A lot of churches get a nice year-end bump in their finances. I’s like to share one great idea to increase end of year giving.
During the Christmas season even casual attenders come to church more often, churches hold annual events like Christmas Bazaars that bring in funds, and the week of Christmas often attracts huge crowds – and offerings to match.
But not all churches experience a bump in end of year giving.
Many churches (like every one I’ve ever pastored) either stay flat or they experience a financial downturn in the end of year giving.
One Great Idea to Increase End of Year Giving
Several years ago, I discovered a simple idea that helps our church members plan their giving better, and gives our church finances a healthy year-end bump.
A Reminder While There’s Still Time To Catch Up
In late autumn we send out a short letter to every regular giver, with a “thank you” for their faithfulness and a record of what they’ve given so far.
This simple practice is a great way to thank everyone for their generosity, while providing a helpful reminder before it’s too late to make up for any unintentional shortfall for the calendar year.
In previous years, the only time we thanked or reminded people of their giving was in late January when we sent the giving report for the previous year. The problem with this timing was two-fold.
First, the “thank you” didn’t feel as sincere because it was attached to a notice we were legally required to send them, anyway.
Second, if they hadn’t given as much as they intended, the year was already over, so they couldn’t make up their shortfall.
