Is the Suggested Fair Share Contribution Guide Too Complex? Too Demanding? Too Rigid? Nope, Nope, and Nope! by Bill Clontz, Stewardship Consultant This is the time of year wherein many congregations are conducting annual stewardship drives. That means we receive a lot of inquiries about now concerning the UUA’s Suggested Fair Share Contribution Guide (SFSCG). […]
What About That Suggested Fair Share Contribution Guide ? Read More »
Risk-Taking My congregation in Wilmington, Delaware has signed on to the Soul Matters program, so each month we get a theme and worship and educational materials around that theme. We are among 200 or so UU congregations doing this. This month’s theme is Risk and the question for us to ponder is: “What does it
Stewardship and Risk-Taking Read More »
Can your members hear your stewardship message? Let’s improve the odds for communication success. Not too long ago, an actor became something of an icon in American culture, as he travelled all over the country asking, “Can You Hear Me Now?” on behalf of
Can You Hear Me Now? Read More »
I’m delighted to report that Unitarian Universalism is alive and well – in fact, by some measures, we are thriving. Over the past year, we stewardship consultants have seen an uptick in capital campaigns, including some large and ambitious ones. Stewardship for Us assisted 14 congregations with financial feasibility studies or capital campaigns (or both)
Unitarian Universalism and Stewardship for 2017 and Beyond Read More »
A recent large survey tells us what is working, what is changing, and what is passing from the stewardship scene. There are definite patterns to capitalize upon. by Bill Clontz, Stewardship Consultant While looking through the site Church Tech Today, I recently came across the latest iteration of a periodic survey of churches and church
How Goes Stewardship in the USA? Read More »
An Idea for a Pass It Forward Sunday It seems simplistic, but remembering to say “thank you” can turn your day, your month, or even your year around. There’s only so much you can control in this world, but expressing gratitude has been proven to make a positive difference. The science is conclusive and undeniable. I
Post-Thanksgiving Thoughts About The Science of Gratitude Read More »
The End of the Calendar Year Provides Two Excellent Opportunities to Do Good, and to Help Ourselves as Well by Bill Clontz, Stewardship Consultant As we approach the holiday season, this is an excellent time for all of us to take some extra opportunities for generosity in supporting our congregation and the UUA. Two vehicles for
I Have Good News and…. I Have Good News Read More »
Two Stories Remind Us That We’re All in This Together I recently had the pleasure of working with several congregations in a weekend cluster event we called a Stewardship Saturday. During one session, a participant shared a wonderful story of how she brought home to her congregation that we make our commitments not just
Envelopes, Elevators, and Empathy Read More »
Many congregational boards and other leadership teams go on a retreat to launch the new church year. It’s great tool for team building and focusing. What makes for a terrific retreat? Few activities can do more to get a team off to a good start and bonded than a well-planned and skillfully executed team
In Praise of Retreats Read More »
How You Recruit and Manage Your Stewardship Team is Key to Program Success, Leader Development, and Community. Choose Well, Nurture, and Say Thanks. In June of 2016, we posted a blog entitled “Building Your Stewardship Team.” This blog is a continuation of that discussion. This time we
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