About Giving Speaks

I am a stewardship and certified fundraising professional, with a lifespan faith development background. I am a seasoned speaker and workshop leader focusing on topics of generosity, giving, fundraising, stewardship, and leadership.

Finding Generosity in a Cup of Coffee

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Giving Speaks

Once upon a time, a wise woman traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry. The wise woman opened her bag to share her food.

The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.

The traveler left rejoicing at his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.

But a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.

“I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious.”

“What would that be?” The woman asked her fellow traveler.

“Please give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone.”

__________________________________

A version of this parable surfaced a few months ago from somewhere in the vast universe of the Internet. Its message resonates deep within many of us in the place where the heart and soul and generosity reside.

What IS the special quality that enables a person to give away their most valuable possession to a stranger in need?

Love?

Moral obligation?

Complete lunacy?

In our society we are conditioned to earn, possess, consume, and receive so that we may feel satisfied and happy. How could we so easily give it all away?

But there is such potential within us for experiencing the abundance and joy in life than most of us realize. Awareness comes from reflecting deeply about why we give without an expectation of receiving anything in return.

Some years back I was attending a professional conference in downtown Toronto. I was serving on the board, which met for two full days before the conference.

These meetings began at 8:00 AM—torture! Those who know me well, know that I will go to great lengths to get my daily Espresso Americano wherever I am.

Okay, I thought, this would take planning. There would be early pre-dawn logistics: I’d get up by 6:30, be out the door by 7:15, walk the four blocks, cross the street to the coffee shop that opens at 7:30, get the Americano and something to eat, and walk back to the hotel. That should allow me just enough time to grab my computer bag and dash to the meeting, fortified for the long haul.

On the first morning, I embarked on my journey to the coffee shop. It was dark and cold, and, being alone, I walked with intention at a fast clip. Venti Americano in one hand, a bag with a big fresh croissant in the other, I started back to the hotel. No time to sip on the coffee now, I thought, I’ll have plenty of seat time during the meeting. But hungry, I pulled off one end of the croissant and popped that into my mouth, savoring it.

As I walked briskly along, I saw movement in one of the dark storefront doorways. I paused briefly to see two men huddled there, obviously cold after being there all night.

I was startled as one of the men stepped out of the shadows, hand outstretched and moving in the direction of my Espresso Americano. Without a nano second of thought, I yanked my drink back, a reflex action. After a brief pause, I held out the bag with the rest of the croissant to the man and walked on toward the hotel.

My brain began swirling with questions. The espresso was double-cupped, why couldn’t I have shared some of it in the second cup? They must have been so cold. A hot drink would have been such a kindness. Why didn’t I give them my coffee to split and walk back to get another for myself? Is this fancy, expensive coffee so important to me that I can’t live without it?

What does this say about my values and priorities? And, WHY did I give the man my croissant with the end ripped off? Arghhh!

I almost turned around, to go back and bring them the coffee. I realized there would be no time to spare and I would be late for my meeting commitment. I felt a strange mix of embarrassment and shame in my decision to walk away. Needless to say, sipping my Espresso Americano was less satisfying that day. The memory of this brief encounter stays with me, now for well over a decade. I can still see the hope-filled look in the man’s eyes in the dim light, the hand, reaching out for a gift desired but denied. The experience was transformative.

Since then, I have established a new pattern of giving which I consider a spiritual discipline. I now give away at least twice the cost of my daily Espresso Americano; just give it away….to friends, panhandlers, food servers, family members, collection cans on the counters of local businesses.

I choose to give more in support of my local congregation and wider faith community as an expression of who I am and what I believe. My goal is to tithe 10% through my combined gifts. I am making progress toward that goal, and now that I have a generosity plan, I take pleasure in both giving AND my daily Espresso Americano!

May your day be filled with abundant blessings~

Laurel

Giving opportunities for Unitarian Universalists beyond their local congregations: http://uua.org/giving/index.shtml and http://www.standingonthesideoflove.org/

The Offering–A Central Act of Worship in Community

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Giving Speaks

The offering has been the central act of worship for human beings since ancient times. In the earliest times, sacrificial offerings of the best livestock or first fruits of the crop were ceremonially given to the gods. In modern times, money is placed in the offering plate during Sunday morning service to support the work of the faith community. Throughout time the offering has been a means by which individuals and families may contribute some of what they have to benefit their whole community. Making an offering is considered a central act of faith: faith in the community, faith is something greater than oneself, and a tangible expression of gratitude for all received in life. In its deepest and purest expression, the act of giving motivated by gratitude, is a deeply spiritual practice.

Over time, this practice of the offering has been institutionalized by religions around the world. The concepts and practices are explicitly taught in many religions. In her book Giving—the Sacred Art, Lauren Tyler Wright refers to the practice of giving that each faith tradition brings to the “table of generosity.” She continues by describing the language and expressions of giving to religion:

Each tradition brings to the table a beautiful history of sacred texts, stories, and experiences, and each faith contributes to the intricate landscape of religious giving with a beautiful assortment of expressions: stewardship, almsgiving zakat (alms tax), sadaqah (voluntary charity), dana (charity), charity, Chesed (loving kindness), Tzedakah (righteous giving), tikkun olam (repairing the world). As I write, I imagine this wide variety of religious perspectives engaging in dialogue, not debate. While we may disagree on a host of ideologies, we can all sit around the table of generosity and share our understandings of this common practice. And in doing so, I have a feeling we will discover that our spiritual journeys are more alike than we may have thought.

Though religion continues to be the beneficiary of the largest share of charitable giving, it is losing some ground as giving increases to other charitable organizations. Once the recipient of 60 percent of all charitable giving, for the first time in recorded history, giving to religion has dropped to just under 33 percent. It appears that the competition for charitable dollars is heating up and religious leaders and consultants are asking, why? What makes the difference for people in choosing where to give?

Church fundraising consultant and former parish minister, J. Clif Christopher, is convinced that religious organizations must develop appropriate fundraising strategies using current methods in order to keep pace with their missions and financial needs. These strategies and methods will need to include greater involvement by the minister and board leaders in active fundraising and teaching of stewardship. More analysis must take place for each congregation to better know and understand its donors, their patterns of giving, and their capacity for giving.

Finally, it is essential that religious leaders know how to effectively ask for contributions and to communicate with and recognize donors.

According to Christopher and others, the three primary reasons people give are:

1) Belief in the mission of the organization,

2) Regard for the staff leadership of the organization, and

3) Fiscal responsibility.

In addition, people clearly want to make a difference in the world, to change lives for the better, to leave a legacy that reflects their desire to leave such a mark of accomplishment.

Faith communities today have a big job to do—to change lives. We must focus on the task of changing lives and making a difference in the world, beyond the doors of the congregation. This level of change cannot be accomplished by busying our members with committee work and social activities, then telling them there is not enough funding and more money is needed to keep it all going.

What fundraising and stewardship strategy will your congregation need to fulfill the task of changing peoples’ lives and making a difference in the world?

You are invited to participate in this Giving Speaks poll about giving away and sharing offering plate collections:

Resources:

Christopher, J. Clif. Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate. 2008. Abingdon Press.

Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate Study Guide for congregation leaders: http://www.cerguua.org/forms/Stewardship2011StudyGuide.pdf

Smith, Christian, Emerson, Michael O., with Snell, Patricia. Passing the Plate. 2008. Oxford University Press.

Wright, Lauren Tyler. Giving–the sacred art. 2008. Skylight Paths Publishing.

UU Study Guide for Giving–the sacred art. 2011. Laurel Amabile. Free download: http://www.uua.org/documents/stew-dev/study_guide_giving.pdf

Cultivating a Culture of Generosity All Summer Long

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Giving Speaks

As we move into the weeks of the Summer Diaspora, it is a good time to think creatively about a few ways to sustain your congregation’s stewardship efforts, keeping them strong and visible over the next three months.

The participants in the UU Stewardship Lab, a Facebook Group, came up with a few ideas to get our creative juices flowing….

One stewardship leader reports, “The trick to keeping stewardship going over the summer is to make it about being together. Stewardship means caring, and the most important part of caring for our congregation is caring about our fellow congregants. When we do this properly people feel wanted. They know that we really care for them, and they for us. Then the financial part kind of takes care of itself.”

“We’re planning on keeping the ‘Why I pledge’ pulpit testimonials going through the summer. We’re also going to work with the Membership team to discuss annual giving at the classes for new members,” said another stewardship leader.

“I’ll tell you the great idea our minister (Rev. Chris Bell, UU Congregation of Santa Rosa, CA) proposed: no committee meetings in July. Everybody takes a break at the same time (except Worship Associates, volunteers at our weekly breakfast for the homeless, etc.),” Ellen Skagerberg explains, “which means people serving on several committees get a real break. I think this is our 3rd year doing it now, and everybody looks forward to it.“

“It’s refreshing to take a break sometimes, not drive ourselves quite so hard.” Ellen reminds us.

Garnett Losak, of the Community Church in New York City, shares some of the ideas her stewardship team has successfully implemented in these early weeks of June:

1) Hold a “Summer of FunD” event with $2,500 in matching funds raised for new pledges. There was a special table during coffee hour, decorated with flowers and a tablecloth. We set out pledge materials: pledge cards, brochures, etc. We raised over $10,000! with the matching funds that’s $12,500!

2) Share lots of information about what we’ve done this year.

3) Affirm choice not to go into our endowment beyond the prudent 4.5% draw.

4) Celebrate the calling of the first woman serving as our Senior Minister –since 1833!

Summer Leadership Retreats may offer an opportunity for the Stewardship Team, congregation lay and professional leaders to spend some time in a more relaxed setting exploring concepts and practices of good stewardship and planning for the next fiscal year. You may choose a book to read that stimulates new thinking and enlarges the scope of stewardship in the minds of leaders. There are some great reading and small group study materials to inspire you and your fellow congregants in the recommended resource list at the end of this post.

Think about ways to nurture a culture of gratitude and generosity across the generations during the summer weeks. For example, you might invite individuals and families to clarify their religious values, reflect upon a higher calling, and engage in faithful stewardship planning. There are several great workbooks and guidebooks to recommend, designed for children, teenage youth, as well as younger, middle-aged, and older adults.

Invite families to keep a “summer gratitude journal” of their experiences and reflections. These could be shared as part of a summer vesper service ritual or special worship series later in the fall. Gratitude inspires giving, so cultivating gratitude in peoples’ lives reinforces the culture of generosity you strive to create all during the church year.

Get creative with your summer stewardship activities, and make them fun and celebratory!

Use the following summer activities to stimulate your imagination for how to connect them with multigenerational stewardship themes: