One Way to Increase Giving this Summer
Last week, the temperature here in Salem, OR reached 91degrees. 91 in early May!
I’m sure you know what I was inspired to sing. That’s right friends, Sly and the Family Stone’s 1969 classic: Hot Fun in the Summertime. You must watch it – not only to hear the ear worm lyrics – but to see what Sly is wearing. Here’s hoping it’ll spark some of your fashion choices for the next few months.
Summer is the season that has most finance committees and treasurers wringing their hands. And, with good reason.
Giving goes dooooown.
People go on vacation. They sleep in because, well, it’s summer. They don’t mean to, but they simply forget that if they aren’t physically giving a gift on Sunday (or whenever your worship hour is), money doesn’t come in.
There may be a solution.
My friend, Steve Lindsley, is pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. I recently received an email he sent to his congregation.
The subject line: Give Recurring Giving a Try this Summer!
Steve is taking the proverbial bull by the horns and tackling a common problem many of you face. He does it brilliantly.
Here’s how:
- In an easy-to-read email he invites people to try recurring giving for at least three months.
- Steve makes the need clear. Regular giving (via a credit card or a bank Electronic Funds Transfer) is good for the church because the church can count on regular donations during the sometimes-lean months of summer.
- He explains – in plain language – how to do it. In a simple three-minute video, Steve walks people through how to set up recurring giving. He takes the mystery away. He makes the process appear easy and accessible.
- Steve shows buy-in for recurring giving from others. In the email, there are testimonies from people of a wide variety of ages who utilize monthly giving. The message is: if these folk can do it, so can you.
- He refers people to the church’s webpage on recurring giving where there is a short list of Frequently Asked Questions.
- He makes sure people know who they can call if they have questions. That’s common sense but it’s often forgotten.
Trinity’s campaign to increase recurring givers is going on through the entire month of May. They are highlighting a testimony about recurring giving through their weekly email newsletter and are mentioning it in worship and through their Sunday bulletin.
The request is that folks try it out for three months.
The hope is they will find it easy enough that they will continue giving this way through the rest of the year.
Is this something you could adapt to your congregation? Here’s the good news: Steve has already done the hard work for you through Trinity’s excellent example. Thank you, Steve.
Encouraging your people to consistently give through the summer is tough work. It’s made all the easier if you remind them that, with a few simple steps, their recurring giving will make a difference through the Hot Fun in the Summertime. Go ahead – give it a try.
P.S. Many thanks to so many of you who reached out with kind words, thoughts, and prayers after reading last week’s post, The Power of Prayer. I read each of your emails to Tom. What a blessing you are.
Photo credit: stevepb @ pixabay.com
Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise over three million dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations. Need more another song to remind you of the season coming up? How about Fantasia singing Summertime seventeen years ago on American Idol.
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered!
Schedule a meeting now.
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