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5 Tips To Help Promote Reconciliation Mission Offering
* Edited from 2006 Resource Guide for Disciples Special Offerings
Review the amount given last year to Reconciliation. Barring major changes in your congregation's situation, you should be able to meet or exceed the amount received last year by 5 percent or 10 percent. As you challenge your congregation to increase giving, tell stories that bring the mission close to home. Use newsletter articles, a moment for mission in the worship service, an offering meditation or even a sermon illustration to share stories that help givers understand the importance of participating in this mission.
Discuss your goal with congregational leaders and inform your members in advance of the Reconciliation Mission Offering. In this way, you can build enthusiasm, momentum, congregational ownership and participation.
Reinforce each Special Offering goal in a number of venues: Use your church newsletter, worship bulletin, announcement times, projected images, group meetings, a letter from your pastor, and other opportunities to remind members and friends of your congregation's generosity "from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth." You will find samples of these items in the Promotional Resources section of the Reconciliation Mission web site.
Think like your givers as you interpret your goals! Challenge young adults, for example, to contribute an amount equal to the cost of a movie, the price of a nice restaurant meal or a concert ticket. Everyone can do something to help their church's outreach to others. Giving is a start. Encourage each of your members to give at least one dollar and preferably more. If you don't already include Reconciliation Mission in your church budget, consider budgeting a minimum of one dollar per member, reminding members that one dollar is only a start. This is a good way to model the kind of giving each member household can practice.
Promote an attitude of gratitude. God loves a cheerful giver, scripture tells us. Perhaps that is because joy is part of what God created within us. We are our full selves when we are able to grasp God's gracious gifts to us each day. Help your congregation get past "guilt" to joy in giving to Reconciliation Mission Offering. We DO make a difference in so many ways - especially because God multiplies our gift
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