WHAT ELSE DO A NEED FOR A GOOD STEWARDSHIP PLAN?

 

            We’ve been discussing having a stewardship plan, which included having an Annual Goal, a Budget a/k/a Spending Plan, Ministry Spotlights, Programs and Events, Outreach opportunities, Targeted Sermon Topics, Testimonials, Creating a Team to Explore Stewardship Opportunities, and having a Marketing and Media Team. Continuing our discussion, we have:

            Incorporating Church Management Tools – use technology when it will make your life easier, i.e. business models, streamlining processes, tracking information, financial work.

            Branding – or to look at it another way – What is your church’s Why? What is your purpose? Do you have a mission, a vision? If so, do you know what it is? How are your using that to help identify what your church is called by God to be? For businesses, this could be a logo or a color or a slogan. Maybe for a church it’s a little different but identifying your purpose will help you focus your missions and ministries and being able to serve your members and others in your community and in the world.

            Live Streaming – for many of this, this was new, but became a “thing” during COVID. There was a pretty extended period of time where live streaming services, Bible studies, prayer time and conversation was the only way we stayed connected to the church and to each other. While we’re in the “Post-COVID” time, I think live streaming is still very important. There are still people who aren’t able to come to church because of their health, or their family’s health or geography. This may be their only connection to the church. Don’t take it away. For me, it’s also a way to worship with other churches and other pastors! There are multiple ways to do it, and live streaming or zoom or any other platforms can be used to deliver messages, provide extra visibility about upcoming ministries and events and promoting ways to give.

            New Membership Training – this is something that many of us don’t do very well. Some people join a church not knowing what it means to be a member. If someone has transferred from another church, they may have some ideas, but things are different from church to church. Also, if there are formerly non-churched folks joining your church, they may not even know what else is happening or what they can or should do, other than attend worship or maybe a dinner or a book study that they’ve participated in before. How seriously does your church take discipleship? Give guidance to folks. Discipleship and membership should be related but are not the same thing. Training is what to provide that guidance, but also to find out what their gifts and interests are.

            There are many ways to create a plan to move forward into the future.

            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.