July 1 signifies the commencement of the new pastoral year within the United Methodist Church. With this transition, many will be relocating to new appointments shortly, while others will embark on a fresh chapter within their current roles. Either way, talking about money can be a sticky topic, so let’s be prepared from day one.

Before anything else, update the church’s website, whether you’re transitioning to a new location or remaining in your current one. No doubt you’ve looked at the website of your new appointment with the fresh eyes that you can only have before you get there. Once you’re in the mix of things, changes needed to the church’s website will seem less urgent, but are more important than ever. For one reason: you are the new pastor and likely the previous pastor’s picture and bio are on the website. Certainly, that’s cause for an update. BECAUSE THE WEBSITE IS THE CHURCH’S NEW FRONT DOOR. Websites ARE the way new folks check out the church before ever stepping in the door.

As you begin this new appointment or appointment year, you might want to turn over a new leaf and be bolder in talking about money? Sure, why not!

Here are four “To dos:”

1. Get a new perspective by reading Henri Nouwen’s A Spirituality of Fundraising. It is a great little read, most especially his chapters “Fundraising as Ministry” and “People Who are Rich.” 60 pages (that’s all) have never packed quite such a punch.
2. Ask for information. Understand how your people are currently giving. Ask who the top 20 givers are. What’s the trajectory of giving over the past five years? Going up? Going down? Staying static? If you’re nervous about asking for this information, the Book of Discipline has your back.
3. Meet with some of your top and/or most consistent givers. Ask them why giving to the church has been meaningful to them. What do they like about the church? Where do they see signs of hope? “Hey! I see you give a lot! Can I meet with you?!” Meeting with your people—for any reason—is about building relationships.
4. Start talking about money from the pulpit. Before the Stewardship Campaign. Tell stories about what you’ve seen and heard about the church. Thank people for their generosity in making mission and ministry happen. Normalize money as a topic in church.

Being new is hard. It really is. But it is also time for innovation, revitalization, and boldness. May God give you the strength to step out of your comfort zone to talk about money to further the Kin-dom right here on earth.

If we at UMF can be of assistance to you, your finance or endowment teams, etc. please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to serve you.

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This article was submitted by Rev. Lynn Benson, Director of Legacy Giving for the United Methodist Foundation, Inc. If you would like more information regarding UMF, you can contact Lynn at [email protected].