Thanks to Larry Wheeler for his intelligence on this topic! Honestly, it is always concerning and surprising to me when people ask about the minister knowing the pledge and giving amounts of the congregation members. Concerning because the question may indicate discomfort with the topic of money generally or around the role of the minister, […]
The Minister Knowing What People Give Read More »
We all have different aspects to our identity, and some are more important to how we “identify” than others. I am a married, middle-aged, male to name a few – not necessarily in that order of priority. I also have identities in my congregation: member, former president, stewardship team member, etc. Someone else might include
The Steward’s Identity Read More »
Why aren’t there more good annual drive videos from our congregations? I search around the web regularly for appealing congregational stewardship videos – ones that I can use as examples for other congregations. And they are very rare indeed. This puzzles me, since making videos is so easy with technology almost all of us use,
Video Tips for Pledge Celebration Read More »
Why Do We Pledge: Part VI This is actually an article from 2012 on another blog. But worth a repost in this series! We want our congregations to be welcoming to people of all ages, genders, races, sexual orientation, and economic levels. Our congregations are obvious in how we celebrate people of color, LBGT, folks
Pledging and Economic Justice Read More »
Why Do We Pledge: Part V This is actually an article from 2012 on another blog. But worth a repost in this series! If you have worked with me as a consultant for your congregation, or you have been in a workshop with me at General Assembly, you probably know that I am quite fond
Real Welcoming Includes Pledging Guidance Read More »
Why Do We Pledge: Part IV Recently I read a string of messages on Facebook saying that we need all of our members to give a set minimum amount or our congregations are not financially viable (pardon the paraphrase). I was sorry to read that, not the least of which because it got a response
Pledging Builds the Community of Beloveds Read More »
Why Do We Pledge: Part III I live in Washington, DC, where democracy is mired in financial influence and partisan radicalism. So I appreciate that, in virtually all of the congregations where I consult, the democratic process is functioning quite well. Part of what distinguishes liberal religious organizations like ours from more conservative ones is
Democracy Lives – in Your Congregation! Read More »
Why Do We Pledge: Part II Pretty much every lay leader I encounter in my work understands about their pledge: the process for making financial commitments. They understand how it works, its timeline, and how it is part of the financial systems of their congregation. This is all to the good. And most of us
To Pledge: Clearly and Directly Read More »
Why Do We Pledge: Part I Everyone wants to be forward thinking, to be creative, to keep up with the 21st Century. So I hear people talking about how pledging to congregations is outmoded; that people don’t live the kind of life where they can plan their charitable contributions a year in advance, that people
Pledging is Dead; Long Live Pledging! Read More »
Last week in Portland, Oregon I was a presenter for a workshop titled, “Year-Round Giving: The Next Big Thing?” Along with my co-presenters the Reverend David Pyle and Jason Kenworthy, we told a packed conference room about this challenging way to gain pledges for an annual budget. We included results from a survey I conducted,
Is Year-Round Pledging for You? Read More »
