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Stewardship ‘Suffering a Sea Change’

Younger church members don’t respond to stewardship appeals the same way that that older members do. That’s why grandparents heed your time-honored calls for increased giving while their grandchildren don’t.  What to do? The Alban Institute has some ideas. (Photo by Caitlinator, used by Creative Commons license. Thanks!)

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The church budget really isn’t that important

Not important? It sounds preposterous, to say the least. But when it comes to the annual pledge drive and motivating congregation members to support the church, the budget is the last thing that should come into play, argues this Alban Institute writer.  (Photo by WellfordT, via Bigstockphoto.com)

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Year-round stewardship plan

Download this 29-page resource today if you’re serious about energizing your stewardship all year long, instead of just a couple months in the fall. Stewardship writer Barbara Fullerton does a great job outlining how to get things going with practical tips, charts and links for further work. Written for United Church of Canada, it is still very useful for any church. (Photo by Grublee, via Bigstockphoto.com,)

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The Positives of Pledging

By Clint Schroeder In my 30-plus years of being involved in stewardship programming across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, I have heard a lot of comments about pledging. Many were negative. Let me proclaim the positives of pledging: Pledging is spiritual Pledging is discipline Pledging is practical Giving the first fruits Whether we… Read more»

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Stewardship University

Here is a nice assortment of stewardship materials to equip and educate your congregation for a pledge campaign.  It includes sample documents, PowerPoint Presentations and promotional materials. From the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona.  (Photo by JOnBon, used by Creative Commons license. Thanks!)

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Stewardship Best Practices!

Regularizing stewardship in the congregation is what really makes a difference. These elements and practices for congregational stewardship are based on a national survey of stewardship experts in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  (Photo by Mimi_K, used by Creative Commons license. Thanks, Mimi_K!)

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Annual Campaigns that Really Work

By now your annual campaign is probably nearing the end. But you’re thinking about next year’s campaign and how to make it better? This resource can help. It’s the outline of an extensive presentation given at Presbyterian Church USA conference.  (Photo by Lisa Nieto, used by Creative Commons license.)

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Planned Giving Handbook

Establishing an endowment fund for your congregation is a great way to provide for the long-term stability of your ministries. This free 100-page PDF guide will help get you started. It’s written for United Methodist congregations, but the basic information is extremely helpful for any church.

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Parish Stewardship Materials

Here’s a soup-to-nuts resource that offers ideas, examples and inspiration for your stewardship campaign. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has posted stewardship checklists, calendars, tip sheets and best practices, as well as sample letters and materials.

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Capital Campaigns: Inspiring Generosity Through Abundant Vision

Is a capital campaign under consideration at your church? Then this article is for you! Stewardship expert David S. Bell provides guidance on when and how a capital campaign can assist your church in its mission. (Photo by Santheo, used by Creative Commons License. Thanks!)