parish Visiting  What is Giving in Grace?  Why are we visiting?  Why have I been asked to visit?  Refreshments & discussion  What happens on a visit?  What to do – and not to do!  Dealing with issues that are raised  The challenge, and blessings, to the visitor

3 What is Giving in Grace? A programme of teaching to encourage the knowledge and practice of Christian giving as an act of worship and thanksgiving The soldiers doughnuts The soldiers doughnuts

4 What’s at the heart of Giving in Grace? Differentiation!  Meets people where they are  The core  The congregation  The fringe Differentiation Discussion paper on differentiation Discussion paper on differentiation

5 Giving in Grace - what is it?  When will the programme be run? Launch date…. Closing thanksgiving service….  Why it is important for our church the case statementthe case statement  The elements of the programme Preaching- the wordPreaching- the word CommunicationCommunication PrayerPrayer LeadershipLeadership Interaction…YOU!Interaction…YOU!

6 Why is visiting so important?  We are a family of God  We need to help each other along the way  People need the opportunity to ask questions and talk things through  Why visiting matters Why visiting matters Why visiting matters

7 Not people with silver tongues  What we are looking for  People of faith  People who are good listeners  People who understand and practice Christian giving  What we are not doing:  Visiting complete strangers  Asking people to give a donation But people with hearts of gold

8 What must I do?  Make the visits in a certain period  Agree to visit 4-5 people  Arrange a convenient time to visit.  Drop off the literature prior to the visit  Allow up to an hour per visit  Be prepared to call back if so requested  Assist in completing forms – if requested  Collecting responses - usually only from those who are unable to get to church

9 Before the Visit  Make your own response pledge!  Arrange the date and time, making sure the person is aware how long the visit will be.  Give sufficient time for people to read the literature between delivering it and visiting  Read through the visitor pack so you can answer questions  Pray, decide and respond yourself!  Be prepared to talk about how you arrived at your own response to Giving in Grace and why you think its so important  Pray for them- think how they feel? Agenda for a training evening

10 Opening the Conversation  Introductions  Ask what they think about the brochure and the issues the church is trying to address  Listen attentively, try to respond to any issues and explain any misconceptions. If you don’t know the answer, make a note and ask someone who does!  Tell your personal story about why Giving in Grace matters to you  Ask if they have thought about…..

11 The visitor pack  The Visitor details form:  Name and contact details of person to be visited  Which grouping they are in: core, congregation or fringe  Brochure  Letter: the right letter for the person  Response forms: the right one

12 Issues: what is the money for?  What are the main issues for the local church identified in the brochure?  Why is Giving in Grace important to the church  What ministry and mission plans do you have?

13 Issues: the envelope scheme  It is a way of planning your giving  It helps you to ensure you don’t forget for the weeks you are away  It reinforces your place as a member of the church of God here in this place  It enables you to gift aid - if you pay tax Handling Requests for Information

14 Issues: Standing orders  Are easy and much better for the church  Are confidential  Are biblical- as you receive from God you give to Him as a first priority  Can be replaced by a small weekly pledge card on the plate if required  Enable you to gift aid if you pay tax

15 Issues: Gift Aid  For tax payers who pay sufficient tax to cover the tax bill on their annual donations  E.g. £10 per week needs an annual tax bill of £146  A gift aid form has to be signed  If you stop paying tax tell the gift aid secretary who is………  It is easy and confidential  Higher or lower rate tax payers can also gift aid.

16 Issues: pastoral concerns  Ensure you listen carefully  Seek permission to pass the issue onto the appropriate person- usually the vicar  Offer to pray about it

17 Some do’s – and don’ts  Do plan an appropriate venue for visits if home isn’t one.  Don’t make too many appointments for the one evening  Don’t get involved in argument  Do not accept monetary donations  Don’t tell them what you think they ought to do  Do not pretend to know the answers to questions when you don’t - say you’ll find out and get back to them - and do Visitor Handout sheet

18 Giving in Grace Jesus sent them out…. Will you respond to this call? Remember not silver tongues but hearts of gold, willing to give time graciously to help others to give in grace Commissioning service for visitors