Glossary of Stewardship Terms
Action Plan. Action Plans are a resource to help a congregation act out their Mission Statement. The process of creating Action Plans generates energy and enthusiasm for ministry among the participants in the Action Plan workshops. Action Plans are blueprints to guide the building of specific ministries out of that energy and enthusiasm. Action Plans inform people how and where their money will go if they decide to give more.
"Vision without love-impelled action should always be suspect." Evelyn Underhill. "The Authority of Personal Religious Experience." Theology. Vol. X, No. 55, 1925, pp. 8-24
Annual Giving. The essential giving that supports the mission of the church. Approximately 90% of the income of the church comes from the annual financial commitments of the members.
Biblical Stewardship. We look to the Bible for the nucleus of all Stewardship teaching and practice. All the issues and concerns of Stewardship: money, time, energy, skill, relationships, the environment, and the institutional church are established somewhere in the Bible. All teaching must begin with scripture.
Capital Giving. These are offerings (often from accumulated assets of the giver) that build and/or maintain the resources used in mission and ministry. Usually these are physical resources.
Conversion and Repentance. In the New Testament there are two Greek words that are translated as conversion and repentance. They are Epistrophe and Metanoia. Epistrophe means turning point and it has to do with our behavior. It parallels St. Paul's understanding of sin as missing the mark. Metanoia means coming to wholeness of mind. It is the opposite of paranoia. Both meanings are essential in Stewardship behavior. The purpose of conversion is to increase our capacity to see God.
Giver of Record. These are the people who give to the church in a way that enables the Treasurer to keep a record of their giving. Almost all givers of record make a written financial commitment or pledge and then fulfill it with their regular offerings. Some prefer to not make an annual pledge, but do give by check or in an envelope.
Inductive Bible Study. This method of Bible study is not scholarly but devotional. It relies on God speaking to the believer through the scripture. There are several methods of Inductive Bible Study. All effective Stewardship Education begins with Inductive Bible Study. All Stewardship Education seeks to invite the participants into a deeper understanding of their relationship with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Line Item Budget. This is a budget format to identify income sources and expenses. A line item budget, together with the auditor's report required by Canon 1.7, is evidence of financial responsibility by the vestry.
Vision Statement. A congregation's statement of the vision of what God is calling them to become. A focus toward which to strive. The Vision Statement may be developed periodically or be carved in granite. It can be a theme for promotional purposes and should be short and memorable ("To know Christ and to love Him").
Mission statement. An articulation of the hopes and dreams of the people of the church who are seeking to be servants of God. Scripture, reason, and tradition help us determine our concept of mission. The dynamics of leadership in the local congregation define how the congregation lives up to its mission. Mission Statements should not be "carved in stone," but rather revisited every 3-5 years.
Mission Imperatives. Programs mandated by the Mission Statement. Articulating the mission imperatives adds clarity to the mission statement and identifies how the mission is intended to be accomplished. A common understanding of imperatives developed in the 1970s was Service, Worship, Education, Evangelism, and Pastoral Care (SWEEP). Every ministry program in the life of the congregation should serve one of the mission imperatives. Aligning ministry programs with the mission imperatives provides clarity on organizing the budget to serve the mission statement and on reporting in a Parish Narrative.
Planned Giving. This is the method that many use to make their last gift to God through the church out of their accumulated estate after they no longer have need of it. At a basic level it means writing a will and including the church. But it may also include a gift of stocks, bonds or real estate made in a way that provides immediate tax benefits while making a gift. Planned Giving is one of the ways, along with Annual Giving and Capital Giving that God's mission is funded.
Pledge Card or Commitment Card (or Estimate of Giving). This is the device used by most people to identify what they intend to return to God for a year's worth of mission. The focus of most Commitment Programs is to receive pledge cards. It is important to remember that, more than the pledge card or the amount pledged, the real purpose of financial commitment programs is to win souls for Jesus. Pledge cards are also known as Commitment Cards (and in some cases, Estimates of Giving). At the deepest level of meaning a pledge card is a signed document saying "I claim Jesus Christ as my Savior. I submit my life to His Lordship." This claiming and submission is signified by a financial commitment which enables the leaders to plan. At a less significant level, but still an important level, it is an act of kindness to the Treasurer. Some cultures do not like pledge cards as they feel that is a debt that contradicts the sense of joyful giving. Other economic situations, such as farming, resist the pledge because income is unpredictable. On balance, no better general way of making a commitment has been determined.
Pledging Unit. This refers to a source of a pledge or commitment. It may be an individual or a household. It is useful to think of pledging units when planning a Commitment Program. It helps to determine how many calls will need to be made or letters to be sent.
Proportional Giving. This is a way of giving that begins with the question, "How has God blessed me?' rather than "What does the church need?" Then the decision is made to return a proportion or percentage to God in obedience and gratitude.
Tithe. The tenth. It is referred to 67 times in the Bible. It is a proportion or percentage. The Episcopal Church has said it is the minimum standard for Christian giving.
Stewardship Ministry Team. Every congregation is best served if 4 to 11 people serve as a Stewardship Ministry team who accept the responsibility for Year-Round Education and the Annual Commitment Program.
Vestry Stewardship Statement. The Vestry Stewardship Statement is a corporate statement developed and signed by the vestry and clergy. It is a statement patterned after General Convention Resolutions A164 in 1988, A138s in 1997, and A106 in 2000. The Vestry Stewardship Statement, best developed in a retreat environment, completes the following phrases to which all who participate can agree:
We believe...
In response to what we believe, we commit... and, We call on all members of... to join us...
Essentially this is the leadership's way of saying "join us" rather than "you ought to."
The essential ingredients of a Stewardship Statement include the following:
We believe... (a statement that witnesses to the collective beliefs of those writing the statement)
We commit.. (a statement that witnesses to the level of commitment in time, talent, and money pledged by the vestry and clergy)
We commend... (or we invite)... (an invitation to those in the congregation to join the leadership in making a similar commitment) (Optional- We Commission... the Stewardship Commission/Committee to...)
Signatures of Clergy and Vestry members witness to the adoption of the statement.
Witness. An essential part of any Stewardship Education or Commitment Program is the sharing of personal stories. The most effective form of witnessing is some version of "I believe..., in response to what I believe, I..., this behavior has impacted my life by..., I invite you to join me." Witnessing is offering an example to be followed by others. Albert Schweitzer is recorded as saying: "Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing."
Adapted from TENS A Manual for Stewardship Development Programs in the Congregation
