Feasibility Studies Save You Headaches and Avert Failure

“There was no feasibility study to make sure people were in favor of the project and willing to give.” Glenn and Barbara Holliman have an excellent little book about capital funding in churches. With Generous Hearts is well worth your time to read before considering a campaign. I was struck by their introduction. There, they […]

Does Your Church Facility Represent Your Vision and Values?

There is nothing glamorous or exciting about building improvements like roof repair or window replacement. That was the reality that a recent client faced. Built in the late 1950s, their building had become worn and dated. Each proposed improvement seemed minor and cosmetic. All together, though, the updates added up to a substantial sum. As […]

Raising Major Funds in a Church is Different

A church is not a hospital or school. Of course, Jesus is the Great Healer. And many times the gospels call him Teacher. But metaphors aside, there are differences between raising money in a non-church setting and raising money in a congregation. While a church is a non-profit in the U.S., it is nothing like […]

Automating the Image of God

By Michal Jarmoluk, in post Automating the Image of God

The image of God within us inspires us to be generous. “I want to give while I’m living, so I can see the good being done,” a retired schoolteacher once said. An active leader in her church, she had finalized plans for a large financial gift. I was an inexperienced pastor who learned a new […]

New Year: Ask Your Church This One Simple Question

The sanctuary always seems a bit bare in the new year. The Christmas greenery has been taken down and stowed away. The Advent Wreath is gone, the Christmas banners have been taken down. After all the celebration of Advent and Christmas, the sanctuary seems bare. Like a newborn baby. Or, a clean slate. It’s over. […]

Annual Giving Statements Share Your Values

Everything you send to your church members communicates the core values of your church. That includes your Annual Giving Statements. Whenever you send your statements, share your values with a few simple tweaks. You can touch your donors’ hearts and encourage deeper generosity by following these two simple guidelines. Cover Letter Include a cover letter […]

The Perfect Anatomy of a 21st Century Capital Campaign

Something is going right in your church. The nursery is full, the new adult class meets on the stage, and more families keep showing up. What a great problem to have! It might be time to build or renovate, and that means a Capital Campaign. A capital campaign is a full-body workout. Here’s the anatomy: The […]

Rev. Michael Erwin Takes the Helm of CCS

As a child of the Presbyterian Church (USA), I’m thrilled to come home, so to speak, and serve as the next Director of Church Campaign Services. Bob Kukla has been instrumental in establishing CCS as a resource to the Presbyterian Church and beyond. God put him in the right place at the right time, as […]