Category Archives: Generosity & Giving

Multigenerational Ministry Involves Stewardship and Generosity

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All religious traditions have a lot to say about money, wealth, lifestyle, and our responsibilities to each other.  But how well are those traditions sharing the lives of the faithful?  And how well are they being mined for guidance for young people living in a culture of excessive materialism?      

                                                                                   ~A quote from Growing Up Generous

What is the role of the faith community in educating about the values and practices of stewardship and generosity?

Take the example of fourteen year old Freddi Zeiler, who realized there were many children in the world who do not have their basic needs for food, shelter, education, and health care met.   She grew determined to take action through giving of money, time, and energy to help. Freddi took the initiative to learn about charitable giving, researching charities and how the organizations received and used donated funds.

It was her mother who encouraged Freddi to compile her research into a resource for other kids to learn about charitable giving.  With the help and encouragement of her family, a neighbor, and an organization called By Kids For Kids, Freddi put everything together in a book called A Kid’s Guide to Giving. 

The processes of learning about stewardship and generosity are developmental, not unlike faith and moral development and other values-based practices.   The learning begins in the family and continues throughout a lifetime.   The faith community can provide a significant role in messaging and modeling how to be good stewards of our relationships, time, and financial amidst the intensity of a materialistic society that pressures us to spend and consume.

Recommended Resources:

A Kid’s Guide to Giving.  Zeiler, Freddi.  2006.  Innovative Kids.  Kids For Kids Co.  provided inspiration and funding support for the project.  www.bkfk.com

Growing Up Generous: Engaging Youth in Giving and Serving.  Roehlkepartain, Naftali, and Musegades. 2000. The Alban Institute.

The Giving Family: Raising Our Children to Help Others.   Price, Susan Crites.  2005.  Council on Foundations.  www.cof.org

Helping Kids Help:  Organizing Successful Charitable Projects.  Heiss, Renee.  2007.  Zephyr Press.  www.zephyrpress.com

The Mindset of Wealth for Teens & Parents.  Lawrence, G.W.  2nd edition 2008.  Kidz 4 Money.  www.Kidz4Money.com

The Search Institute has compiled extensive research and resources devoted to helping families, schools, and faith communities discover what children need to succeed in life.  Faith communities play an important role in supporting healthy individuals and families.  http://www.search-institute.org/content/congregations

SHARING THE OFFERING PLATE POLL FINDINGS

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Does your congregation share the offering plate?   

This was the question posted on the Giving Speaks blog a few years back.  In all, sixty-six responses were received along with a number of comments.  Here is what I learned from the poll responses and commentary.

Ninety-one percent (91%) of the respondents reported their congregations share some or all of their offering plate contributions at regular intervals during the year.  Among
those responding, only 7.5% say their congregations are considering a shared
offering program but have concerns about doing so.  Only one congregation represented had shared its offering plate in the past, but has stopped the program.

The comment by one respondent seems to speak for a number of congregation leaders that I have met with over the past five years, “We’ve been giving away 50% of every collection plate for two years. It has been an unqualified success.   It’s very clear that when people are given an opportunity to be generous, they respond.  Each month’s selected recipient is described by the minister at every service, with careful attention to why the mission of
the selected organization is viewed as an extension of our own ministry. The 50% of the collection which is retained by the church is always greater than the 100% we collected before the program was instituted. But, more importantly, everyone is proud of the church, and we are making a real difference for these selected organizations. It is a genuine win/win.”

Several comments indicate the shared offering plate program is a part of a congregation’s outreach ministry, helping those in need nearby or in response to a crisis at a distance.  One respondent wrote,  “At our church we found members were very interested in knowing that our plate was going to a good cause and made them feel good that we were reaching out to those in need.  For example, we have been contributing 50% of our plate for UUA Tornado Relief. Our total plate has increased since we started doing this several years ago.”

One concern shared indicates not all view the trend of giving away of all or part of the Sunday offering as  positive, “Sharing the plate is an unfortunate development – people come to UU churches to share in a religion not in a foundation that disburses money in vague ways according to the fad of the moment – I give money to my church to support our religion –God knows it is fragile enough – I give other money to charities I feel a
connection to – I don’t need others in my congregation to help me/tell me to what charity I should direct my money…”

Clearly, from the responses to this poll and from anecdotal research, the majority of congregations with shared offering plate programs find there are benefits to such a program.   Generally, the perception of the contributions made to community agencies and crisis relief funds is positive among congregants, in that they feel their congregation is making a difference.   Many report increases in giving to plate offerings, as well as in pledged contributions to the congregation in which the shared offering program is a visible, recognized outreach ministry.   What is less clear is whether or not instituting a shared offering program raises funding levels enough to sustain a congregation’s annual budgeted expenditures over time and without cuts to staffing, programs, and denominational funding.

As always, your stories, ideas, resources, and comments are welcome!

 

 

 

A New Poll–Should Ministers Have Knowledge of their Congregants’ Giving?

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Congregations have their unique culture around money and giving.  Ministers and congregants have varied degrees of comfort with the topic and practices involving money and giving in the congregation.   The needs, interests, and expectations do not always match up.

This question comes up frequently in my conversations with ministers and lay leaders.  It is a topic that is emerging more and more in congregational stewardship literature as congregations realize they must work harder to compete for their congregants’ charitable dollars.

As I research this topic for a future blog, I am interested in getting your responses and thoughts.  I invite you to take this latest poll and to offer your comments on the matter.