Good stewardship begins with the family, and here is a new resource for
people and congregations to explore, honor and support families of all sizes
and types. Includes free flyers, tips and study guides available for PDF
download.
Click here
for Valuing Families.
Prepared by the
National Council of Churches USA.
(6/13/05)
How do we get our money to God?
This Powerpoint presentation is ideal for Lutheran pastors struggling
to explain the interrelationship between local giving and congregational,
synod and churchwide budgets. It can easily be tailored to meet the needs of
other denominations.
Click here
for How we get our money to God. Made
available through the
Association of Lutheran Resource Centers.
Look pastor, no checks!
This
helpful article looks at the experiences that four churches have had with
electronic giving. From their stories, you can decide whether e-giving is
right for your congregation and how to avoid some pitfalls.
Click here for "Look pastor, no
checks!"
Click here for the sidebar, "The pros and
cons of e-giving." Both from
Church Executive magazine. (6/06/05)
Creating a planned-giving program
... without creating a planned giving program.
"Nonprofit
organizations received over $21 billion in planned gifts in 2003. The amount
is only rising, and it’s not just gifts from wealthy donors. Everyday more
and more people of all income levels are learning about innovative giving
options like annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and bequests. How can
you be sure your organization is up to speed?"
Click here
for this insightful article, from
OnPhilanthropy.com.
(06/06/05)
Resources for church treasurers and bookkeepers.
Looking
to get your church finances in order? This assortment of free resources can
help! The 18 resources cover practical topics such as how to set financial
goals, handling church income and petty-cash accounts.
Click here for an
index page to these resources. From the Office of the Treasurer,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. (05/30/05)
Is your church fiscally fit?
Ten
ways to assess your financial strength" in a very insightful, down-to-earth
article from
Building Church Leaders.com, a service of
Christianity Today. "No one on deck applauds a sloppy, leaky, sinking fiscal
ship. 'Tis a gift to be appropriately aware of money"
(05/30/05)
Growth and stewardship in the small church.
The
dynamics of life in a small congregation present unique challenges for
pastors and leaders who want to grow the budget and membership rolls.
"Pastors who want to develop these areas of their ministries may find it
helpful to understand what makes this size of congregation distinctive,"
says Perry Bell, in this article.
Click
here for the article. From
the
Congregational Resource Guide of the respected
Alban Institute.
(5/30/05)
20 Questions: How healthy are your money values?
Here's
a great tool congregations can use to help their members understand their
financial stewardship. It's a questionnaire to help families gauge
how well they're balancing charitable giving, spending, saving and
investing.
Click here for the 20 Questions. From
Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans. (5/9/05)
The narrative budget.
Forget for the moment
that most people don't understand how to read a line-item budget, the issue
is how well
a spreadsheet budget conveys your church's commitment to the Gospel to
leaders and members alike. Most would agree it does a lousy job. An
alternative may be a narrative budget, which puts the key figures into a
form more friendly for churchgoers.
Click here for a resource on the
Narrative budget. From the United Methodist Church's
Center on
Christian Stewardship. (5/9/05)
The gift of a lifetime.
"In most congregations a bequest is something
that is left by a member who has left a sizable estate.
But there are a few congregations who have made it a practice
over the years to remind their members and friends that 'tithing their
estate' regardless of the size of the gift is a special way to say
thanks to God for a wonderful life."
Click here for Tuck Aaker's column,
one of many
ELCA Stewardship Resources. (05/02/05)
Become an 'Energy Star' Congregation.
Churches can save 30 percent on their energy bills, and for
most houses of worship that means a lot of money freed up for mission,
maintenance -- or maybe the pastor's salary package. Energy Star, a
government initiative, estimates that the nation's houses of worship
collectively could reduce electricity usage by 13.5 billion kWh, prevent 5
million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere and in the process save $500
million.
Click here for the Energy Star page on
congregations. The page offers a ton of thought-provoking and inspirational
resources.
Click here "Putting Energy Into
Stewardship," an 86-page guide for churches. (4/25/05))
Year-round stewardship. What are principles for year-round stewardship? How do you staff a
stewardship committee? How do you build a stewardship program? These and
other basic questions are answered in a handy, free, resource.
Click here for Year-round stewardship.
From the
Episcopal Church School for Stewardship.
(04/04/05)
Stewardship commitment programs
that contribute to transformation and conversion.
This resource from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C.,
provides an overview of five basic types of stewardship commitment programs
and explores their pros and cons. Great for the congregation weighing a
number of options for this year's campaign.
Click here for the resource. From the
Episcopal
Diocese of Washington. The PDF document requires Adobe Reader.
Click here for a free download of Adobe
Reader. (03/07/05)
What can your church
do to help the poor?.
So
the social action committee of your church has been talking about helping
the poor but doesn't have a clue where to start? Here's an article for you!
It lists a number of practical, hands-on ministries that can make a
difference in the lives of the poor in your community.
Click here
for the article. By Dr. Brian Fikkert, director
of the
Chalmers Center for Economic Development at
Covenant College (a Presbyterian school),
where he is a professor of economics and community development. (03/28/05)
So you're the new stewardship chair!
The
stewardship resource pages of the Episcopal
Church, USA, offer a great collection of basic "how-to" articles for
congregations. Wonderful for new stewardship leaders, but veterans also can
find many useful tips and reminders. Articles include, "Financial commitment
programs that work," "Characteristics of an excellent stewardship program,"
and "Getting started."
Click here to go to the menu page.
(02/14/05)
Treasure chest of
stewardship materials.
OK, the web page lives up to its name -- a soup-to-nuts
assortment of congregational stewardship materials, including bulletin
inserts and sermon suggestions for all three lectionary years! Bible
studies, material for children of different ages -- you name it.
Click here for the Treasure chest of stewardship materials.
From The Episcopal Network
for Stewardship. (02/21/05)
Alban
Institute: Focus on lay ministry.
Many stewards know their church's most under-utilized
resource is the membership -- folks who fill the pews but need training and
inspiration to get more deeply involved. Whether your church's lay ministry
development program is mostly a dream or a dream come true, here's a
free, comprehensive web resource
you can use. Insightful articles and helpful links. From the
Congregational Resource Guide, a project of Alban Institute and
Indianapolis Center for Congregations. (01/24/05)
Eight great stewardship ideas.
Does
your congregation's stewardship program need a shot in the arm? Here are
eight great ideas from the
Center for Christian Stewardship of the
United Methodist Church. "Remember: Stewardship is more than financial
giving. It is a sense of thanksgiving for all that God has given us,
including care giving for the world around us! Try one of these ideas in
your church soon." (01/17/05)
Stewardship Nuggets: New Year, New You!
"2005!
The start of a new year is a good time for each of us to review our lives
and to determine some area of needed personal growth. Speak with the
children about making New Year's resolutions. Share with the children one
way that you would like to grow personally in the New Year." Interesting
column from Janet Zimmerman of the
United
Methodist Church Stewardship resources. (01/03/05)
Teach
a new way of giving.
Stewardship planners
know there are a number of alternative ways to give to the local church
than the annual pledge, but do your congregation's members? This article
suggests a five-year plan for educating folks in the pews about
opportunities for contributing to the ministries. From the United
Methodist Church's
Center for Christian Stewardship, which has lots of other
great resources worth checking out. (11/29/04)
Ten things pastors need to know about funding ministry.
"Too
many churches are interested in teaching generosity truths only when there
is a budget crisis or building project in the church," writes Brian Kluth,
in this inspiring and practical article from
ChurchCentral.com. (11/15/04)
2004
Stewardship planning guide.
Here is a complete, free stewardship resource that
Women of the
ELCA prepared to assist its small groups in exploring issues of
giving and responsible use of all our gifts from God. Includes Bible study,
bulletin inserts, questionnaires and more. Ideas are inspirational and
easily adapted. (11/01/04)
Sharper definition:
How a small congregation was reinvigorated by making
membership mean something specific. Trinity
Lutheran Church, Pell Lake, Wis., was a struggling church in a blue-collar
town when Pastor Bruce Metke took it as his first call out of seminary. He
found growth by raising the bar to membership. "Our
members are required to participate in at least one specific ministry,
attend a weekly Bible-study class, and tithe regularly. We call it
'intentional Christianity.'"
From
BuildingChurchLeaders.com.
(10/24/04)
Vision and the church learning pathway. From the Alban
Institute, here's a free online program that helps congregations engage in
in-depth self study and come up with a vision for the future that is both
rooted in the congregation's experience and based on the members highest
aspirations. Check out this comprehensive resource. From the Alban
Institute's
Congregational Resource Guide.
(10/25/04)
Mission Week Festival.
Congregations
looking for a new way to handle an annual stewardship program may find
inspiration from this resource of the
New Jersey
Synod of the ELCA, whose website contains a great assortment of
stewardship resources. Mission Festival
outlines a weeklong mission-oriented program designed to lead parishioners
into the ways of stewardship. (09/27/04)
Ready, set, grow!
Why do
some congregations boom while hundreds of others languish year after with
stagnant membership and finances? The Presbyterian Church (USA) attempts to
answer that very question by looking at the 10 fastest-growing congregations
in the denomination. Read the eye-opening story in
Presbyterians Today, the church's
monthly magazine. (10/18/04)
Tight Money Strategies . "The
fastest, most painless way to resolve a budgetary crisis is to get more
money. Every minister dreams of a day when the local millionaire shows up
with a check. But in lieu of such serendipitous patronage, here are three
ways to raise money quickly." From
BuildingChurchLeaders.com.
(10/18/04)
Rediscovering God's Mission:
A Challenge for 21st
Century Christians
-- Here is a
free study designed to help you and other members of your church to think
anew about what the "mission of God" means to you. The study features two
lessons. The first takes a look at the total context for mission today. The
second explores the levels in which mission is carried forth. Each section
concludes with a brief set of questions to consider as an individual or in a
class. From Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. PDF file requires
Adobe Acrobat.
Click here for your free copy
of Acrobat.
(10/04/04)
Creative congregational fundraising.
For its congregations that need (or want) to look at new
sources of income, the
New York Metropolitan Synod of the ELCA prepared a
PowerPoint presentation on how to approach foundations and other
philanthropic agencies. Good nuts-and-bolts tips for stewardship committees,
pastors, and others. (09/20/04)
20-Day Stewardship Devotional. Good for your
stewardship committee, congregation council or general membership, here is a
resource that will get your folks thinking and brainstorming. Each
Bible-based daily devotion challenges and inspires. From
Redeemer
Presbyterian Church, New York City. PDF file requires Acrobat
Reader.
Click here for your free copy
of Acrobat. (9/13/04)
Miracle Sunday stewardship.
Here's a program outline for launching a financial campaign
for a major project. Through the example and experience of a local church
that wanted to pay off its mortgage to save interest and free up money for
mission, you'll get ideas on how your own church can manage a successful
campaign. From the
Association of Lutheran Resource Centers.
(08/23/04)
NEW Stewardship Resource Set.
From
our Lutheran brothers and sisters north of the border comes an offering
plate brimming with stewardship resources -- sermons, Bible studies,
skits, children's sermon, and more!
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
assembled the resources from its congregations and is making them freely
available for PDF download. (06/21/04)
The Hows and Whys of Money Leadership.
A free, seven-part curriculum
for leaders who want to plumb the depths of their congregation's financial
soul. It covers attitudes about money, congregational finances, leadership,
money and theology and other topics. A real gem for congregations that find
themselves stuck and don't know how to get going.
Developed cooperatively by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the
Alban Institute and Lilly Endowment, it was principally written
by Mark Vincent, lead partner for Design for Ministry, a consulting firm in
Wisconsin. (05/31/04)
Question for Youth: Where Have All the Eagles Gone?
Here's an
exercise for youth to help them learn about the effect of human activities
on the environment, and then to put that awareness into action through
advocacy and education.
"I developed an eco-skit based on the situation of the Bald Eagles in North
America. Since many young people seem enamored by these birds of pray, there
probably will be some immediate interest." By the Rev.
Dr. Clifton J. Suehr, pastor of
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Irwin, Pa. In
the
Lutheran Laity Movement Archives.
(05/17/04)
Stewardship Sermon Starters. OK, so you
want to talk about stewardship more than just a couple sermons a year, but
how do you relate the week's lectionary texts to stewardship? The ELCA
offers a
weekly tip
sheet by the Rev. Gary Hedding, stewarship specialist with the Northwest
Synod of Wisconsin. "Two presumptions guide these notes: First, you have
done or will do further exegetical work on the texts, and second, you
understand that "stewardship" means what God's people do to fulfill the
whole purpose of God in the world."
From the ELCA
Division for Congregational Ministry's Stewardship
office, (05/17/04)
How
to Improve Financial Stewardship.
Here is a NEWLY REVISED
version of a popular and practical, soup-to-nuts how-to guide for a
successful stewardship program.
Outlines the seven most popular financial response models used by ELCA
congregations. An easy-to-follow guide.
Available for free PDF
viewing or printed from Augsburg-Fortress
(call 800/328-4648, ask for ISBN 6-0001-7457-8. Cost $4.95). From the
ELCA's DCM.
(05/10/04)
Leaf Composting on the Prairie.
"Solid
waste disposal facilities are at a premium. It becomes clear than that these
facilities cannot afford to accept materials that can be easily composted.
But that's not the only to consider composting leaves! Composted leaves are
a valuable resource. It can be used to fertilize lawns and gardens, as an
excellent mulching material, and can even be utilized as part of a potting
soil mix."
By the Rev. Kathleen Kinney, in the
Lutheran Laity Movement Archives.
(4/26/04)
Bluebird Nesting Boxes: A Project for Youth
and Adults.
"This
project, which also involves building bluebird nesting boxes, is designed
for a two hour youth group session for children about nine to twelve years
of age. The project opens with a call to worship that gathers the children
into a community to focus on their response to God’s call to become
caretakers of the world."
By Richard Carter and Edward Ebersole, in the
Lutheran Laity Movement Archives.
(4/19/04)
8-Week Program:
With God's Permission.
Here's a complete resource for a congregation
to begin using an asset-based approach to financial stewardship.
"This simple program can help your congregation fund God’s mission in a
fresh and exciting manner, providing enjoyment and energy to the task of
asking for and receiving commitments for financial support from your
congregation members." Available for free PDF download.
From the
ELCA
Division for Congregational Ministries.
Making Christ Known 2004. PowerPoint presentation and publication
available for free download from the ELCA. Professional, colorful
resource outlines the domestic and global ministries of the ELCA that a
member's pledge supports. Brochure available for publication in whole or in
part. Articles can be reprinted in your congregational newsletter, used in
an educational forum or posted on the bulletin board. ELCA congregations can
get free printed and CD copies. From the ELCA
Division for
Congregational Ministries.
(3/22/04)
Faith Raising, Not Fund Raising.
Saddleback Church, the folks kindling excitement in churches
nationwide with the Purpose-Driven
Life, reveal their stewardship secrets. "Our strategy for guiding that
stewardship development infuses every level of the faith-formation process,
starting with understanding the character of the God we're to become like.
John 3:16 tells us "For God so loved the world. … he gave." God's nature is
to be a giver. As disciples conform to His character, they grow in their
desire to give." From
Leadershipjournal.net. (3/15/04)
Stewardship Messages. Where does your church say about
stewardship? How do you let members know? At
University Lutheran Church of Hope
(ELCA), Minneapolis, members find clear, thoughtful, educational,
inspiring messages from the Stewardship Committee. They range from the
practical to the biblical, (11/10/03)
Grace
& Gratitude Grow Givers.
"This money, this talent,
this time that I have is all owned by the one who shaped and fashioned me
into his child. It all belongs to the one who made me and who claimed me in
holy baptism. When I have settled this ownership issue then I have settled
some very basic issues about my life. I have settled the issue of life's
basic direction. So I am pointed in the direction of how I can best be
shaped by the potter who fashioned me." By Larry Smith, from the
Lutheran Laity Movement Archives.
(3/15/04)
Capital Fund
Drives & Capital Debt Reduction Programs: What to Ask and What to Expect. Looking for some solid
answers to your questions about a congregational capital campaign? Philip Reitz, deployed DCM
stewardship specialist, provides some
essential answers. Posted on
ELCA Region 1 website. (11/10/03)
Stewardship:
Sharing the Abundance - Here's
a wonderful congregational resource for novice stewardship leaders and
veterans alike. Broad in its approach and deep in its detail, Sharing the
Abundance is useful and practical. From the
Resource Center of the
Eastern North Dakota Synod. (Posted 11/03/03)
Idea Booklet for Special Giving A very insightful congregation put together a sort of menu of
gift ideas for families and other donors who wanted to give something to the
church. It was a simple matter of matching a wish list of church needs --
everything from new lights in the parking lot to new pew cushions -- with
estimated prices. Available in HTML or in RTF for easy editing for your own
congregation's needs. From
First
Lutheran Church, ELCA, Eau Claire, Wis., and made available through the
Association of Lutheran
Resource Centers. (10/20/03)
Making
Christ Known 2003 PowerPoint presentation and publication available for
free download from the ELCA. Professional,
colorful presentation outlines the domestic and global ministries of the
ELCA that a member's pledge supports. Brochure available for publication in
whole or in part. Articles can be reprinted in your congregational
newsletter, used in an educational
forum or posted on the bulletin board. For free printed copies, call Augsburg Fortress at
800/328-4648 and request item 6-0001-6786-5; pay only postage
Stewardship Training.
Here's a wonderful PowerPoint presentation you can adapt to educate your
congregation about the stewardship this year. Pastor Sue Eidahl and the
folks at Zion Lutheran Church
(ELCA), Stratford, Wis., created the presentation for a past campaign and
are making it available through the
Association of Lutheran Resource Centers. You can also access the
material as a QuikTime movie.
How To Create a Mission
Endowment Fund: A guide for Congregations
- Such a fund can be a vehicle
to support and enhance ministries. This vision attracts planned and future
gifts as people desire to Leave a Legacy for Ministry: Gifts that Nurture
the Whole Church. From the
ELCA
Foundation, free PDF download.
Follow
Your Heart is the program
Faith Lutheran Church, ELCA, West
Fargo, N.D., devised to teach its members about giving generously. It's
available in full -- handouts, instructions and all, through the
Association of Lutheran
Resource Centers.
Step by Step: Fostering Financial Stewardship in Your Congregation,"
a 48-page booklet from the ELCA Division for Congregational Ministries outlines 17 steps for
solid stewardship and helps ground pastors and lay people in the theology of stewardship.
Free PDF download.
Christian
Service Workshop. From the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, a
creative and thoughtful service to get your members thinking and acting.
With handouts and other resources.
Hold a Pie 'n' Prayer Evening.
A time of fellowship, focus on ministry and congregational stewardship.
A Shower of Blessings Stewardship Thrust -- "What can we do
to motivate members about their response to God's blessings?" That was
the question stewards from
Grace
Lutheran Church, ELCA, Eau Claire, Wis. Asked. The answer is this
full stewardship program, part of the archives of the
Association of Lutheran
Resource Centers.
