Pledge Cards that Inspire Generosity

As you may remember, last week I displayed my street cred with my knowledge of the Netflix blockbuster K-Pop Demon Hunters. I also sheepishly revealed my favorite 70s bands. While none of you remarked directly about the Next Gen donors post (!) you did have something to say about pop culture.
 
One person admonished me for getting the “vapid earworm ‘Soda Pop’” in her head. And just by writing that previous sentence, let the earworm commence again. Sorry.
 
Another, who has a spouse expecting a baby, said their baby danced in utero when they heard Soda Pop. Clearly, a musical prodigy in the making.
 
Finally, another reader wrote, “When I was in high school one of my friend’s parents broke their home sound system listening to ‘The Best of Bread.’” Am I surprised? Not with all that headbanging music that Bread produced.
 
Thanks for the laughs. But enough of pop culture for today. We’ve got pledge cards to talk about!
 
Ye olde pledge cards – an important tool in the mainline tradition of stewardship.
 
Are you using them effectively?
 
There is no one right way to create a pledge card. There may, however, be better ways to both get the information you need and convey the message you want to communicate. I won’t go into detail about the information you know you need:
 
Name, address, email, phone number.
 
What is their pledge amount annually. A follow up question is – do they want to give monthly, quarterly, or annually?
 
How do they want to give? It’s no secret that you want to steer people to give from their bank account (avoiding the larger credit card fees). So, how will you make that easy? If they want to use their credit card (that’s OK too), what information will you need to make that happen?
 
Here are things often missing on a pledge card:
 
Spiritual mission and vision: Is there a guiding scripture you’re using? How can you remind people why your congregation is doing the work of God to change the world? Remember last week’s post – Gen X and Millennials do not give out of loyalty. They give because their gift has meaning. Speaking of Next Gen givers…
 
Impact: Can you, in a few words, relay what was done in the previous year that helped your church community and the community beyond your walls? Look at Pocatello UMC’s pledge card for an excellent example.
 
Remind about legacy giving: Somewhere on your card, have a checkbox, “I have remembered our church in my/our legacy planning.” Do this because it takes seven times seeing something before it sinks in.
 
Provide other ways to give: This might be a separate flier, but your older donors will appreciate the reminder that gifts of stock, Donor Advised Funds, and Qualified Charitable Deductions through an IRA are all great ways to support mission and ministry.
 
The backside of your card is prime real estate: Don’t lose an opportunity to continue to tell your story. Once again, check out the back of Pocatello UMC’s pledge card. It’s inspirational information. This is also a good place to ask people to pledge their time and their prayers for your ministry.
 
OK – your pledge card has been filled out and you’re in worship on Generosity Sunday. What do you do?
 
Use the pledge as an opportunity for spiritual renewal. Make sure everyone has a card (either mailed previously or handed out that Sunday). Ask people to bring their cards and lay them on the altar as a gift they’re bringing to God.
 
Pray over the pledge cards that have been brought forward. Not sure what to pray? Here’s a little inspiration from our Episcopalian friends.
 
A few last things: Remember to make the pledge card available (and fillable) on your website. Have pledge cards available and make an announcement about them the following two weeks. Send a follow up email or make a call if you haven’t heard from a regular pledger. In the no-brainer category…Send a thank you letter to anyone who has made a pledge.
 
Want some inspiration? Look at these pledge cards from other congregations. They represent a wide variety of ways to make your card true to you.

Westbury UMC (Texas)
Unitarian Church of Eugene
Salem First UMC
Pocatello UMC
 
The pledge card is an important piece in helping your people make a generous commitment to support your mission and ministry. Be sure to utilize it to its fullest. Don’t make it an afterthought.
 
Do you have a pledge card you’d like to share? Send it and I can show it in a future post.

Photo credit: Pexels.com

Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship – helping with capital campaigns and encouraging more generosity. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise over three million dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations.
 
You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered! She wants you to check out the Netflix documentary, Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan. Who knew Ed was a civil rights icon?
 
Schedule a meeting now.
 
If someone has forwarded this to you and you would like to subscribe to "Inspiring Generosity," click here.  Miss an issue?  Click here.