1 Chronicles 29 10 17 10 Then David

1 Chronicles 29: 10 -17 10 Then David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly; David said: ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, for ever and ever. 11 Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.

14 ‘But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to make this freewill-offering? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 For we are aliens and transients before you, as were all our ancestors; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. 16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand is all your own. 17 I know, my God, that you search the heart, and take pleasure in uprightness; in the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.

Talking about money when you are asking for some. Annual Special Endowment Capital

Special Appeals • Requests of members to make a one-time gift to a ministry of or beyond the congregation • Technically designated giving • Mission of the Month • Can enhance regular giving

Designated Giving/Capital Appeals • • New Construction/Renovation Debt Reduction Congregational Mission/Staff Expansion Once-in-a-while appeals • The importance of clarity regarding purpose of the appeal • The importance of broad buy-in • Regular appeals • Dealing with donor fatigue • Is giving to the appeal really just givers splitting their regular giving or are you actually getting “other money” (from accumulated assets, for example)?

Endowments (usually from Estates) • Principle never spent, earnings spent • Promotion of the Endowment • Governance Documents • Draw them up before any money is given • Prevent endowment income from damaging regular giving – Often 1/3 mission beyond congregation, 1/3 mission within congregation, 1/3 building maintenance, etc. • Minimize power and control issues by board of directors – Term limits, report to congregation council

“Top Ten Things I Would Do Now” Overview from Not Your Parent’s Offering Plate

Top 10 Things • Pray, Study and Get My Act Together First • • Discern Your Stewardship Theology Live It • Build A High Expectation Culture • • High Expectations for Membership Expectations for spiritual disciplines: tithing, regular attendance, service beyond the self • Weekly (Regular)Testimonies

Top 10 Things • Regular, On-going Christian Financial Planning Classes • Preach Directly On Money Four Times per Year • Target Market Your Correspondence • Spend More Time with Major Donors • Write Thank You Notes every Week

Top 10 Things • Review Individual Giving Once a Month • Never Send Out a Line-Item Budget • • You need one, but develop a narrative or program budget to accompany the line-item budget. Find ways to tell the story of ministry and let your budget be a tool to help do that.

Stewardship is More than a Season

Nine Stewardship Ideas 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any Preach faith and finances Evaluate/Plan your annual response program Tell your congregation’s story to your congregation Develop a plan for thanking Offer a personal financial wellness resource Expand your “ways of giving” Talk about stewardship year-round Talk about stewardship with children, youth and families

#1 - Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any “Here is what we say through our stewardship practices: 10% belongs to God; the rest belongs to you. Give that 10% to the church, which will use it for God’s purposes. The other 90%? Do whatever you want with it. ” - Rolf Jacobson

Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any

Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any

Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any

What are some helpful steps forward? • Name that this is what you are doing, then don’t dare ask for any • Sermons • Adult education opportunities – “Holding a Money and Values Conversation” • • Fearless Feasts Read and discuss – “Enough” by Adam Hamilton “Mind Your Money” at sharesavespend. com Money Autobiography

#2 -Preach Faith and Finances • When the assigned text invites a sermon on faith and finances, seize the opportunity boldly • How about a sermon series on generous people in the bible?

#3 – Conduct an Excellent Annual Response Program The key is to start early, develop a plan and work the plan.

#3 – Evaluate your Annual Response Program • • What are the numbers? How did it feel? What will you do the same next year? What will you do differently next year?

#3 – Plan Your Annual Response Program • Stretch yourself – Consider how you might target your ask to specific members or groups of members.

#4 – Plan to Tell Your Congregation’s Story to Your Congregation • Develop a month by month plan for the next year • The need to tell something many times using different media before the message is heard • The knowledge gap between leaders and others • Tell as you thank • Tie your telling to your mission • “Because of you…” • “Look what you’ve done now…”

#4 – Plan to Tell Your Congregation’s Story to Your Congregation • Tell the local story • Tell the story of designated giving • Tell the story of Mission Support

#5 – Develop a Plan for Thanking Lessons from Luther Seminary (and many other non-profits) – How Luther Seminary thanks donors – How much of this is transferable? – What are the possibilities of giver targeted thanking? – What are the dangers of giver targeted thanking?

Develop a Plan for Thanking General ways of thanking – With reports of giving – In worship – In newsletters

Develop a Plan for Thanking Specific ways of thanking – Pastor intentionally thanks before/after worship – Pastor writes five thank you letters per week – Congregational thanker(s)

Develop a Plan for Thanking • Think of as many occasions as possible that people give to your congregation • Develop a plan for how you will respond to each occasion – Regular giving by members – Regular giving by non-members – First time gift – One-time gift by member or friend – Memorial gift by member – Memorial gift by non-member – Don’t forget estimates of giving

Develop a Plan for Thanking Stretch yourself – To thank effectively, a pastor must know what people give. • Do you want to know what people give? – If so, how will this knowledge used to further the ministry of the congregation? – If not, why not?

#6 – Offer a Personal Financial Wellness Resource There are lots of options: • • • “Enough” by Adam Hamilton – book with discussion Financial Peace University – Dave Ramsey Good Sense Movement – Willow Creek Share Save Spend resources – Nathan Dungan More than Money Matters - Thrivent

#7 – Expand Your Ways of Giving • Assess how people can give to your congregation, • Ask how they would like to give to your congregation, • Implement at least one new way of giving

Expand Your Ways of Giving • Check/Cash in offering plate or by mail • Designated gift • Stock gift • Endowment gift • Automatic Transfer • Credit/Debit Card/Giving Kiosk • Online Giving through your website • Text Giving

#8 – Talk about stewardship year-round • Stewardship isn’t a season • Stewardship is a way of life. It is a mindset, a culture, and a practice that can never be contained in an annual three-week campaign. • Year-round stewardship is intentionally holistic.

Stewards of God’s Love

Stewards of God’s Love Congregational Community Annual Response God’s Abundance Justice Local Community Global Community OUT DOWN IN God’s Grace Story Creation Talents Time Money Stuff

What might year-round stewardship look like in your congregation? • Bi-Annual Plan – Annual Response Program – Another emphasis (time, talent, earth, etc. ) • Quarterly Plan – Annual Response Program – 3 other seasonal stewardship themes • Monthly Plan – 1 stewardship theme for each month

#9 – Talk about stewardship with children, youth and families • Invite children to give in tangible ways – Easter Lutheran Church – The Big Give • Create family-friendly stewardship events and classes – Generosity Project – Money Sanity Solutions by Nathan Dungan

#9 – Talk about stewardship with children, youth and families • Teach them about giving and stewardship in tangible ways – Big Charity Check-A-Thon – Feed My Starving Children • Tell them how their gifts are making a difference • Invite them to be involved in the “ask, thank and tell”

Nine Stewardship Ideas 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Talk about money when you aren’t asking for any Preach faith and finances Evaluate/Plan your annual response program Tell your congregation’s story to your congregation Develop a plan for thanking Offer a personal financial wellness resource Expand your “ways of giving” Talk about stewardship year-round Talk about stewardship with children, youth and families