Research has definitively answered the question, “What drives high per capita giving to congregations?” Churches across the United States typically request contributions from their members through three distinct methods:

1. One kind of church takes offerings: They have no annual financial stewardship campaign. People in those congregations give an average of 1.5 % of their income to support their church.
2. Researchers call the second kind of congregation a pledging church: The leaders build a proposed budget each year, then ask people to write on a pledge card the dollars/week or month they plan to give and to turn in the card during the annual stewardship campaign. People in pledging congregations give an average of 2.9% of their income to their church. In other words, people who write down their financial commitments on paper give, on average, twice as much as people who do not write down their intentions on paper.
3. Researchers call the third kind of congregation a percentage-giving church. Instead of building a proposed budget, those churches conduct an annual stewardship campaign that asks people, “What percentage of your income do you feel God is calling you to give?” Parishioners then translate their answers into dollar amounts, write the figure on a card, and turn it in. The church creates the budget by totaling the cards. People in percentage-giving congregations contribute an average 4.6% of their income to their church. In other words, national research indicates that people whose churches repeatedly raise the question, “What percentage of your income is God calling you to give?” contribute three times more dollars/year than people whose churches only take offerings.^[1]

Consecration Sunday, by Herb Miller, asks people to grow spiritually by giving a percentage of their income to the Lord’s work through their congregations. The goal of Christian stewardship, unlike secular fund-raising, is the faithful management of all that God gives so that God can use our gifts to transform us spiritually and to extend Christ’s transforming love to others.

Your United Methodist Foundation will hold our annual Consecration Sunday Training Event on Thursday, May 16, from 10:00-1:00 pm in Dixon Chapel in the UM Building. During the training, you will hear from clergy and laity who have successfully implemented the CS. We will explain the nuts and bolts of this program and answer your questions. You will receive a CS manual and lunch …. all for FREE. 

Clergy and laity are invited. The deadline to register (May 9^th) is quickly approaching; please register to attend ASAP as space is limited. Here’s our registration link: https://umfnc.org/resources/cs/

Join us on Thursday, May 16, 2024, and learn more about what we consider the best stewardship program we’ve seen — that’s why we support it with our time and our talents year after year. UMF believes that by helping parishioners become tithers, you are helping them grow into who God created us to be: generous givers. It’s in our DNA to give. Come, let us assist you in sharing the joy of giving with others.

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^[1] Dean R. Hoge, Charles Zech, Patrick McNamara, and Michael J. Donahue, Money Matters {Lousiville: Westminster John Knox, 1996}

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].