YEAR-ROUND
STEWARDSHIP #4
I am finishing up sharing
information about year-round stewardship, as we come into the last three months
of the year.
October
- ·
This
should be the month that you should have a draft of your line-item budget. That
means you can start working on a narrative budget. I will talk about this in a
later blog. It’s a great way to tell the story of your budget without resorting
to a business-like budget that no one takes the time to read.
- ·
With
this, leadership can model the generosity that you would like folks in the pew
to follow. Leadership should spend some time this month focusing on generosity,
being intentional and challenging about it, for themselves and for others.
- ·
Have
you identified folks to talk to about planned giving? This could be a good time
to visit one or two to have that conversation.
November
- ·
This
is the month we celebrate All Saints Sunday, where we lift up the names of
those saints who have passed during the past year. It’s also a good time to recognize
memorial and other gifts “in honor of”.
What ministries will those gifts benefit? Tell those stories! Send a “thank
you” note to the family of those whose passing was recognized with memorial
gifts, or who made gifts in honor of a loved one. Include a story of the
celebration, something about the ministry being celebrated.
- ·
Mail
the pledge packet to every household. Include a cover letter, request for
prayerful consideration, return envelope and an estimate of giving or commitment
card. Include a copy of next year’s narrative budget, a step chart showing
weekly giving ranges.
- ·
Receive
commitment cards and dedicate them. The focus on Commitment Sunday should be
the financial pledge, not the prayers, presence and service that is also part
of stewardship.
December
- ·
Send
thank you letters to every pledging household.
- ·
Send
giving statements prior to the end of the year, so people can “catch up” or
make extra gifts before year-end. Remember another statement will need to be
sent in January including all the gifts made during this year. This is required
for tax purposes.
- ·
Provide
information about different ways to make gifts. Discipleship Ministries has a
bulletin/newsletter insert titled “year-end is a time for giving” that talks
about:
o
Cash
gifts
o
Giving
of appreciated property
o
Giving
and retaining income for life
o
Giving
unneeded life insurance
o
Memorial
gifts
o
Wise
tax planning
o
Expressing
faith
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