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.

 

                        MORE IDEAS FOR A STEWARDSHIP PLAN?

 

            Last week we started our discussion on having a stewardship plan, which included having an Annual Goal, a Budget a/k/s Spending Plan, Ministry Spotlights, Programs and Events and Outreach opportunities. Continuing our discussion, we have:

            Targeted Sermon Topics. These topics are presented as a theme. These could be done monthly, quarterly or for special dates. Theme, targeted topics, could be on a variety of things, including participating, volunteering, tithing. Of course, Scriptures would be part of these topics. Remember, discipleship is not a one-and-done thing; it is a lifetime commitment

            Next are Testimonials, which are statements by individuals or groups about how they’ve benefited from their relationship with the church. They should talk about their belief and commitment to doing God’s work. They can be planned or spontaneous. I think this is important. People respond when they see and hear how others have responded. I know I can speak from personal experience about how moving it is to hear others that I know talk about their relationship with God.

            A stewardship plan isn’t the job of just staff or the pastor. There needs to be a Team to Explore Stewardship Opportunities. There are great minds in your congregation and community, whose insights could help you grow your ministry and give you new and different ideas that you’ve never even thought of! Business people, disciples, lovers of God are all important to be invited to be part of this team.

            Do you have a Marketing and Media Ministry team? The ability to communicate crucial information is important. And some professionals can be helpful in pictures made with a good camera, preparing documents, posting on social media, and other ways. Of course, communicating to everyone who has committed and/or given to a financial campaign, through a quarterly statement is the best way to show progress. There should also be a cover letter or something on the statement itself to communicate key points, including a message from a pastor, giving thanks for the generosity.

 

            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.

                        HAVE YOU HEARD OF A STEWARDSHIP PLAN?

 

            A stewardship plan is a detailed outline of a nonprofit organization’s processes and strategies to keep donors engaged by showing them their impact and building long-lasting relationships. This is different from an annual four or six week stewardship program. There are several components that will help you form this.

            First, is an Annual Goal. Is the goal to increase giving, or to build a new roof on the building, or something else? This goal will help you focus on what you are aiming for.

            Second, is the Budget. This is also called a Spending Plan. What kind of revenue (offerings and other financial contributions) are you anticipating? Make a list of ALL of your operational costs, including salaries and benefits, insurance, programs, etc. Costs are usually a little easier to estimate and plan for. The revenue is harder. Look back over the last five years for:

·         Overall increases and decreases in giving

·         Fluctuations in giving within each year

·         Overall increases and decreases in attendance

·         Are there months that typically have decreased giving? Increased giving?

·         What events or fundraisers brought in the most revenue?

            Third, what are the works of the church? Vanco calls them Ministry Spotlights. As a church, our focus shouldn’t be on keeping the lights on (although that can be important). What it needs to be focused on are how what you do changes lives. What are the good works that you’re doing?

            Fourth, what are your Programs and Events that contribute to revenue and to your ministry plans? Of course, most of them take financial support, but if done well, can pay for themselves and bring in revenue. Even more important, programs and events can bring in visitors, that can become members that can become disciples!

            Fifth are Outreach Opportunities. How does the church reach out into the community to help others, to demonstrate discipleship or achieve your goals and missions? These can be tutoring, feeding, housing, mission trips, and many other wages. What are your doing to reach out to others?

            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 

 

         11 WAYS TO SUPPORT STEWARDSHIP FOR YOUR CHURCH #10

 

            Finishing up the VANCO stewardship booklet on the 11 Ways to support stewardship for your church, we are discussing In-Kind Donations.

            Vanco spent much of their booklet talking about different sources of revenue, but as the last item in their booklet, they talk about finding ways to offset costs instead. Looking to your congregation and their expertise and their time could be a way to cover the cost of services that you would otherwise have to pay for. Suggestions include: (a) asking a CPA in your congregation to help with accounting; (b) volunteer receptionists and file clerks; (c ) a volunteer group that could do groundskeeping chores around the church; (d) people who might be willing to paint a room in the church.

            Any one of these items might not seem to be a big item in the church budget, but these kinds of things do add up. If we can talk about every gift being important; if we can talk about the widow’s mite which was the smallest and least valuable coin in circulation in Judea, worth about six minutes of an average daily wage (Yes, it was a small coin; yes, it wasn’t worth very much, but Jesus said “I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.” (Mark 12:43-44)), If we can talk about these things as being important, then wouldn’t “covering” a small part of the expenses of the budget also be important?

            Of course, someone volunteering their time, even professional time isn’t a tax-deductible item. Even if the volunteer can literally calculate what the value of their time would be, it isn’t something they can deduct. It wouldn’t go on their giving statement. Of course, a thank you note or letter thanking them for what they have done is important, but it’s not a deduction.

            Take the time to look around and see who is able and who might be delighted to be asked to help.

            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.

 

            11 WAYS TO SUPPORT STEWARDSHIP FOR YOUR CHURCH #9

 

            Continuing the VANCO stewardship booklet on the 11 Ways to support stewardship for your church, we are discussing Renting.

            Often, we avoid the use of the word “rent” and talk about “building use” so we can keep our non-profit status. Part of the rationale for this makes sense, but it isn’t totally complete. Of course, federal law requires tax-exempt entities to use their facilities exclusively for appropriate purposes; obviously to prevent a company from saying they’re a church to gain tax-exempt status and then run a business on the premises.

            We usually allow the church to be used by scouting troops, recovery groups and social clubs, even those are not usually exclusively for members of the church.

            You can charge for the use of your facilities, if it involves other non-profit organizations or is “within the mission of the church.” Some of these ideas could include one of the music ministers using one of the rooms to offer private voice lessons, or a local orchestra putting on a concert, or even renting out gym facilities to recreational groups. But the renter doesn’t have to be a member of the church. In this day when many people are working from home, sometimes they need a conference room or a small office to use occasionally.

            Of course, this type of income could be subject to taxation. You should check with a tax professional to make sure that this alternate source of income won’t affect your tax-exempt status.

            It may not be subject to income tax but may subject the portion of the property not used for ministry to be subject to real property taxes by the local authority. If the rental income you receive is greater than that, you’re still ahead.

            You need to make sure that renting out the property isn’t just done to make money, but to further the mission of your church. Ask yourselves: (a) what is the mission of your church? (b) how would the space being used for rental further that mission?

            If you want to get further information on this, I would strongly suggest that you consider reading the book, The Coming Revolution in Church Economics; Why Tithes and Offerings Are No Longer Enough, and What You Can Do About It by Mark Deymaz. It is information and a very good read.

Take the time to look at your assets. How can your building be an asset and not a liability?

            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.

 

          11 WAYS TO SUPPORT STEWARDSHIP FOR YOUR CHURCH #9

 

            We restarted sharing about the VANCO stewardship booklet on the 11 Ways to support stewardship for your church. This week, we are discussing Investment Capital.

            This is a little different than raising funds and having campaigns. This is a way to have your assets work for you. Much, if not all, of the monies you’re holding are monies that have been given to the church to accomplish God’s work by members and others. You need to get the most return you can. But it’s a little different than investment your own money.

            When you’re investing your own money, it’s yours, so if you decide to be a little more aggressive with investing, that is your decision. If you lost some because of an investment choice, it was your choice and only you are hurt.

            Monies that the church is holding are monies given by others. You need to be a good steward of it. The level of risk you are considering may be different than what you would consider for your own monies. There should be conversation about investing in stock and bonds (in a way that safeguards the principal as much as possible and also is invested in a way that is socially responsible). At the very least interest-bearing accounts, certificates of deposit, savings accounts, etc. Check not only with the bank that you usually use but check with other banks and see what the interest rates are that are available, and how long the funds will be tied up. As an example, you don’t want to choose a long-term certificate of deposit that will make a good interest rate, and then realize that you need to use the funds for regular budget items or for emergency situations. The interest earned will decrease if funds are pulled out early.

            If your church is holding reserves, what is their purpose? What do your members think the purpose should be? If you don’t have a finance committee, you should consider forming one to have these discussions.

            Also, not everything needs to be in the same type of account. Look at what your goals are and decide. One type of account might make sense for one goal but not for another. If something needs to be held long-term, i.e. an endowment account where you won’t touch principle; that would be different from a fund that earns some interest but gets tapped from time to time for regular budgetary needs. If you’ve started collecting some funds for a large capital improvement that you’re not going to start for a few years, a longer-term CD or other investment might make sense.

Form your teams, understand what you have and what you can do with it, and be good fiduciaries of the funds you hold.

            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.

 

         11 WAYS TO SUPPORT STEWARDSHIP FOR YOUR CHURCH #8    

 

            I have been away for many reasons from this blog but am committed to restarting. We continuing sharing about the VANCO stewardship booklet on the 11 Ways to support stewardship for your church. This week, we are discussing Capital Campaigns.

            Often capital campaigns are used as just another type of fundraiser. They are really quite different. A fundraiser has a particular purpose and is often briefer. But a church capital campaign has more long-range goals.

            It’s not just about a new roof or new windows or an addition to the building (although these are capital things). What if, instead of talking about transactions, we talked about the church’s work and its future? As an example, it’s not just about a roof, but it’s about making the building safe for children to be tutored, or for VBS for community children, or for community meals where people who don’t have “enough” are fed, or where persons growing in their discipleship? What if?

            When lives are changed, people are motivated! Of course, replacing the roof is still a “thing” that will happen, but it’s not about the building. I know I’ve quoted these lyrics in at least one prior blog:

            The church is not a building;

the church is not a steeple;

the church is not a resting place;

the church is a people. (UMH #558)

 

Have a clear vision, and a team that can present that vision! Who are the best people that can tell the story of why this capital campaign is important. In this time. In this space. For this purpose.

 

The really cool thing about capital campaigns is that they are tangible. People can see new roofs, and new buildings, and new additions, and new windows. Easy to see. Perhaps a well-run capital campaign can not only work on the physical plan but on the future of the church and the vision of what that future could look like!

 

Set a goal. Know what it needs to be and how you got there.

There will be ranges of gifts. Vanco gave an example that if your goal was to raise $100,000, if you’re able to get 3 gifts of $5,000 and 2 gifts of $2,500, you’re 20% of the way there. There’s some motivation. Of course, small gifts are also necessary.

 

Market the campaign. Be clear and professional

 

Delegate responsibilities to your team. Have the right people in the right place.

            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.