Slide deck from Bishop Rickel's afternoon April 28, 2020 webinar on stewardship.

Slide deck from Bishop Rickel's morning April 28, 2020 webinar on stewardship.

This resources is an outline of the components of effective missional Annual Pledge Campaigns.  Follow this guide and set out on a journey of connecting annual giving to the mission and vision of your congregation.  

These acknowledgement cards are printed on Parchment or Velum and inserted into the Christmas Cards sent to the honorees

Example of an Advent gift brochure.

Example of an Advent gift brochure.

Example of an Advent gift brochure.

These  are sample letters written by a priest in charge of a congregation during the Annual Pledge Campaign segmented into two groups in the congregation, Pledgers and Non-Pledgers.  This letter is not accompanied by a pledge card and a return envelope, because those are distributed during the Sunday morning service on the Pledge Ingathering Date (Commitment Sunday).  Therefore, note that the congregation includes an invitation  specific date for collecting and blessing the pledge cards during the Sunday morning liturgy.  We encourage church's not to receive pledges until the "ingathering" date because there often is much more to be said during the campaign before one discerns the fullness of their annual pledge.

This is a sample of a letter written by a warden of a congregation during the Annual Pledge Campaign.  This letter in particular could be sent in the middle of the Annual Pledge Campaign.    It includes an invitation to reflect on their blessings in the congregation and to discern what God is calling them to give.  It is important to have lay leaders' voices in the campaign, including their own reflection on what the congregation means to them and an invitation to join them in giving.

Note that the congregation includes a specific date for collecting and blessing the pledge cards during the Sunday morning liturgy.  We encourage church's not to receive pledges until the "ingathering" date because there often is much more to be said during the campaign before one discerns the fullness of their annual pledge.

This is a sample of a letter written by a priest in charge of a congregation during the Annual Pledge Campaign.  This letter in particular would be accompanied by a pledge card and a return envelope.  However, note that the congregation includes a specific date for collecting and blessing the pledge cards during the Sunday morning liturgy.  We encourage church's not to receive pledges until the "ingathering" date because there often is much more to be said during the campaign before one discerns the fullness of their annual pledge.

This is an Annual Campaign Plan that centers on the themes of Love and Redemption and is tied to the name of the congregation, Church of the Redeemer.  Themes can be a very effective way to reach the heart of your people.  This plan includes the vestry agenda at the end that outlines the points of stewardship and the plan.  This campaign is well-planned and connects the giving and ministries of this congregation in a visible way.  It is important to plan ahead and be well-organized to have an effective campaign.

*Note that the Pledge Cards are not distributed until the end of the Campaign.  You don't want to give them the Pledge Cards before you tell them what you would like them to hear before they discern their pledge!  

This is an Annual Campaign Plan that centers on the theme of Creation and a recent install of stained-glass windows in the church.  This campaign is well-planned and connects the giving and ministries of this congregation in a visible way.  It is important to plan ahead and be well-organized to have an effective campaign.

*Note that we do not recommend distributing Pledge Cards until the end of the Campaign, and ideally on the last Sunday as a gathering liturgy in the principal services.  You don't want to give them the Pledge Cards before you tell them what you would like them to hear before they discern their pledge!  

In 2005, the Diocese of Bethlehem’s Stewardship Commission was looking for new, brief, and easy ways to help parishes implement year-round stewardship programs. They decided to create small stewardship-related snippets reflecting the Sunday readings for use in Sunday bulletins. This project progressed until the three year cycle was complete. It is our prayer that you will find them useful as continuing stewardship reminders. Note: the reflections are not day-specific, so you might choose to use them as headers if you do weekly parish emails or communications as well. They could be used as chosen for newsletters, but they are really meant to be at least week-specific.
 

In 2005, the Diocese of Bethlehem’s Stewardship Commission was looking for new, brief, and easy ways to help parishes implement year-round stewardship programs. They decided to create small stewardship-related snippets reflecting the Sunday readings for use in Sunday bulletins. This project progressed until the three year cycle was complete. It is our prayer that you will find them useful as continuing stewardship reminders. Note: the reflections are not day-specific, so you might choose to use them as headers if you do weekly parish emails or communications as well. They could be used as chosen for newsletters, but they are really meant to be at least week-specific.

In 2005, the Diocese of Bethlehem’s Stewardship Commission was looking for new, brief, and easy ways to help parishes implement year-round stewardship programs. They decided to create small stewardship-related snippets reflecting the Sunday readings for use in Sunday bulletins. This project progressed until the three year cycle was complete. It is our prayer that you will find them useful as continuing stewardship reminders. Note: the reflections are not day-specific, so you might choose to use them as headers if you do weekly parish emails or communications as well. They could be used as chosen for newsletters, but they are really meant to be at least week-specific.
 

This Tithe and Percentage Giving resource gives a quick look at individual annual income and weekly income along with the weekly gift to meet the Tithe and other percentage giving.  This particular reference challenges us to go beyond the tithe in our giving helping those who truly understand that the tithe is the biblical minimum!

Gifts can come in a variety of forms to congregations. It is good to have a set of policies in place to guide decisions on accepting certain gifts that may be out of the norm. A gift acceptance policy can help a governing body when it has to refuse acceptance of a gift that either does not fit the needs of the congregation or would create a financial or legal liability. Many gifts of this nature might be able to be converted to cash before transfer of ownership to the congregation allowing for the intention of the gift to be met in supporting the church's mission.

This resource will help your congregation establish a Gift Acceptance Policy.