No getting around it. There’s a lot of uncertainty around. Groceries. Gas prices. Elections. AI. It’s all around us; we don’t know where things are going.
Uncertainty changes behavior. When people aren’t sure what is coming, they tend to wait. They put off decisions. They hold back.
That can make pledge season especially challenging.
But Stewardship is, in large part, the practice of acting on what we believe even when we cannot see the whole future. In Hebrews, we read that Abraham, “by faith,” set out “not knowing where he was going.” He didn’t know what would happen next. He acted with faith and set out anyway, trusting the call he had received.
The same is true for us. We don’t know what next year will bring. Neither does anyone else.
But a pledge is not a prediction.
A pledge is a statement of intention: This is what I believe is worth supporting. This is what I want to help make possible.
Uncertainty surrounds us, and we may feel it particularly during pledge season. So what do we do? Remember three words: Near, Dear, and Clear.
1. Near: Hold Them Close
These are all your people: In the pews, on the member list, visitors, newcomers and connected volunteers. Don’t let people feel forgotten.
Wear nametags. Make introductions. Invite people to coffee hour. Help newcomers find ways to participate in the congregation.
Many of our churches have experienced growth over the past year. Yes, that’s something to celebrate, but it’s also something to nurture and protect.
People who walk through the door need to feel that they belong. They need opportunities to know others and to be known themselves. They need to begin to see the congregation as their own community.
Relationship comes before commitment.
During pledge season, don’t just communicate with your members. Pay attention to them. Welcome them. Invite them in. Keep them near.
2. Dear: Tell the Stories
Who gives to a church, or, for that matter, to any worthy cause?
People who care about its mission. People who have an emotional connection to it. People who believe that what the organization does matters.
Keep it dear.
People aren’t simply supporting an institution. They’re supporting a community that is their community. This is why it is important to help people see the connection between their Stewardship and the ministry of the church.
Worship. Choir. Children’s programs. Outreach. Bible study. Pastoral care. Coffee hour.
Tell the stories.
Stewardship Minutes (brief testimonials during Announcements) are a wonderful way for parishioners to share simple stories from their own perspectives: Why do they come? What do they value? What ministry has mattered to them? What difference has the congregation made in their lives?
A picture may be worth a thousand words. But a picture with a good caption can be worth much more.
A photograph of a child in Christian education is lovely.
A photograph with a caption that says, “Every Sunday, children gather to hear Bible stories, ask questions and discover that they are part of a community of faith,” tells us something more.
It tells us what is happening, why it matters and what the church is making possible.
That’s a case for support.
The same is true of a photograph of a food pantry, a choir rehearsal, a youth group, a pastoral visit or a group gathered around a table.
Don’t simply show people what you are doing.
Help them understand why it matters.
3. Clear: Be Clear-Eyed and Clear in Communication
Being clear means more than communicating clearly. It also means being clear-eyed about the financial reality of your congregation.
This does not mean that Stewardship is fundraising for the budget. It isn’t.
But ministries require resources. Buildings need to be maintained. Staff need to be paid. Children and youth programs need supplies. Outreach ministries need support. The work of the church requires dollars as well as people’s time and talent.
Vestries and stewardship committees need to understand their own financial reality.
Are pledges growing? By how much? Are they keeping pace with the cost of doing ministry? How many pledges increased last year? How many stayed the same? Where are the opportunities for growth?
Look at your pledge history. Know your numbers. Be clear-eyed about where you are starting.
And then think about how you can help people take the next step.
A step chart can make the possibilities visible. Asking people to consider a specific percentage increase can give them a concrete way to think about their pledge. A thoughtful, direct invitation to increase can help someone move beyond simply repeating last year’s number.
These aren’t tricks. They are ways of helping people make an intentional decision about their giving.
Clear communication also means answering the questions people may be reluctant to ask.
What exactly does my pledge support? How much does the church really need? What happens if I can’t increase my pledge? Does my pledge need to be a certain amount? How does my giving compare with what other people give?
People may not always ask these questions out loud. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t wondering about them.
Think about creating a FAQ that’s posted on your website. Give people a way to find straightforward answers without having to raise their hand and ask a question they may feel embarrassed to ask.
Clear-eyed about the dollars. Clear about the message. Clear about the invitation.
That is good stewardship.
Stewardship in Uncertain Times
We cannot know what the economy will look like next year. We cannot know what our own circumstances will be six months from now.
- But we can decide what we value.
- We can decide what communities we want to sustain.
- We can decide what ministries we want to make possible.
- And we can invite others to make those decisions with us.
So as you begin your annual stewardship campaign, remember:
Keep them near.
Build relationships and help people feel that they belong.
Keep the ministry dear.
Tell the stories that help people see why the church and its ministry matter.
Keep the work clear.
Know your financial reality, make intentional invitations and communicate in ways that answer people’s questions.
We don’t know what next year will bring.
But we do know what we believe is worth supporting.
And that is where Stewardship begins.
