1. A Prayer for My Church
My church is composed of people like me. I help make it what it is.
It will be friendly, if I am. Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them.
It will do great work, if I work.
It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver.
It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship, if I invite and bring them.
It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, and a church with a noble spirit,
if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these same things.
Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things that I want my church to be. Amen.

2. “Using the gifts that God gives us to do the work
Stewardship is …
“Using the gifts that God gives us to do the work
God calls us to do.”

3. from The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
1. Program Overview
Three free access fall annual giving campaigns:
Wanted to offer a choice so churches could choose what works best for the context and culture of each congregation.
With both programs, we use words we hear every worship service
Connect more deeply to them
from The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia @

4. from The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
1. Program Overview
Three free access fall annual giving campaigns:
Wanted to offer a choice so churches could choose what works best for the context and culture of each congregation.
With both programs, we use words we hear every worship service
Connect more deeply to them
from The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia @

5. from The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) Login: tithe
Passwords: 4transformation
TENS: based on a Henri Nouwen book

6. 2. Table of Contents Program Overview Reflections Table of Contents
Video from Bp. Shannon w/ questions
Suggested Calendar
Pledge card with proportional giving chart
Logos with Specifications
Adult
Stationery
Children
Letters to Congregation
All charts are not equal
Introduction to Fall Campaign
Prayers of the People
Communication from the Vestry
Blessing of the Pledge Cards
Read this first! Notes on your pledge letters …
Forum Starter – Collect Fun!
Book Club Recommendations
Invitation: new pledges
Stewardship with Children
Invitation: static pledges
Evaluation
Invitation: proportional pledges
Trend analysis
Invitation: mid-year pledges
Encouragement
Year End Giving
Acknowledgement
Thank you
Number of different components

7. 3. Suggested Calendar
For leadership to organize roles and calendar

8. 4. Logos - Horizontal
Horizontal options for letterhead – or if you just like the layout better

9. 4. Logos - Vertical
Vertical

10. 4. Logos – Specifications
Colors and font specs if you want to create your own banners etc

11. 6. Letters to Congregation: Introduction
Sets context
Send at the end of summer
Discusses that “All Hearts Open” is at beginning of service

12. 6. Letters to Congregation: Intro Calendar
Hang on refrigerator – get out in front before events begin

13. 6. Pledge Letter: Proportional
Many churches use only this letter
Adds a thank you
We know neurologically that eyes go to white space, so we have set a few things apart here.

14. 6. Pledge Letter: Proportional…
+ If you reduced the hours you spend watching television by 50%, what would you do
with this time and how could it serve God?
+ If you read one more book a year, what would it be and how would the wisdom
contribute to the people who surround you?
+ If you increase your pledge to Grace by 1%,+
How much of an impact would that make on your standard of living … and how great of an impact would that make on God’s story among us?
Asks for proportional living
Let all of your ministries know about this – so that they can offer mission and ministry suggestions for what to do with extra time, extra wisdom, extra financial support

15. + If you pledged 2% of your income to Grace +
6. Pledge Letter: New
+ If you reduced the hours you spend watching television by 50%, what would you do
with this time and how could it serve God?
+ If you read one more book a year, what would it be and how would the wisdom
contribute to the people who surround you?
+ If you pledged 2% of your income to Grace +
How much of an impact would that make on your standard of living … and how great of an impact would that make on God’s story among us? …
The mission at Grace Episcopal Church calls us toward intentional generosity, to include financial commitments. Some members tithe, giving ten percent of their income to the church, some members give proportionally, committing a certain percentage to our ministries, while others give as they are able. What is important is that you open your heart to God, beginning as you are able, to support and sustain our life of ministry in God’s Kingdom.
Set at 2% because national average of charitable giving is just over
Offers formation point in next paragraph

16. 6. Pledge Letter: Static …
To be intentional, we invite you to do a few things over the several weeks. First, take a look at the proportional giving chart on your enclosed 2018 pledge card. Find your current giving level, then reflect on how it feels to know exactly what percentage of your income you give to your church.
Intentional giving

17. 6. Pledge Letter: Mid-year…
Dear Sissy and Bill,
We love witnessing how hearts are open at Grace Episcopal Church to ministries that transform lives at our church, in our local community, across Virginia, and around the globe. Over the next six weeks you will learn about many of these stories. Since your arrival in February, we have opened our hearts … sending 17 parishioners on silent retreat to the Society of St. John the Evangelist; delivering 75 flowers arrangements to new babies, community shelters, and sick parishioners through our pastoral care ministries; and preparing over 435 meals for people in Winchester without enough to eat through our food ministry.
Enclosed is your 2018 pledge card. Our invitation is open year-round for members and friends of Grace to make a financial pledge of support. In the fall our vestry …
For new parishioners and those who haven’t pledged

18. Length of your pledge letter Impact bullets Vestry commitment
A Few More Thoughts …
Length of your pledge letter
Impact bullets
Vestry commitment
Length: this letter is too long, it is repetitive, and it is too dense
This is on purpose
The trending length of an “ask” letter is 1 page
Use bullets
Use larger font
Use set-off paragraphs
Use what you redact in other communications
We wrote this letter with a focus on walking and moving
Write your focus on the momentum and context of your parish
Diversity
Responsibility
Example ministry leaders set and others follow
Many calls – All Hearts
Impact of many ministries
Pastoral care (heart broken open)
Remember, regardless of the metaphor, keep it going
Many churches now look instead at ASA – at Average MONTHLY Attendance
Remind Vestry members and other ministry leaders not to get frustrated with the repetition
Ministry Minutes in letter
Schedule ahead of time
Schedule for multi-platform communication
Use impact bullets
Use bullets for what you’ve done
Use bullets for what you will do if pledges increase (good governance)
This letter includes a vestry commitment

19. 6. Vestry Commitment
Enclosed is your 2018 pledge card. Between now and Grace’s Celebration on Sunday November 5th, consider how you might increasingly open your heart to God, to yourself and the gifts God has given you, and to others with greater intent. The vestry and other ministry leaders at Grace have already committed not to take their pledge amount from last year and simply write 2017’s figure on 2018’s pledge cards. Instead, they have each prayerfully committed, as evidenced in the vestry letter to the church, to tithe or give proportionally. Please follow their lead as you discern how God is calling you to open your heart more broadly into the generous life God gives to others through us. Join us in this commitment.
I will read the important sentence here … then we’ll talk.
The Vestry and other ministry leaders at Grace have already committed not to take their pledge amount from last year and simply write 2017’s figure on 2018’s pledge card. Instead, they have each prayerfully committed, as evidenced in the vestry letter to the church, to tithe or give proportionally. Please follow their lead.

20. 6. Vestry Communication Vestry and Leadership Communications
Sample Communication
(letter, article in newsletter, , etc.)
 Dear Nancy and Ed or Dear Grace Family,
Your vestry and clergy at Grace Episcopal Church are committed to our mission of “insert your church’s mission statement here.”
In response to this mission and how we open our hearts to God, each of us has prayerfully discerned how God is opening our lives to greater generosity. We have faithfully committed to tithe or give proportionally and have already submitted an “All Hearts Open” pledge card. Our pledges as a group have …
*increased by x.y% percent!*
We’re all in! Join us in “All Hearts Open” at Grace Episcopal Church. We’d each love to tell you about our journey at Grace, but more importantly we’d love to hear about yours!
Sample Note from Vestry
Include in packet if this is your tradition
Multi-platform – get it out everywhere you can, every way you can

21. & Proportional Giving Leadership
6. Vestry Commitment
& Proportional Giving Leadership
Plan
Communicate
Kick-off
Signage “We’re All In”
Ministry Minute
Bulletins
Video
Coffee hour
Vestry letter
Vestry statement on giving
Reference handout
Add:
Forum
Artwork (multi generational)

22. 6. Additional Letters to Congregation:
Encouragement – from Sr. Warden
Acknowledgement from Treasurer
Thank You from Clergy
Reference handout
No need to put something else in the mail

23. 7. Reflections
Sample from last year. This year’s will look similar

24. 8. Videos
“Walk in Love” material – and great content!

25. 9. Pledge Cards – Adult

26. 9. Pledge Cards – Children

27. 9. Pledge Cards
Choose your proportional giving chart carefully. They can be very different.

28. 11. Forum Fun

29. 11. Forum Fun
Use children’s artwork in creative ways.

30. 12. Stewardship with Children
Involve
Create a team to look at everything through the eyes of a child (children learn through observation)
Pray for, with, and about the growth of the children of your church. Intentionally speak about them to everyone.
Inform
Tell stories
Teach about spiritual gifts
Inspire
CELEBRATE giving
Implement
Use Envelopes
Plan special offerings that engage children
Written by former Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold
Formatted beautifully by the Texas Methodist Foundation
3 page document

31. 14. Analysis & Evaluation Section 1: What Are The Numbers?
1.  What is the total amount pledged for next year? Is this up or down? By what percentage?
2.  How many pledge cards were returned? Is this up or down from last year?
3.  How many pledge cards show an increase in giving compared to last year?
4.  How many pledge cards show a decrease in giving compared to last year?
5.  How many pledge cards stayed the same compared to last year?
etc. …
Pledge Campaign Trend Analysis
2017
2016
$ Increase / (Decrease)
% Increase / (Decrease)
Number of Pledges -
#DIV/0!
Total Amount of Pledges $ $
Mean (Average) Pledge
Median (Middle) Pledge
#NUM!
Electronic Pledge Income*
*Note: electronic pledges are a subset of total pledges, not in addition to total pledges.
These are from TENS two years ago.
I love them they way they are and didn’t want to reinvent

32. Bump Cards
Many churches are moving toward pledge cards that include bump boxes.

33. Bump Cards
Giving history letter.

34. Vibrant Mission and Ministry!
6/24/2017
Julie Simonton
800.DIOCESE x | (direct)

35. Have Fun!!!

36. Praise to you, God, for all your work among us.
Yours is the vigour in creation,
Yours is the impulse in our new discoveries.
Make us adventurous,
Yet reverent and hopeful in all we do.
~ A New Zealand Prayer Book