It’s a new year, it’s a new you (right?!). Pick up one or two new skills. Remain intellectually curious. Follow the Stewardship Calendar and you can face the new stewardship year with confidence.

There you have it, friends. Take a read or re-read one or two of these and see if you’re inspired to
a. Try something new (like Venmo)
b. Update something old (like those policies)
c. Feel better about the wonderful work you are doing to make this world a better place.

So many of you have mastered many of these twelve but maybe there’s one or two you’d especially like to incorporate this season – or before the end of the year. Once you get started, you’ll see just how easy it will be to accomplish them.

“Stories are a fundamental device that we humans use to communicate and process information. We think in metaphors and learn through stories. Which means that every time you communicate to your audience – whether through your website, email, videos, social media, events – you are telling people a story about your nonprofit.” (Ron Arnold)

Remember, nonprofits (including seminaries) are doing a much better job of educating their fans about how they can give a variety of cash and non-cash gifts.  

Now you’ve been educated. Here’s your opportunity to let your people and fans know how they can make a difference to make more ministry possible.

I can assure you: you can write that all-important year-end letter.

You. Still. Have. Time.

Thank you, dear readers for reading these weekly posts. You are the ones who keep me going, keep me honest, keep me excited about the work that I do. Gratitude is at the heart of “Inspiring Generosity.” I am so grateful for you.

In this season of gratitude, I want to give thanks for the Church and the (local) church. It has made me a better person – more generous, more aware, more empathetic.

Too many clergy think they can’t talk about money in church.

They may have had one sincere curmudgeon tell them that “everyone will leave the church if you talk about money.”

Or they may tell themselves, “I’ve heard all those tele-evangelists talking about money. Ick. That’s not me.”

Or, “No one ever told me in seminary that that was part of the job description.”

But friends, there is another way.

A few key stats about giving in December:

- nonprofits raise 26% of their annual revenue in December
- of a nonprofit’s total online giving, 17-31% comes in December
- 10% of all giving happens the last three days of December