in Vital Posts and filtered by Planned Giving, Discernment, Stewardship
By Linda Buskirk
St. John’s of Grand Haven MI uses a personal approach to stewardship that has proved very effective and pleasant for its practitioners. Starting in the spring and continuing throughout the entire year, stewardship team members reach out individually to parishioners on their lists through personal notes. Giving to St. John’s has increased about 25% over the past five years.
By Linda Buskirk
Many faith communities are about to launch annual giving campaigns. Linda Buskirk suggests that thinking of the annual campaign as an invitation rather than an “ask” changes the dynamic and will help more people give.
By Ken Quigley
Most people die without a written will. Which leaves their families at the mercy of the state, which will distribute assets after death. The state will pay the lawyers first, then any taxes or creditors and finally family. If you don’t have a will, make one.
By Jim Murphy
In this blog, Jim Murphy explores the concept of congregation as family. “When someone makes a planned gift of any kind to their parish, that person raises their congregation to the level of family in their estate plans.”
By Hilary Bogert-Winkler
Hilary Bogert-Winkler argues that millennials as a group have a particular relationship with authenticity. The churches she’s seen that are thriving and that have a healthy number of millennials and their families are churches that have a firm sense of who they are.
By Linda Buskirk
Are you wishing for better results for your congregation’s annual stewardship campaigns? Perhaps it’s time to add intentional planning, starting right now, to make your wish come true.
By Mike Chalk
Every so often the leadership of a congregation decides that it is necessary to spend some valuable time discerning what needs to be addressed.
By Alan Bentrup
There’s much we can learn as Christians from the news around us. Including business news.
By Linda Buskirk
A new calendar year brings renewed resolutions to do things right.
By Jeannette McDonald
It’s that time of year when we are making decisions about how much we give to our church.