Many of the bitter fruits of the COVID crisis can be ignored, at least for a time. But unlike lower attendance, decreased engagement, and smaller reach, parishes can’t ignore the issue of money for long. Bills come due, staff salaries must be paid; maintenance cannot be deferred indefinitely. Giving is down in almost all parishes, […]
Category: Stewardship
As a part of our current message series on “Life with Family”, we’ve acknowledged that families come in many different shapes and sizes. They are continuously changing as seasons of life unfold. Even nuclear families change as kids get older, go off to college, and, eventually, leave the nest to start their own families. Increasingly, […]
Let us come before the LORD with thanksgiving. Psalm 95 This week we celebrated Stewardship Sunday, reflecting on the blessing our parish is to our members and in the life of the community. As part of the celebration, we invited members and “regulars” to make a financial commitment to the parish for 2020. And I […]
When Tom and I started writing our recently released book ChurchMoney, we thought it had the potential to really strike a chord in the American Catholic Church. In our travels across the country, we have observed that money is one of the biggest – if not the biggest – causes of stress and worry among […]
This weekend, we are celebrating the release of our newest book Churchmoney: Rebuilding the Way We Fund Our Mission. The book is the story of our successes and failures with raising money at our parish and the practical lessons we learned along the way. The book came to be because we believe money is an […]
Once a year, and only once a year, we take a weekend to reflect on our financial commitment to our local parish church. The following are 5 practices we’ve found helpful in hosting a successful stewardship program, i.e., one that receives a positive response and solid commitments for giving. ONE: Our Stewardship Sunday is a […]
This week we celebrate Halloween (not to mention All Saints Day) as well as the end of Daylight Savings Time. They all always seem to mark the end of the first half of fall. And what a first half it has been. Our annual kick-off weekend was festive and fun, though intentionally muted in view […]
This Advent our message series is focusing on giving and growing in generosity. And in this season and this series we will focus on both. This weekend will bring our annual Missions Weekend, highlighting our partners in Haiti and Kenya, while also supporting our partners in Nigeria. We’re offering the opportunity to sponsor a child […]
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. Matthew 25:16-17 Look at that first word. “Immediately.” The first two servants immediately do something with the master’s money that benefits the master. They invest the money, doubling it. Knowing that […]
Do you remember the Indiana Jones movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark?” Harrison Ford always just makes it through whatever challenge is looming. And then it’s on to the next challenge. Three years ago we launched our Vision Campaign to build a new church. In the time since, the whole campaign has felt like an […]
