Coincidence or Providence?

[Billy Cox]

The church I attend has for a long time intended to pay denominational obligations out of money received in Faith Promise giving, but has always come up short, thus requiring that operating budget categories be pilfered to pay 'the man'. This year, the pastoral leadership indicated that we were $31,000 behind on our obligations (due in June-ish) and challenged us to a spiritual adventure that would culminate by receipt of that money in offerings above regular giving.

I wouldn't term it as a remarkable or even well-implemented marketing program, but surprise!, we received an offering of $33,000 on Sunday above our regular giving. We also surpassed our Faith Promise pledge goal.

One does not have to be a rocket scientist to guess that on the eve of tax rebates, easy money is easy to give. So the question is, did we mean to do it that way or did we just benefit from dumb luck?

[Ken Pell]

So the question is, did we mean to do it that way or did we just benefit from dumb luck?

Are those the only options?

There are plenty of stories of other congregations "paying the man" in similar fashion at times of the year when "easy money" was not available.

[Bob Evans]

The church I attend has for a long time intended to pay denominational obligations out of money received in Faith Promise giving, but has always come up short, thus requiring that operating budget categories be pilfered to pay 'the man'. This year, the pastoral leadership indicated that we were $31,000 behind on our obligations (due in June-ish) and challenged us to a spiritual adventure that would culminate by receipt of that money in offerings above regular giving.

I wouldn't term it as a remarkable or even well-implemented marketing program, but surprise!, we received an offering of $33,000 on Sunday above our regular giving. We also surpassed our Faith Promise pledge goal.

One does not have to be a rocket scientist to guess that on the eve of tax rebates, easy money is easy to give. So the question is, did we mean to do it that way or did we just benefit from dumb luck?

I wonder if God had anything to do with it?

[Barb Bouldrey]

When a need is presented to a congregation, they usually come through. I see it happen all the time.

The key to the need is in the pockets of the people all the time...they just need to be made aware of the need, and then they give.

People care about their church.

Barb

[Billy Cox]

When a need is presented to a congregation, they usually come through. I see it happen all the time.

The key to the need is in the pockets of the people all the time...they just need to be made aware of the need, and then they give.

People care about their church.

Barb

This is true. I guess that churches sometimes do not have because they don't ask.

I emphasize the word 'ask' because the initial tendency is to publish the giving stats week after week in the bulletin (short nearly every time), assuming that information leads people to give.

[Billy Cox]

I wonder if God had anything to do with it?

well of course...

[Bob Evans]

This is true. I guess that churches sometimes do not have because they don't ask.

I emphasize the word 'ask' because the initial tendency is to publish the giving stats week after week in the bulletin (short nearly every time), assuming that information leads people to give.

Fund raising research shows that people don't give for two reasons. The first is that there not asked and the second is that there not thanked in a timely manner.