11 WAYS TO SUPPORT STEWARDSHIP FOR YOUR CHURCH - PART 5

 

            We are in the fifth week sharing about the VANCO stewardship booklet on the 11 Ways to support stewardship for your church. This week, we are discussing Recurring Giving. Of course, for many of us, online giving wasn’t a “thing” until COVID, and it was one of the limited ways people could easily continue to give. Some people that gave electronically during COVID stopped doing it when they returned to worship. Recurring giving is a different want of looking at this.

Why recurring giving:

1.    It is easy to set up recurring gifts.

2.    Automatic giving helps churches and non-profits. Why? Monthly givers donate 440% more over their lifetime than one-time givers; monthly donors repeat giving a rate of 90% while the average giver only repeats their giving 46%; recurring givers make additional one-time gifts 75% more often than one-time givers

What can churches get from recurring giving:

1.    More predictable giving – it is set up to happen automatically, so forgetting a checkbook or money doesn’t affect the giving.

2.    More thoughtful giving – givers make a commitment that continues unless it is cancelled by the giver.

3.    More convenience for givers – carrying cash isn’t as much a thing anymore as it used to be, and many people don’t carry a checkbook either.

4.    Recurring giving over the summer – Whether a giver attends church during the summer, or goes on vacation, the recurring gifts still continue.

5.    Simplified giving for a virtual ministry – some of our folks watch from vacation homes or other areas; with recurring giving, they don’t have to remember to write a check or find a way to give; it’s already happening.

So promote recurring giving. Church leaders should be leading the giving! Have them talk about how easy it is, and what it means to the church. Be specific about how often a gift can happen. Explain what the giver gets from setting up recurring gifting (don’t have to remember to bring a checkbook, or mail from vacation, or “catch up” gifts after returning from vacations). The tradition of the offering plate is still important. Print up some electronic giving cards that give people a way to “put something in the plate” even though they have already taken care of their gift. Be persistent about the ask and thank people. Thank people during the offering time. Passing around the offering plate or talking about a basket in the back of the church can make recurring givers feel left out. Thank them (it’s another chance to remind others that recurring giving is a “thing”.

            If you wish more information on anything you’ve been reading about, please feel free to contact me at (315) 427-3668 or sranousacctg@twcny.rr.com or susanranous@unyumc.org.  I’d be happy to help or answer any questions.