Year-end Giving

Multiply the joy of giving through year-end offerings.

By Karl Reinagal, Pastor
Ferguson, Missouri, US

Since 2013, GC Ferguson in Missouri has conducted a special offering at the end of the year which longtime members look forward to with joy. Here are some of the best practices we have found useful.

Set a goal: A specific target with clear objectives helps people know how the year-end offering (YEO) will be used. This gives people a tangible target to pray about and to invest in personally. We often include programs we felt the Lord wanted us to start or expand but could not fund through regular offerings. Our goals generally amount to 5-10% of our annual budget.

Leadership prayerfully considers setting goals for the YEO. A special offering can often open doors for new donors to participate in something that is personally meaningful to them.

Perhaps your congregation can provide transformational impact through one or more Avenues with a little more funding. Possibilities you might consider include:

• • Should you replace an aging projector or other equipment to really enhance your worship service?
  • Would you be able to conduct that neighborhood cookout if the food and pavilion rental was not such a strain on the budget?
  • Could you start that new special focus connect group at a neutral location if a special offering funded the added rental costs?

Specific targets for the YEO help as we pray and prepare. You may not always meet the target, but you will increase some ministry effectiveness.

Communicate early and often: I begin reminding members about the YEO in September or October through periodic announcements so they can begin planning. This is when I personally begin setting aside funds in an envelope. GC Ferguson may not even have specific targets yet, but we communicate them in November as YEO goals are set.

I encourage members to begin setting aside funds. Using a special envelope that is dedicated to the YEO helps to build anticipation. There are two main strategies we employ:

1. 1. Proactive savings: I model intentionality by starting in September to set aside a portion of my fuel expenditures. It is simple to set aside a dollar for each gallon of gas purchased. We pay the higher price when necessary anyway, so call it “a pinch with a purpose.” Some may prefer to put aside a few dollars each time they shop for groceries.
   2. Found money: Be on the lookout for little surprises from our heavenly Father. We all occasionally receive money that was unexpected: a gift for no reason, a rebate, a discount, or perhaps a bill that was much lower than we budgeted. For example, two years ago in November my new dentist waived the fee for my patient exam when he learned I was a pastor. I would have paid it anyway, so that “savings” went into my YEO!

I include reminders to members during offering messages or announcements and through emails. I will share examples like the dentist bill when appropriate. This builds anticipation as we see the Lord providing for the YEO.

Special appeal to co-laborers of the gospel: Each November in the US, GCI-USA CFO Rose Hamrick suggests that we thank donors for their gifts throughout the year and make a year-end appeal for contributions. I find this reminder is usually the best time to prepare a special letter to occasional donors thanking them and inviting them to participate in the YEO. Such appeals from nonprofit organizations are customary in the US.

Those who have invested in your ministry in the past are likely to joyfully help again if invited. Don’t use pressure or be manipulative. Just share your needs and invite them to share in the joy of meeting these needs. Encourage them to respond by the end of the year and include the ways they can send gifts — text, online, cash apps, or regular mail. GC Ferguson supplies a return envelope for their convenience.

Set a date for the in-service offering: Joy is increased by having a specific date to receive the offering. Although people are free to give their YEO anytime in December, we traditionally set the third Sunday (e.g., December 21, 2025) to receive the offering during the worship service in addition to the regular weekly offering.  This is usually before members begin holiday travels.

Celebrate the results: I share the results as they come in, which adds to the joy of giving. At times the YEO has come close to the regular offerings for the entire month of December, which is like adding an extra month to the fiscal year. We have a final tally only after mail offerings arrive in early January. Members are always excited to see how the Father, Son, and Spirit meet these special needs through them.