Over 50 people, representing 19 congregations, attended Jump Start 2009, the inaugural stewardship conference of the Diocese of Vermont, on March 21, at St. Paul's, White River Junction. Below are links to some of the materials from Jump Start 2009. Some are reproduced on this page, some are links to other pages on this site, and some are downloadable resources.
1) Finding Hope
in Hard Times, Seven Spiritual Practices: A Faithful Steward’s
Guide. A resource from The Episcopal Church's Office
of Stewardship [Download the pamphlet here,
or it can be ordered free of charge at www.episcopalbookstore.org or
by calling 800-903-5544].
2) "Inaugural stewardship conference provides Jump Start," article from
the May 2009 issue of the Mountain Echo about Jump Start 2009. Read the
article here. Download
a pdf file of the May 2009 Mountain Echo (includes
photos from the conference).
3) The Appreciative Inquiry process
4) Sample graph of annual pledge data
5) Sample graph of Sunday attendance
6) Timeline
for planning the annual commitment program and yearlong stewardship
education
7) What makes an annual commitment campaign successful (with
timeline details)
8) Stewardship Prayers of the People
9) Stewardship Report from Christ Church, Montpelier
The Appreciative Inquiry Process
The appreciative inquiry process is a good starting point for theme development as well as identification of mission and ministry opportunities. Use all six questions in a morning session or do one or more at a time as you plan for the future.
Remembering your experiences in this congregation, tell a story when you felt the Church was most “alive”, exciting, engaging...
Considering all of your experiences, share a story about an event or moment that contributed most to your own spiritual life.
Tell a story that illustrates for you the life – giving relationships among the people at your Church.
Reflect on the many partnerships between your Church and the community both nearby and around the world. What are the most important partnerships to you and why?
Share a story that reflects the values of your Church that makes your Church unique.
List three wishes for the future of your church and describe what your Church would be like if your vision for the Church came true.
The
essential timeline for planning the annual commitment program
and year long stewardship education
Developing the calendar for the annual commitment program begins by identifying the elements of the process working backwards…
- Celebration of work well done
- The follow-up and thank you
- The liturgical celebration
- The invitation to make a commitment
- The education period
- The training/study Event
- The recruiting period
- The theme development/planning period
- Historical analysis of giving
- Recruiting the team
The events at the end of the program require setting dates no later than May. A sample timeline would look like this:
- Nov. 22 Celebration
- Nov. 8 Follow-up and thank-you
- Oct. 25 Liturgical ingathering
- Oct. 11 Invitation to Commitment Event e.g. festive meal,
- Sept. 13 Training Event i.e. training to lead the commitment event
- July/Aug The Recruiting Period
- Apr. -June Planning Period
- March Historical Data Analysis and assessment of last year
- Feb Team Recruitment
[See below for more detail]
What makes an annual commitment campaign successful?
There are many factors that go into a successful annual commitment program. The most important factor is the strength and vitality of the congregation’s sense of purpose and mission; therefore, celebration of the work of the parish is at the core of the stewardship program and should be featured prominently in the educational efforts of the stewardship committee.
The second most important factor is spiritual growth. If a group of people commit to meet regularly, pray for the Church, engage Scripture, and reflect on the work of the Church, something extraordinary WILL happen. One of the things that will happen is that the group will want to share its excitement with others. This excitement translates into creating an opportunity for the greatest number of people to engage Scripture and reflect on their giving/generosity and what God might be calling them to do.
The third most important
factor is to include as many people as possible in the program. A
program which brings people together in fellowship will generate its
own excitement and vitality.
In organizing the work of the stewardship committee, the following outline
is offered as a guide to planning the work. TO THE GREATEST EXTENT
POSSIBLE, DO NOT TRY TO CREATE AN ENTIRELY NEW SET OF EVENTS. USE
THE ON -GOING WORK OF THE PARISH AS YOUR STARTING POINT.
JAN / FEB – Vestry
recruits and commissions a Committee. The committee, consists
of a minimum of three people: an Organizer, a Chaplain, and a
Hospitality Chair.
Organizer begins to develop a timeline and tasks.
Chaplain begins to develop Bible study for each meeting.
Hospitality Chair begins to think about what kind of invitational event
may be helpful this year.
Vestry prepares an uplifting reflection on giving to include in 4th quarter
pledge statements.
MAR. / APR. Begin
to meet monthly. EVERY meeting begins with prayer
for the parish and its ministries, engages Scripture, and reflects
on the work of the parish:
Where
are we being good stewards?
Where
do we see the spirit of generosity at work?
With
what gifts has God blessed our parish?
What
gifts do we have to celebrate?
How
is God working in our lives?
How
is our parish affecting the lives of people in the community?
Begin developing
a plan for how you will share these reflections: ministry minutes/temple
talks; contemporary epistles; newsletter articles; reflections in quarterly
pledge statements; sermons; bulletin boards; prayers of the people.
The first quarterly pledge statement goes out in April.
Begin work on a theme for the year if the vestry
has not developed one.
MAY – EVERY meeting
begins with prayer for the parish and its ministries, engages Scripture,
and reflects on the work of the parish.
Develop theme materials and plan their use as part of the regularly scheduled
activities of the parish.
Decide on an invitation method: festive meal, faithful member canvass,
etc.
Develop a timeline.
Put dates on parish calendar.
JUNE - EVERY meeting
begins with prayer for the parish and its ministries, engages Scripture,
and reflects on the work of the parish.
Review calendar of activities for the parish and adjust timetables.
Design the invitation event.
Write job descriptions for each task associated with the invitation event.
Include as many people as possible.
Begin to identify people to serve as leaders of the invitation event.
JULY - EVERY meeting
begins with prayer for the parish and its ministries, engages Scripture,
and reflects on the work of the parish.
Compile list of participants who will lead the invitation event.
Design pledge card using theme materials.
Plan educational events around annual campaign beginning no later than
August
Prepare reflection for second quarter pledge statements.
AUGUST – EVERY meeting
begins with prayer for the parish and its ministries, engages
Scripture, and reflects on the work of the parish.Plan the training event
so every one knows what he/she is to do.
Announce the date of the Invitation Event
Letter from Rector containing a personal reflection on abundance/scarcity,
generosity, giving as a spiritual discipline, etc.
SEPTEMBER – EVERY meeting
begins with prayer for the parish and its ministries, engages
Scripture, and reflects on the work of the parish.
Letter from one or members of the stewardship committee containing a personal
reflection on abundance/scarcity, generosity, giving as a spiritual
discipline, etc.
Conduct your training event. Make it fun.
Plan the liturgical celebration.
OCTOBER – EVERY meeting
begins with prayer for the parish and its ministries, engages Scripture,
and reflects on the work of the parish.
Conduct invitation event
Mail Pledge Cards along with personal reflection carefully selected
Conduct In gathering
Include reflection with third quarter pledge statements
Begin sending thank you notes
NOVEMBER
– EVERY meeting begins with prayer for the parish and
its ministries, engages Scripture, and reflects on the work of the parish.
Make Follow-up Telephone Calls
Send last of the Thank you Letters.
Celebrate a Job Well Done You Good and Faithful Servants!
Intercessor: Let
us pray for the Church universal for our bishops and people, and for
all of creation.
Caring and loving God, we thank you for your gifts of creation for our
world;
People: The heavens tell of your glory;
For our land, its beauty and its resources,
For the rich heritage we enjoy.
We pray for the leaders of nations and those entrusted to make decision
about the resources of the earth;
May we use your gifts responsibily for the welfare of people everywhere.
For all who work on the land or sea, in cities or in industry,
That all may enjoy the fruits of their labors and marvel at your creation;
For artists, scientists, and visionaries;
That through their work we may see creation afresh.
We pray for all creatures
and plants put in peril by our actions, for all who through their own
or other’s actions are deprived of the
fullness of your creation;
For prisoners, refugees, the handicapped, and all who are sick or in
special need;
For those engaged in politics, medical science, social and relief work;
That they may bring hope and life to all they serve.
Let us give thanks for those who have gone before, who rejoice with
us, but upon another shore and in a greater light;
Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them, who put their trust in you.
We thank you that you have called us to celebrate your creation.
Give us reverence for life in the world you have made.
We thank you for your redeeming love;
May your Word and Sacraments strengthen us to love as you love us.
God, Creator, bring us life.
Jesus, Redeemer, renew us.
Holy Spirit, strengthen and guide us.
Presider: Blessed are you, O God of growth and discovery; yours is the inspiration that has forever altered and changed our lives, yours is the power that had brought us to new challenges and opportunities. Set us, your redeemed people, to walk through this new world, watching and learning, loving and trusting; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. AMEN.
Christ Church, Montpelier Stewardship Report: 3/21/2009
Christ Church Montpelier conducted the most comprehensive stewardship education program and annual commitment program in the Diocese of Vermont in 2008. The success was phenomenal! Following are an outline of the program developed by the stewardship committee, a timeline, brief description of educations exercises, and a picture of the best example of stewardship and evangelism in the Diocese!
1. Listened to history of past stewardship people and activities.
2. Asked six other people of varied background, talent, and age if they could join a committee for a one-year term and be open and passionate about stewardship.
3. Began
meeting after church in May.
Meetings were kept to an hour and had a printed agenda.
4. We began each meeting with a prayer (see # 38 in BCP) and Bible study.
5. We discussed stewardship as a ministry and holy work and that cheerful giving is preceded by gratitude for all that we are and all that we have been given.
6. We did personal gratitude exercises through the week
7. In June, three members attended Angie Emerson's workshop and came back enthusiastically with copies from the workshop and new ideas.
8. We discussed the difference between secular campaigns and stewardship.
9. We came up with using the phrase "percentage giving" to encourage people to look at the whole of their gifts from God and decide how much by a percent they were willing to return for the work of his church.
10. We developed a mission statement as a modification from Angie's work sheet:
We will prayerfully and responsibly celebrate the gifts God has given this parish, in accord with God's purposes revealed in Jesus Christ.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves to conscious, purposeful decisions to do God’s work to the best of our abilities.
11. Made a time line of our plans and activities.
12. Invited Angie Emerson to speak to our parish and to have lunch and meet with our committee.
13. July - September: started plans for our stewardship dinner. We asked each member of the vestry to host a table, filling it with random parishioners, and plan a menu for just their table with their guests supplying the food.
14. The chairperson gave a sermon based on kings 17: 8-16, "The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail."
15. We made a display with sheets as the sea and 23 boats representing the various ministries in our church. We interviewed the stewards of these ministries and put the outlines of the ministry on the sails of the boats, with a heading: "percentage giving keeps these boats afloat.”
16. The party:
Singing
A skeleton to illustrate what makes up the body of Christ at Christ Church
A survey of what 2% and then 5% giving would total
An exercise in framing old vs. new
Special presentation by the choir of "I am an Episcopalian"
And our own parish pickup band.
17. First mailing — picture of our boats and a request to prayerfully consider your gifts. Also a three-part return paper giving the parish opportunity to tell us:
1.) Things we are grateful for
2.) How we are saving expenses and energy in our homes
3.) Ways the church can save energy and expenses
18. Second mailing included a purple pledge sheet and more thoughts on percentage giving.
19. Ingathering during November and December.
20. Continue to meet and are now putting on another dinner.
Contact the Diocese• Find a Church • Ministry Support Team • Home
Copyright © 2003-2010 The Episcopal Diocese of Vermont. All rights Reserved.