CONGREGATIONAL STEWARDSHIP

Inspiring Generosity
A Stewardship Resource for the Local Church
This resource looks at ways to understand and approach money and mission realistically, given the changing conditions in congregations of the United Church of Christ today. Intended for use by lay leaders as well as clergy, it includes the theological background on the motivation for giving, as well as four programmatic approaches to fundraising in the church. SCIGM. $15.00.

A Giver’s Guide to Stillspeaking Money
Your money speaks…even when you can’t be there|bIntroducing your congregation to electronic giving is made easy with a brochure that answers most frequently asked questions about this method of giving regularly and faithfully, even when we’re away from our home church. SCSM5B. Free.

7 Ways to Increase Giving in Your Congregation
Good ideas and lively conversation-starters for your stewardship committee, trustees, and other church leaders. Basics of stewardship in a condensed, easy-to-use brochure. Free. 

NEW!
2006 Stewardship Theme Materials:
“Loving God Back”
Newly designed for 2006, these colorful, coordinated materials based on Luke 12:13-21 can greatly help your congregation with its annual stewardship effort. Materials include full-color poster, four motivational bulletin inserts (including giving chart), worship folder, letterhead and envelope, note card, and commitment cards. Call 800.537.3394 for price information.  Available May 1.

Asking for Support
A handy 8-page guide to the most popular and effective stewardship methods in use by churches today. Briefly summarizes 10 annual stewardship commitment programs and tells where to get more information on each as well as links to other sources of helpful stewardship material. Valuable for pastors, lay leaders, or committees as they decide on which stewardship method will work best for them. SCF2304. Free.

God’s Gifts, My Gifts by Sandy Lueschen
Helps children recognize that God is the source of who we are and what we have, and is our model for being generous and faithful. Elementary-age children will have fun in class or at home using these five colorful and snappy foldout sheets with individual and group activities, including scriptural texts and prayers to reinforce the church; personal decisions; loving God, self, and others. The full set includes stickers for additional activities. Activities:

“Share Love With Your Offering”

“Seek God with Whole Heart”

“Rooted in Love”

“Love is the Greatest”

“DARE 2BU”

Set of all five activity sheets plus stickers: 1-10 sets, $5.00

each; 11-25 sets, $4.50 each; 26 or more sets, $4.00 each.

Stewardship Messages on UCC Weekly Offering Envelopes
Provide a biblical or theological perspective on stewardship every Sunday of the year. Order by calling 800.634.5235.

Take Hold of Real Life!
A stewardship DVD and video for every congregation, biblically based on the story of Ezekiel and the dry bones. Includes special stories of giving and generous living and questions for discussion. Can be used along with “Take Hold of Real Life” Stewardship Theme Materials for 2006 as well as Inspiring Generosity. Includes new Study Guide! 54 minutes. $15 (DVD or video).

What Scripture Says about Giving
This brief brochure for distribution to all church members looks at the question of how much to give to the work of the church and why. Also available in Spanish. $2.00/50.

 Our Church Is 5 for 5!
Is your church 5 for 5? If you contribute to all four special mission offerings in the UCC (One Great Hour of Sharing, Strengthen the Church, Neighbors in Need, The Christmas Fund) and give to Our Church’s Wider Mission Basic Support, then your church is 5 for 5! Celebrate this with a 16" x 32" poster that says “Our Church is 5 for 5!” and stickers (1" x 2") that say “My church is 5 for 5!”

Poster and stickers are free.

Brass-backed lapel pins with “2005” on them to reflect your church's giving in 2005 are $2.00 each.

How Important Is the Sunday Morning Offering?
A four-page worship resource for the offering to help congregations and worship planners re-think the offering as an occasion of praise. SCHIS. Free.

How Much Shall I Give?
A brochure to help church members think about what percentage of their income to give to the church’s work.

Also available in Spanish. SCL6E. $2.00/50.

What Scripture Says about Giving
A brochure that grounds our giving in the witness of Scripture about God’s own generosity and love. SCLF5. $2.00/50.  

Beyond Control: Giving and Community
The Generosity of Praise
The theology and motivation of stewardship understood in terms of abundance, praise, and generosity beyond gratitude and reciprocity. Two seminary lectures by William C. Green, minister and team leader of Stewardship and Church Finances, United Church of Christ. SCBCB. Free.

Every Sunday Bulletins
Full-color Sunday bulletins with United Church of Christ mission stories on the back covers. Vision Series and Imagine Series available.  Two sizes in lots of 25. For price information and ordering call 800-325-7061. 

United Church of Christ Desk Calendar and Plan Book
2006-2007 available May 2006
Pastors and church leaders alike find this calendar/plan book helpful in the planning of worship, promotion of offerings, and interpretation of mission. United Church of chrsit resources and staff are also listed. SCC6. $18.

 

OCWM SPECIAL OFFERINGS

The Christmas Fund–
Remembering Those Who Serve the Church
Materials developed by the Ministerial Assistance office of the Pension Boards designed to help local congregations collect offerings to help low-income retired clergy and their widowed spouses. Monies collected for the Christmas Fund provide emergency grants and supplementation to pensions and health insurance premiums for low-income ministerial and lay retirees. Free.

One Great Hour of Sharing--
Giving Help, Hope and Life
An assortment of materials and activities to promote this Lenten offering that supports programs internationally for building sustainable communities, emergency relief and rehabilitation, and refugee advocacy and resettlement, as well as domestic and international disaster preparedness and response. Free.

One Great Hour of Sharing
Frequently Asked Questions
This resource addresses the what, why, when, who, where, and how questions regarding this UCC special offering. Order from Global Sharing of Resources, 866.822.8224, ext. 3215. Free.

Neighbors in Need
Justice and Compassion like a Mighty Stream
Materials to promote this autumn offering that allow us to reach out and touch neighbors with justice and compassion and to advocate for a society in which all people have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. This offering includes support for the work of the Council for American Indian Ministry, efforts to eradicate hunger, and the promotion of justice, peace, and reconciliation. Free.

Strengthen the Church
Faithfully Building the Body of Christ
Promotional materials for this Pentecost offering that supports the renewal of congregations, helps fund leadership for new churches, and strengthens the witness of the United Church of Christ. Free.

  

OCWM BASIC SUPPORT

Our Church’s Wider Mission Brochure
A colorful brochure that gives current figures for Our Church’s Wider Mission expenditures by the national UCC and briefly tells the story of UCC mission beyond the local church. Ideal for mailing to members or placing in pews SCWMB5, packs of 25. Free.

Our Church’s Wider Mission Poster
"Our Church’s Wider Mission: It’s who we are.”
Black and red poster proclaims our mission.  Free.

Our Church’s Wider Mission Video
Great Generosity, Abundant Blessings
This 15-minute video features three UCC churches whose members are committed to supporting the church and Our Church’s Wider Mission. Energizing and inspiring, this video is suitable for showing in a worship setting or with stewardship and outreach committees. SC05WMV. Free.

“God Is Still Speaking,”/ Our Church’s Wider Mission
Offering Envelope
A free offering envelope to put into the pew racks so that worshippers can make a special gift any time for Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM). Use it on special occasions to receive an offering for Our Church’s Wider Mission or to seek special year-end gifts to help meet your church’s OCWM goal. PIC0E. Packs of 100. Free.

Our Church’s Wider Mission
Design for a Workshop
Everything you need to know to do a workshop about Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM). A detailed outline for workshop leaders in the local church. SC103. Free.

Our Church’s Wider Mission
Frequently Asked Questions
A one-page fact sheet about Our Church’s Wider Mission. SC104. Free.

The Crisis in the Churches
Spiritual Malaise, Fiscal Woe
by Robert Wuthnow
This book offers a searching study of the financial crisis in the churches, letting clergy and laity speak for themselves. UCCTCC. $36.00.

The Great Permission
An Asset-Based Field Guide for Congregations
by Bob Sitze
This little book gives you a way of thinking and behaving, rather than just another stewardship method. Shows how to move congregations past problems and toward opportunities—a way to claim the abundance already ours. $6.00.

 Living with Money
An ecumenical adult education course for congregations that examines the subject of money in the context of Christian faith, for persons of all backgrounds, races, and economic status. Living with Money will liberate the taboo subject of money and allow healthy, open dialog to emerge. You will be amazed at how eagerly members of your congregation will begin talking about this subject. Contains four, 20-minute video segments featuring an outstanding diverse panel of experts, a leader’s guide, and participant journals with Bible studies, essays, bibliography, and discussion starters. SCLWM. $125.00.