Stewardship survey finds 'whole life' approach in some congregations.

The results of a Congregational Stewardship Survey conducted by the General Board's Stewardship Formation Team were reported to all Church of the Brethren congregations in a spring mailing. Congregations that had responded to the survey received the results last November. The original survey, sent to all congregations, received 175 responses, a nearly 17 percent return.

"The General Board staff are convinced that stewardship is a deeply spiritual matter," the report said. "We are encouraged by response which told of 'year-long and whole life' approaches to stewardship in some of our congregations."

Eighty percent of Church of the Brethren congregations participate in the One Great Hour of Sharing offering emphasis, the survey found, while only about a third participate in the World Mission or the Christmas Advent offering emphases that support the global mission, peace, justice, and advocacy work of the General Board's Core Ministries Fund.

The survey also revealed some confusion about what Church of the Brethren denominational ministries are, the team's report said. "Congregational support of denominational ministries...was high among those who responded," the team said, but went on to explain that "Habitat for Humanity and Heifer International are not denominational ministries, and the General Board's Core Ministries Fund is a renaming of the 'Brotherhood Fund,' which undergirds ministries of the board that speak to the core of Brethren identity."

Responding congregations also are involved in a variety of local ministries, the survey found. Most frequently named ministries were response to community needs, food banks, housing programs, and ecumenical ministries.

The most frequently reported stewardship success was "an increase in giving and generosity." Building or property improvements ranked second. "Meeting or surpassing the annual budget" also ranked high as a success.

Troubling trends identified by the survey include that "most of our congregations understand stewardship primarily as a financial issue," and many do not link Christian education to stewardship. "Very few congregational stewardship decisions are made by prayerful discernment of God's call or a review of mission and ministry values," the team said, reporting that most respondents said these decisions are made by habit or routine processes in committees. Only 12 percent of respondents reported an intentional decision to "give a tithe or more of income."

The team highlighted stewardship bulletin inserts available at www.brethren.org, in response to input that many congregations do want more stewardship materials. The series will eventually include 24 brief reflections on stewardship; the first 12 are currently available. For more information contact Carol Bowman, stewardship development counselor, at 509-663-2833 or cbowman_gb@brethren.org; or Ken Neher, director of Funding and Donor Development, at 509-665-0441 or kneher_gb@brethren.org.

Source: 5/11/2005 Newsline
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