Last week I wrote to everyone in the congregation at St Mary’s asking them to review their giving to the church. It is something that all congregations in the Scottish Episcopal Church have been asked to think about this year. Initial results are looking promising, though there are a lot of responses still to come in yet. Members of the finance team have helpfully offered to contact anyone who does not respond to ask them whether they need more information.
Anyway, I was looking around on the net to see how other people are doing this kind of thing. I came upon one diocese which is using video in quite an imaginative way, and indeed has posted it on Youtube. Anyone know the bishop who appears here? We should get him over to a Provincial Conference to talk about Stewardship.
Or something.
Definately ‘or something’.
I am oddly handicapped in my assesment of the video by my familiarity with things American. What is the British cringe factor for it? It would be good if we could use it here — as a reminder of the fact that we don’t always need to re-invent the wheel, and as a reminder that the church in New Hampshire is more than a battle ground for the Communion.
We’re working hard on Stewardship too – have created a Powerpoint Pres for Vestries, etc. and a ‘Tackle it this way’ folder. And the response is very encouraging. I think it is really about changing a number of attitudes which are fairly deeply embedded. I am convinced that our pattern of augmentation facilitates decline. But I am even more concerned by the attitudes of a church which lives by fundraising.
Sometimes what is not said also speaks
an example of this
would be Christ not asking the rich young man for a penny.
The value of money is an illusion we all participate in
because it is a convenient medium of exchange
Christ does not deal in illusions but in realities
the reality of giving himself
and he calls us to do the same.