2011
Stewardship
Darnestown
Presbyterian
Church
Stewardship Roundtable Event
May 25, 2011
Darnestown Presbyterian Church
• 156 year old church
• Darnestown, MD
(suburbs)
• 450 members
• Only 3 pastors in the
last 35 years
• Growth area but highly
transient members
• Pretty Church on the
corner
Trends in DPC Giving and Finance
•
•
•
•
Drop off in giving in 2009; no year-end rally.
Decline in pledging and pledge dollars in 2010.
Almost 80% of our budget is in fixed costs.
Building & Ground expenses and needs are
increasing.
• A challenging economic and job environment.
• Face 2nd straight year of deficit financing.
3
Membership & Pledge Trends
Flat to Down Over Last 10 Years
500
Membership
450
400
350
300
250
Pledge Units
200
150
Pledges
100
50
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
4
10 Year Pledge and Giving Trends
Flat for 10 Years; Dropping Last 3 Years
500,000
Offering
Collected
450,000
400,000
350,000
300,000
Dollars
Pledged
250,000
200,000
Unpledged
Giving
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
5
10 Year Expense Trends
Fixed Expenses are Up
400,000
350,000
300,000
Salary +27%
250,000
200,000
Building & Grounds +79%
150,000
100,000
Mission +57%
Admin +24%
Worship & Education +272%
50,000
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010B
6
Decline in Giving Across
Churches
The Elephant in the Room
Discussion
• DPC spending was
running at the level of a
larger Church . . .
• . . . In reality the giving
levels of our Church
were not increasing
What are Other Churches Doing?
Commitment at DPC to Church
“Transformation”
• Discussions at the
Session Level
• Pastors leading
“transformation”
movement
• Listening to our
members
• Small Group Ministries
• Dedicated Education
Time
Five Practices of Fruitful
Congregations
• Radical Hospitality
• Passionate Worship
• Intentional Faith
Development
• Risk-Taking Mission and
Service
• Extravagant Generosity
Extravagant Giving
• Focuses on the notion
that Stewardship rightly
focuses on the Christian’s
need to give . . .
• . . . Rather than the
church’s need to receive .
..
• Not simply a moneyraising strategy – but
spiritually powerful
truth.
3 Year Stewardship Plan
• Year 1: Meet the “Christian’s Need to Give
Head-On” – Ask Our Members to “Step-Up”
• Year 2: Integrate a year-long strategy and
events around Stewardship and Long-Term
Giving
• Year 3: Integrate “Extravagant Giving” with
other “Fruitful Practices” of the Church
Start the New Year Planning
Process Earlier
• Met with Session to share our 3 Year
Stewardship Plans
• Asked Committee and Ministry Chairs to plan
ahead early for 2011 Ministries (Budget)
• Commitment to be more “open” about our
members need to give
• Introduce Tithing to the Congregation
Re-Introduced Stewardship
Booklet
• Introduced idea to
Session
• Committee Chair
participation
• Prepared in
August/September
• Distributed in October
• Print and online
versions
Made It Easy for Committee
Chairs to Contribute
Goals of the Stewardship
Booklet
• To make Stewardship more “real” to members
• Deliver the message of the “Christian’s need
to give”
• Ask DPC members to “Step-Up” and increase
their 2011 pledge
• Reintroduce the idea of “Tithing” to members
• A guide to introduce new members to
“Stewardship”
• Stewardship Booklets
The Stewardship
distributed during worship,
Campaign
mail and email (weekly eletter)
• Minute For Stewardship
• Stewardship Sermon
• Stewardship messages in
Sunday bulletins, weekly eletter and monthly
newsletter
Constant and Consistent
Communications
Mentions in Weekly E-Letter
Mentions In Monthly Newsletter
The Stewardship • Stewardship Mailings to
member homes (letter,
Campaign
•
•
•
•
•
pledge card and envelope)
Stewardship Sermon
Minute for Stewardship
Stewardship messages in
bulletins, e-letter and
newsletter
Dedication Sunday:
November 21, 2011
Pledging concluded
December 15th
The 2011 Results
• 120 pledge units – up
25% from 2010
• $379,964 dollars
pledged -- up 46%
• $3,333 average pledge
amount – up 30%
• 88% of our offering
budget pledged
• Finished 2010 over
budget
What Happened?
• The “JOY of Giving” message resonated with
members rather than the “Church’s need to
receive”
• Commitment by the Session, Pastors and
Stewardship team to change outlook
• Resources and support material presented
early and often
• Combined with “Church” transformation
Tactics and the Spirit Must Work
Together
Tactics and Mechanics are
Important
• Commitment from
Session
• Stewardship Booklet
content
• The message repeated
often through Church
outlets
• Pastor’s sermons
• Dedication Sunday
Must be hand-in-hand with
Willingness to give
• “We give out of faith,
not out of our money.”
• Recognition that we
owe our resources and
gifts to God
• There is “JOY in Giving”
• We are a Church on the
Way Back Up