Before your campaign results are put on the shelf, Diocesan Stewardship Commission member Ginny Heckel urges that your stewardship committee spend some time with your vestry to more fully understand how your campaign performed.

Heckel said before meeting with the vestry, the stewardship committee should gather to identify the response of parishioners to the stewardship campaign.

“What trends did you uncover in generosity, and how was your message received by your members? Asking a few questions now can help your congregation plan for the coming year’s campaign,” she said.

TENS, The Episcopal Network for Stewardship, suggests the following when you examine your campaign success:

• How much did you raise from how many gifts?
• How many new gifts did the campaign receive?
• How many households increased their giving?
• How many households decreased their giving?
• How many pledge cards stayed the same?
• If you use electronic giving, did the number using it increase?
• Did anyone indicate that they would like information on planned giving or including the church in their estate plans?

Then present the results to the parish – including pledge data – with your congregation.

Heckel said the following graphic is one good way to present the results of your campaign.

She said the pyramid helps parishes understand their giving patterns. It particularly shows how the giving total is impacted by each level of giving. How do the smallest gifts combine to create a solid base for your campaign? How do the largest gifts enable our ministry?

The Stewardship Committee should meet monthly or every other month. “Regularly,” Heckel said. “Stewardship is not simply a campaign in the fall; it is year-round.”

Regular committee meetings offer the opportunity to:

• Plan ways to keep stewardship on the minds of your parishioners.
• Use the parish newsletter, social media platforms, and the church website to tell stories about how church ministries throughout the year are made possible through the generosity of parishioners.
• Present opportunities for parishioners to use their time and talent to share in church activities, programs, outreach, and more.
• Consider having a chairperson for the annual stewardship program, and a chairperson for year-round stewardship activities.

Be sure you take full advantage of all TENS offers to help you develop and enact the best stewardship programs for your parish.  Sign-up for its webinars. Learn about techniques and expertise to help you offer stewardship campaigns for this year and for years to follow.  TENS offers webinars throughout the year.

The Diocese of Atlanta’s Stewardship Commission can be a valuable resource for your stewardship committee,” Heckel said. “We offer workshops during the year and are always available for conversations about stewardship.”

For questions, and suggestions you may have, contact Stewardship Commission Chair Tammy Pallot at tammypallot@gmail.com.

“We are your stewardship resource in your diocese,” Heckel said. “Together we are partners in bringing the good news of our gratitude to God, and how to turn that gratitude into action through sharing our abundance with our neighbors, our community, and our parishes.” The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta can provide a TENS member to work with your parish.

The TENS Toolkit for Evaluating Stewardship Campaign Performance is available at TENS.org. For more information about the TENS website and how to login, contact Ginny Heckel gheckel@wt.net.