tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post5049208768987373017..comments2023-11-03T05:46:44.728-04:00Comments on RevGalBlogPals: Ask the Matriarch - Stewardship in a Smaller CongregationStephanie Anthony/She Revhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10089531643725874239noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-10797435439249625422012-09-06T23:04:51.505-04:002012-09-06T23:04:51.505-04:00It IS important to be meticulous about the countin...It IS important to be meticulous about the counting and depositing. I know of one congregation that adopted strict security protocols about what happened to the offering plates after they were presented at the altar -- and they were astonished at how the "open" i.e. cash not in envelopes offering suddenly JUMPED...Crimson Ramblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13020190454645032359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-19133139292928299552012-09-06T23:02:52.491-04:002012-09-06T23:02:52.491-04:00Suzy, you've reminded me of a very small start...Suzy, you've reminded me of a very small starting-out congregation in our area, where for the first couple of years the vestry (= parish council) simply took the stack of bills every month and said, "OK, who wants electric this month, who wants natural gas, who can deal with water, ... insurance ..." and all the rest. <br />They SURE knew what everything cost.<br /><br />Crimson Ramblerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13020190454645032359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-20408539774163368942012-09-06T22:47:33.117-04:002012-09-06T22:47:33.117-04:00And going forward...please say "thank you&quo...And going forward...please say "thank you" to the people who do give their time. As someone who has given a lot of time to my congregation as well as at the regional and national level, I can testify that it is amazing what a difference that makes. And how much the lack of a "thank you" affects decisions about how my time will not be spent in the future.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-31241919310508911812012-09-06T18:44:50.346-04:002012-09-06T18:44:50.346-04:00We are stuck in the same boat as you... Young in t...We are stuck in the same boat as you... Young in the faith, very thin in the pockets. I have a half-salary. I suggested to the leadership that we look at writing a "bare bones" budget. In other words, if we cut to what keeps the lights on and the heat going, what would it look like? And then added in the "extras" which turned out to be very important. I also asked that two of the leadership (not me) count up and write the offering report for the bulletin. It takes it off my shoulders. I explained how I wanted to not look like we had so little money because of my counting/writing the deposit ticket/depositing it. And I was surprised at how seriously they take it. <br /><br />I used an "every person counts" example by handing out dominoes and asking people to bring them forward and create a "tower" of sorts. I pulled out a couple of dominoes to illustrate how much we need one another (emotionally, physically, financially). Of course the tower tumbled (that was the point) and the point was made. It is still referred to and they have asked me to do it again... this year I think we are going to use a visual as well with a large yearly calendar (the write on/wipe off kind) where they will color in a square where they will do children's ministry, or music, or whatever.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-6195475046849992622012-09-06T14:05:29.418-04:002012-09-06T14:05:29.418-04:00There are so many inspiring ideas here! Thanks ev...There are so many inspiring ideas here! Thanks everyone!<br /><br />Just to chime in for something that works for us. We make photo albums of the activities of the year and then pass them around as visual reminders of what we have accomplished together. Since people mostly take pictures at fun things, the pictures are usually very uplifting. The last page of the album is a letter from the church people inviting people to imagine all that could be possible in the year to come. Faith giving cards (as we call pledge cards here) are in an envelope in the back of the photo albums. As they are passed around, each person fills out their card and puts it in another envelope (sealed). It's kind of a very low pressure way to do that stewardship visitor thing, because each person just passes it on to the next person on the list, but they do see that others have filled out their cards. We have gotten a huge/positive response to this compared to other things we have done. Although we do ours with a direct money ask, I dont see any reason why it wouldnt work with the time/talent approach you are talking about here.Jennifer Garrison Brownellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10170014214291920971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-17280840868633682442012-09-06T12:26:34.874-04:002012-09-06T12:26:34.874-04:00I'm a tentmaker for a very small congregation,...I'm a tentmaker for a very small congregation, and we do very little that looks like a traditional stewardship campaign. Instead, we are all aware of our fixed costs, and everything we want to do above and beyond that (for example, all mission) must be financed by that small number of families. The math is easy and obvious. We are very open about our financial situation, and I am scrupulous about running every little thing through the finances, so that we reimburse for all materials, etc. Often that person being reimbursed will endorse the check right back to the church, but we have a clear record of what our ministries truly cost. We don't every say, "We need $X,000 for the year." We say, "We need propane" or "The cost of this mission is $XXX" or "The food pantry is nearly empty." The blessing in all this is that no one can believe that someone else — that mythical "somebody" — will step up. When I first came, I was very skeptical, but our level of mission funding exceeds our operational budget (which, I admit, is much easier when a full-time clergy salary is not part of the operational budget). The money doesn't go into a budget; it funds a ministry, and that feels like a big difference.<br /><br />Before every offering and in every dedication prayer, I make sure we speak of time and talents as well as tithes, offerings and gifts of thanksgiving.Suzynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-34241304972044359132012-09-06T11:30:42.471-04:002012-09-06T11:30:42.471-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738887081504655317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-58730497335969859312012-09-06T10:04:50.392-04:002012-09-06T10:04:50.392-04:00The best thing we ever did was to let go of the bu...The best thing we ever did was to let go of the budget. Oh we still have one, but the focus of stewardship is not the budget. Budgets are just a tool. Focus on the ministries and the passions of your church.Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15055697731949236599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-58577694386310947192012-09-06T09:47:26.056-04:002012-09-06T09:47:26.056-04:00Have you read Not Your Parent's Offering Plate...Have you read Not Your Parent's Offering Plate? Made me think. He suggests that pastors write thank you letters to givers. And tailor their messages to different generations. I tried that last year and got some amazing responses. <br />I believe that talking about money is necessary. Talking about time is necessary, too. But when we conflate the two, as "stewardship" we don't help people sort out either one. Two different challenges.<br />I think we're gonna go with "Enough" as our resource this year. (Adam Hamilton) pastor cindyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06913735855442001280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14710344.post-8474130041082339822012-09-06T09:44:45.131-04:002012-09-06T09:44:45.131-04:00This could have been written by me, word for word!...This could have been written by me, word for word! So, I can share where the church I serve is in the struggle. We have gotten by by the grace of God and very generous gifts of time, talents, and needed materials. This year, in preparing the budget, the Session is presenting two reports - one is a traditional budget, the other, a list of materials and gifts. Each committee will present in worship at least one of their mission goals, and ask the congregants to consider how they can help, financially, or otherwise. We hope that focusing on our goals and inviting creativity in reaching them will help us work past what has seemed a bleak fiscal reality. -Pastor KateAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com