Stewardship Team Gets to Work
On Monday, the Stewardship Team attended the first of five Zoom meetings (monthly from January through May) in the learning track "Storytelling & Communications." This is part of Grace's participation in the program "Stewardship for All Seasons" offered by GSB Fundraising, and in partnership (cost sharing) with our Northwestern Ohio Synod.
One of the objectives of this learning track is to help us understand the difference between "deposits" and "withdrawals." I'll quote from our presenter, Mitzie Schafer:
Let’s start by defining a Deposit and a Withdrawal. As a nonprofit leader with the joy of raising money for an organization, I found that our results improved when we started making more relationship deposits into the lives of our donors. When I say, “improved,” I mean increases in year over year giving of 65% to 85%. I refer to this as being “donor first.” Being donor first, means treating people like people. It means seeing them as partners, not ATMs with no fees.
A relationship deposit looks like listening to them, inspiring them, helping them see how their generosity changes lives, and showing gratitude. It means creating a “join me” culture so partnership is formed and cultivated.
In the reverse, a relationship withdrawal sounds like we need, we don’t have enough of, if more people would, show up for this “whatever.” It looks like a basic form thank you letter and no personal touch. It is a withdrawal to ask, but it is a bigger withdrawal if every time they hear from you, it is an ask. Withdrawals include a breach of trust, or not being transparent. The greatest withdrawal though is never helping a donor connect their generosity to the lives it changes.
The withdrawal list is longer, because well, it has been our go-to wiring from years of bad practice as a society. But if we equate it to money, we should treat people like debit cards, not credit cards. We should be making deposits before we make a withdrawal.
Mitzie says the ideal balance between deposits and withdrawals is 80-20 -- 80% deposits and 20% withdrawals. Most organizations have this reversed -- 20% deposits and 80% withdrawals. To help us move toward this ideal, Mitzie is leading us to evaluate our communications (newsletters, emails, letters), and to form a team that will interview Grace members to learn from them what Grace has meant to them and how it has changed or benefited their lives. Publishing these stories will add to Grace's "deposit account."
Would you be interested in becoming an interviewer? Our next Zoom on February 28 will teach us the best way to do this. Or perhaps you have a story to tell. We'd love to hear it!
Rostered Leaders Gathering
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Maureen, I, and other LIFT leaders attended the Ohio ELCA Rostered Leaders Gathering, which was offered via Zoom from 9am - noon. The theme for this year's gathering was "Ministry in a House Divided," and addressed the strong polarizations that exist not only in our nation as a whole, but which also filters down in and through our congregations, often causing division and conflict.
Our main presenter was Dr. Leah Schade, an ELCA pastor who is on the faculty of Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky. Her presentations helped us explore how pastors and congregations can address controversial issues of public concern using nonpartisan, biblically centered approaches and deliberative dialogue.
Another presenter for the gathering was representatives of the organization "Braver Angels." This organization's mission is to bring Americans together to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic. They do so by observing what they call the Braver Angels Way:
- We state ours views freely and fully, without fear.
- We welcome opportunities to engage with those with whom we disagree.
- We treat people who disagree with us with honesty and respect.
- We seek to disagree accurately, avoiding exaggeration and stereotypes.
- We look for common ground where it exists, and if possible, find way to work together.
- We believe that all of us have blind spots and none of us are not worth talking to.
- We believe that, in disagreements, both sides share and learn. In Braver Angels, neither side is teaching the other or giving feedback on how to think or say things differently.
Learn more about Braver Angels (you can even join the organization for $1/month) HERE.
LIFT VBS
LIFT leaders met via Zoom on Thursday afternoon to coordinate a tentative date for VBS this summer, and to decide on a theme. We agreed on a four day camp from Monday, July 11 through Thursday, July 14. The theme will be Compassion Camp: Changing the World with Lovingkindness.
LIFT Notes
You can read the latest issue HERE.
Call Committee Orientation
The Call Committee met with Call Process Facilitator Mary Satterfield on Wednesday evening, during which the Committee received orientation to the Call Process, including information on how the call process works in our synod, and various protocols to follow. The next meeting of the committee will be February
Annual Meeting Set to Go
The Grace Annual Meeting is all ready to go, including a Zoom option (link available in Just Three Things, linked below). The meeting will begin promptly at 9:00 am in the sanctuary, and conclude by 9:45.
Call Committee Installation
The Call Committee will be installed at all three services this weekend -- we are asking Call Committee members to be present for at least one of the services. The choir will sing at all three services in recognition of this significant occasion in the life of the congregation.
Mission and Vision Planning 101
Last week I included info about a workshop for jump-starting a mission and vision process in our congregation offered via Zoom on March 3, 7:00 pm. I still think this could be a helpful resource and provide your new pastor with a clearer direction for his or her ministry at Grace. Let me know if you're interested, and I'll get us signed up. No cost. You can read the full description of this event in last week's Grace Notes HERE.
Latest Osterholm Update
Dr. Michael Osterholm, founder and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, continues to deliver solid scientific analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic in his weekly podcasts. The latest episode, posted on Thursday, January 27, is entitled "Vaccines, Variants, and Long COVID." In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and host Chris Dall discuss the trajectory of Omicron in the US and abroad, China's zero-COVID policy, how the Biden Administration has responded to the US surge in cases, and a review of what we know about long COVID at this point. You can listen to or download this episode HERE.
