Pullen’s Stewardship Culture: Facing Our Financial Future
Pullen Tomorrow Task Force Report-May 22, 2003
Additional Deacon Council edits August 9, 2003
Introduction
As Pullen ponders its current financial state, and anticipates the possibility of a significant capital campaign, a great deal of attention has shifted to the culture of stewardship in the church. The Pullen Tomorrow Task Force has made this issue one its priorities as it examines issues affecting the church’s future. The following report analyzes current norms and suggests possible additions and revisions to the established patterns of fundraising and stewardship.
I. Pullen’s Primary Values
This section seeks to describe some of the key values that serve as the foundation for our congregational life. By naming norms that sustain the larger culture of the church, we feel it will be easier to interpret the values around money in our faith community and how those values fit into the larger system.
A. Pullen values meaningful worship experiences that stress the loving, affirming, creative nature of God rather than a God who condemns and judges.
B. We emphasize the freedom of each individual to seek her or his own truth in matters of faith and practice. While the teaching and influence of the church are important for all of us, Pullen respects the individual’s choices, even if those choices are different than the majority of the church.
C. Inclusiveness is a central concept at Pullen. There is great tolerance for diversity, especially in terms of theology. Some even feel we bend over backwards too far to accept so many diverse perspectives
D. The role of the laity is critical at Pullen. The church is organized in a way that encourages a great deal of lay participation.
E. Pullen places a high value on egalitarian relationships. The organizational structure of the church highlights this desire for a less hierarchical community.
F. The social ministries of the church are important because of their emphasis on justice and community action. Pullen is a congregation that is often defined by its sense of mission.
G. Historically Pullen has been a place where controversial topics can be discussed within a safe environment. We have not shied away from the hard things.
H. Pullen has a relatively low threshold for people wanting to join the church. We do not expect people to complete a required new member course, or affirm a certain theological statement, or even pledge to give a certain percentage of their income to become a member. This low threshold for membership seems congruent with our other values.
II. Pullen’s Primary Stewardship Values
A. We do not pressure people about money. We do not want to be perceived as pushy. We are not comfortable with the way the traditional church has hit people over the head about giving money.
B. Stewardship is not an ongoing conversation in the church. It usually is only discussed during the fall budget campaign.
C. The confidentiality around people’s gifts to the church is respected. Not even the pastors know what individual members contribute to Pullen.
D. There are various expectations around tithing. Some members feel strongly that it is important for each person to tithe, other members have little awareness or interest in this practice, and still others split their tithe between the church and other social service agencies.
E. Stewardship at Pullen is “worship centered” more than “education centered.” What little conversation about money we have in the church usually comes in the Sunday morning service rather than the education programs of the church.
F. There is a high expectation around pledging at Pullen. We consistently repeat that people’s pledges are the way that we fund the ministries of the church.
G. We stress a unified budget that funnels all contributions into a single budgetary plan.
III. Comparing Pullen’s Overall Values with Our
Stewardship Values
A. At first glance it appears that many of Pullen’s stewardship values are consistent with our larger values as a church. Our desire to respect the individual’s choices, to be non-hierarchical, to be inclusive of many viewpoints, and to rely on the input of the laity is reflected in our practices of not being too aggressive about money and letting people decide for themselves how and how much they will contribute.
B. One area in which our stewardship values may not exactly fit our larger community values is in the area of pledging and the unified budget. The pledging process is based on high expectations of members around their commitment to the institution and their willingness to let a small number of people in the institution decide how their contributions are used. While the Finance Committee does a great job of reflecting the desires of the various councils in putting together the unified budget, the process itself is probably more hierarchical and centralized than most processes at Pullen. The unified budget is based on values that are generally foreign to Pullen. The next section will describe why.
IV. The Guiding Assumptions of a Unified Budget
Much of the research in this section is based upon Lyle Schaller’s book, The New Context for Ministry: Competing for the Charitable Dollar (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002). Schaller is considered one of the best authorities on congregational life in the United States.
A. Unified budgets became popular in churches in the first part of the twentieth century. Denominational leaders developed this practice to help channel the contributions of various churches into a single plan for giving. A strength of the unified budget is that it allows a more equitable distribution of resources rather than allowing the person or group who asks most persuasively to receive the largest piece of the pie. Lyle Schaller points to five guiding assumptions that are found in using a unified budget.
1. Members of the church trust the leaders of the institution to determine the merits of various ministries and fund them appropriately.
2. The overwhelming majority of the church’s income will come from committed members of the church.
3. Members will tithe and give that tithe almost entirely to the church rather than splitting it between the church and other worthy causes.
4. Missions are best supported through denominational systems.
5. People don’t want to be bothered by repeated appeals for money.
B. There are obvious and good reasons why Pullen uses a unified budget based on pledges. It is an effective means for gauging the amount of resources the church will have to use each year. It also promotes a sense of congregational unity by having all contributions channeled into a single budget. However, of the five assumptions that are mentioned above, perhaps only the fifth one listed completely fits Pullen’s particular values.
C. While Pullen stresses a unified budget supported by pledges, there are a number of other revenue streams currently in place in our church. Here are eleven forms of income that are currently found at Pullen: 1) Pledges; 2) Non-pledged consistent offerings; 3) Bequests; 4) Memorials; 5) One-time large donations; 6) User fees; 7) Income from investments; 8) Small appeals for specific causes; 9) Rental income; 10) Fundraisers; 11) Occasional capital campaigns
V. Conclusions and Recommendations
With these factors in mind, the task force recommends the following additions and revisions to our stewardship system. We see no reason to do away with the approach that emphasizes pledging. It is a wise and pragmatic program for determining how much our members will give in a year. However, in addition to this traditional approach, we recommend the following items to increase the revenue streams at Pullen in a way that reflects our values as a congregation.
A. Become more comfortable talking about money in general. By making this an ongoing but not manipulative conversation at Pullen, we can all become more comfortable with the topic. This goal could be accomplished by: 1) having people write personal essays for the newsletter, 2) putting weekly blurbs in the Update that let people know what ministries their contributions are supporting (See Attachment A), 3) publicizing the general range of pledge amounts and the number of pledges at each level, and 4) talking about the subject more regularly in worship. Having several Focus times in worship throughout the year that highlight stewardship, instead of cramming them all into the budget season, might bring a helpful balance to this emphasis.
Timeline: 1) Essays: one each quarter in the newsletter, starting this fall. 2) “Blurbs”: right away, one every week in the Update when space permits. 3) Pledge level table: publish the prior year’s overall pledging table as part of the current campaign kick-off, then periodically publish an updated table for the current year during the pledging season. 4) Focus: one each quarter during worship, beginning this fall.
Responsibility: 1) “My thoughts/experience regarding stewardship” essays: ask the Finance Committee to recruit essay writers from the congregation, representing a variety of backgrounds. 2) “Blurbs”: the Treasurer, Church Administrator, or a subcommittee of Finance could draft a list of 50 to 60 one-line statements based on current or recent expenses; then administrative staff would pull one from the list each week for the Update. 4) Focus: ask Worship Council to build in the theme of stewardship four Sundays during the year, at times that make sense given the liturgical cycles, scriptures, and other themes. At least half of the stewardship messages should come during the Focus time from laity recruited by the Worship Council; the others would be non-harvest-Sunday sermons that educate and challenge on this topic.
B. Develop specific educational plans around stewardship for all ages in the church. Wednesday night sessions that discuss the theological foundations for our views of money, Sunday school curriculums for children, and other approaches for teaching the congregation about the spiritual benefit of giving could be presented on a regular basis. Possible resources are listed in Attachment B.
Timeline: begin researching and collecting possible curriculum ideas now and implement or phase in as seems feasible and appropriate.
Responsibility: all educational staff (adult, youth, children), and the Education Council.
C. Develop a Pullen Foundation. This foundation could be just one component of a larger program to discuss end of life issues with members. While some people have contributed to the Pullen Endowment, it may be effective to set up a foundation that clearly states what percentages of income will be used for specific purposes that reflect our congregational values. By doing so we could help members feel that they are supporting the work of Pullen well into the future.
Timeline: this is a long-range idea that may need to be delayed given the upcoming anticipated capital campaign.
Responsibility: ask the Finance Committee to assign the research, planning and publicity to a new or existing subcommittee. This could be a Foundation Committee, or the existing GEMs (Gifts/Endowments/Memorials) committee with the addition of a representative from other key groups, such as Deacons and Coordinating.
D. As a two-year experiment, provide a limited number of off-budget special gift opportunities and encourage people who have a passion for certain programs and ministries to give over and above their pledge to those particular areas. Currently, when a small group of Pullenites becomes passionate about a particular social justice issue, they are encouraged to form a mission group to further the work. Some churches are following a similar pattern around contributing to certain causes. The Finance Committee could develop a list of areas in the church’s work that need greater support than can feasibly be included in the budget (maybe 3-4 in a year) and allow individuals or small groups to focus on that area in their giving. (Examples might include replacing playground equipment, buying new sheet music or choir robes, or making a larger-than-normal pledge to a local non-profit.) Encouraging such a practice might stretch our definition of a unified budget, but emphasizing that such gifts should not be in lieu of pledges would be a key part of the publicity. Because there is an obvious risk in trying this approach, the two-year time limit would allow the church to discontinue the practice if it proved more harmful than helpful.
Timeline: if possible, incorporate into the upcoming budget planning; if it’s too late, then begin the experiment in the 2005 budget campaign.
Responsibility: Finance Committee with input from all councils and committees. Ideas for possible projects could be collected as part of the budget process—by asking each group for their bottom-line general budget plus an item or issue that they’d love to address if extra funds were available. Finance would choose the 3 or 4 special projects for the year and the Treasurer would set up separate designated accounts. The groups whose projects are selected could provide the mission statement for their project, which Finance would edit and publicize.
E. Change the pattern of how the Finance Committee receives requests from councils during the annual budgeting cycle. Instead of having representatives come to the Finance Committee with their budgets, consider having members of the Finance Committee go to the meetings of councils and committees and engage them in conversation about the present and future needs of that particular group and the congregation. This shift might send a clearer message that budget decisions are arising out of a wide-ranging dialogue within the church’s structure.
Timeline: in the upcoming budget campaign, if feasible
Responsibility: Finance Committee
Statements such as:
Filled in with actual numbers reflecting every aspect of how we spend money, such as:
…purchase teaching materials for the __ grade Sunday School class for a year
…print bulletins for one week’s Sunday worship
…purchase copier paper and toner for the next month/quarter
…purchase choral sheet music and rights for x musical pieces
…provide meal certificates for x homeless persons
…provide bus passes for x working homeless persons
…pay for one month of health insurance for one of Pullen’s staff
…pay for one month of health insurance for all of Pullen’s staff
…pay one week of salary for Pullen’s ministerial staff
…pay one week of salary for Pullen’s administrative staff
…cover the electricity bill for one month
…pay the water bill for the whole year
…support the progressive Baptist seminaries at Duke and Wake Forest
…make a donation to ____, a local non-profit organization
Etc.
The idea being: to show a full range of gift amounts -- from a few dollars to a few thousand dollars -- and to touch on every area of church’s ministry and maintenance.
These could be prepared in advance in bulk by the Finance Committee or Church Treasurer and selected one at a time for publication in the weekly bulletin.
Much of the available church-sponsored material on stewardship delivers a message that is inconsistent with Pullen’s values. However, it is not necessary for us to develop useful literature from scratch; some like-minded churches have already taken this challenge, and two resources are listed below that may provide a good starting point.
Inspiring Generosity: A
Stewardship Resource for the Local Church
New in 2002, this
120-page book looks at the theology and motivation of giving and explores
realistic understandings of mission and money in the church. Includes complete
information on four stewardship programs for the congregation: Personal Visits,
Consecrating Stewards, Invited to Give, Thanks!, and Faith-Promise. $12.00
Connections
A biannual magazine of
stewardship and mission resources for local church pastors and lay leaders,
Connections expands the traditional understanding of stewardship and features a
variety of unusual articles and resources. Free
Seasons of Stewardship
A four-page resource for
pastors and leaders who wish to keep issues of generosity and stewardship alive
throughout the church year. Organized by the seasons of the church year.
Written by William C. Green, minister and team leader, Stewardship and Church
Finances, United Church of Christ. Free
Our Church's Wider
Mission
A colorful brochure with
a brief explanation of the kind of work accomplished by members' gifts, through
their congregations, to Our Church's Wider Mission. Designed for distribution
to all church members. Free
Stewardship programs
2002 Stewardship Theme
Materials
This packet of
materials, on the theme "Give God the Best," can greatly help your
congregation with its annual stewardship effort. Materials include full-color
poster, 4 motivational bulletin inserts (including giving chart), worship
folder, letterhead and envelope, note card, and commitment cards. Call
800-325-7061 for price information.
Motivating giving
What Scripture Says
About Giving
This brief brochure, for
distribution to all church members, looks at the question of how much to give
to the work of the church, and why. Also available in Spanish. $2.00/fifty
How Much Shall I Give? A
Percentage Giving Guide
A brochure to help
church members think about what percentage of their income they give for the
church's work. Also available in Spanish. $2.00/fifty
Important Opportunity
Ahead!
A folder that alerts
members to the important opportunity they face as they decide about their
giving for the church's work for the coming year. $2.00/fifty
In Proportion to What?
Possibilities for those who farm or own a business
A resource providing
ideas for farmers and owners of small businesses to consider as they determine
their income from which to give proportionately to the church's work.
$2.00/fifty
Children and lifestyle
Children and Money: A
Guide for Parents
24-page booklet by
Christian educator Carol Wehrheim addresses parents briefly and
straightforwardly on money issues related to children from a Christian
perspective. $4.95
Children as Consumers
A colorful four-page
handout for parents, Sunday School teachers, families, and youth on the influence
of marketing on children's values. Use as a discussion starter in groups, in
conjunction with Bible study, or simply make copies available to members. Free
Voluntary Simplicity
A thoughtful look at
consumerism, generosity, and simpler and more joyful living, and how one church
addressed these issues in a colorful 4-page handout for use with study groups.
Includes a litany entitled, "Turn Your Back on the Worship of
Things." Free
Worship
Praise and Offering and
Praise
A four-page resource for
worship leaders containing an expanded offering liturgy in the same format as
the UCC Book of Worship. Includes a variety of Doxologies and several optional
ways for worshipers to give their offerings. Free
How to Rev Up the
Offering
One page of suggestions
for pastors and leaders on ways to handle the offering and change the spirit of
the offering on Sunday Morning. Free
Money and the Church
Plain Talk About
Churches and Money
This book by Dean Hoge,
Patrick McNamara, and Charles Zech, explodes myths, reveals facts, and explores
motives for giving. Offers practical insight and real help for churches
everywhere and for everyone who wants to understand fund raising and to
celebrate stewardship. $17.00
The Crisis in the
Churches: Spiritual Malaise, Fiscal Woe
Written by sociologist
Robert Wuthnow, this book offers a searching study of the financial crisis in
the churches, letting clergy and laity speak for themselves. Valuable both
practically and as moral support to clergy, parishioners, and anyone else
concerned about restoring vitality and significance to American churches.
$30.00
Financing American
Religion, Mark Chavez and Sharon L. Miller, editors.
This book brings
together short, readable essays representing the best, most up-to-date research
and thinking on the intersections of money and religion. Sociologists,
historians, economists, and theologians ask who gives, how much, and why. They
investigate how money affects religious organizational behavior and explore how
attitudes towards money have altered over time.
$24.95
Theology
I. Beyond Control:
Giving and Community II. The Generosity of Praise
The theology and
motivation of stewardship understood in terms of "abundance": praise
and generosity beyond gratitude and reciprocity. Two seminary lectures by William
C. Green, Minister and Team Leader, Stewardship and Church Finances, United
Church of Christ. Free
Order all these
resources from United Church of Christ Resources, 1-800-325-7061
For More Information: The Rev. William C.
Green, Minister and Team Leader
Stewardship
and Church Finances
United
Church of Christ
700 Prospect Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44115
216-736-3851
greenb@ucc.org