“First step is to just do it! said Ron Faus, who pastored Mennonite and Church of the Brethren congregations. “I have been struck by how few congregations make much of an effort to thank their givers.”
Ron shared his experience with thanking donors at those churches:
“When one stewardship committee divided up the givers and personally called them just to thank them, it was so shocking most of the recipients of the call thought the church must be in financial trouble!
But the overall effect was quite positive in both lifting spirits and raising funds. In two congregations, we held "Thank-quets," meals in which we thanked the congregation for giving, shared stories of ministry from the past year, where we were going in the next year, and gave an opportunity to make commitments for the coming year.
The Thank-quets were not potlucks, but were prepared by a small group of congregational leaders in one case, and catered in another. The highlight of each Thank-quet was a video montage of ministry and worship events from the past year.
Monthly or quarterly update statements on person's giving could include a thank-you note and a highlight of a recent ministry made possible by giving.
A winter visitor to a congregation I served made a significant contribution in the offering. I mailed him a thank-you note. He contacted me and said it was the first time he had ever been thanked for a financial contribution to a church. Why is it so hard to say thanks?”