Thursday, July 19, 2012

Shared Mission Giving: What's happening?



Our Coordinating Council has begun a comprehensive planning process in order to look forward in our common mission and ministry. This process will include a brief, electronic survey about our presbytery’s ministry which will soon be delivered by email. In addition, this process will include our budget planning process as we seek to financially plan for several years forward. A key issue in our financial planning process is our understanding of what is happening in Shared Mission Giving in our congregations. Please consider this giving pattern within our Presbytery:




Shared Mission Giving             Total Dollars       Total Congregations participating

2008                                            $509,480           36

2009                                            $451,022           32

2010                                            $421,898           20

2011                                            $402,528           25

Through June 30, 2012               $146,997           29



Specifically, please consider these questions as part of a discussion with your session:

• Are you participating in Shared Mission Giving?

• Is this an important part of the ministry of your congregation?

• In what ways do you discuss and interpret the work of Shared Mission Giving with your whole congregation?

• What is the future trend for your support of Shared Mission Giving within your congregation?

• Would you consider increasing your support of Shared Mission Giving?

• Has your congregation recently transitioned from Shared Mission Giving contributions to a more Designated Mission Giving model?


I will appreciate your comments around this discussion. Please call, write or email. I encourage you to participate in Shared Mission Giving as one piece of your larger mission giving. If you seek to transition to a fully designated model of mission giving, I will be glad to suggest places, including our presbytery itself, where you can direct your designated giving.