Something that is often encouraged during the annual stewardship drive by most congregations is for the members to look back and reflect over the past year to see how much God has blessed them. After making this assessment, the members are usually asked to consider increasing their giving for the following year accordingly, whenever possible. A goal often suggested is for members to stretch themselves to see if they can become tithers or ten percent givers. The question then becomes how can a church show its members that this is an attainable goal? The answer is simple. Set an example.
The Lutheran Church of the Prince of Peace in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, has tried to set such an example. Initially, the General Fund Budget for the upcoming year was rounded off and approximately ten percent of that number was the congregation’s commitment to the English District for that year. As can so easily happen, that commitment number didn’t change. It was a nice round number, always fit well in the General Fund Budget and the commitment was always met.
For 2019, the congregation took a more finite approach to this process. It totaled all the contributions that were given to the General Fund in 2018 and made ten percent of that number to be the 2019 commitment to the District. By using this method, the congregation’s District commitment increased by fourteen percent (14%). Will the congregation meet this goal? Only time will tell. But if history is any indicator, it will. In over twenty years, Prince of Peace has always met its commitment to the English District.
Are all of the congregation’s members tithers? No. But they are giving at a level that fully funds the day to day operations of the church, supports a comfort dog program, is in partnership to support a Together In Mission missionary family in Mongolia and always meets its ten percent commitment to the District. With God’s blessing, membership giving will continue to grow and these resources will be used to spread God’s soul saving message of salvation both at home and abroad.
Neal Sanders
Board of Stewardship
Lutheran Church of the Prince of Peace, Menomonee Falls, WI