Spark generosity: Treat your visitors with heart
Back in the day, in this very blog, I used to deliver pithy movie reviews. Well, with COVID, streaming, and the (seriously) outrageous cost of going to the cinema, it’s been a while since I saw a mainstream film in a darkened room with strangers.
But on Sunday, I went to see Superman (along with, it seems, nearly all of America). Folks, I give it an A-. It’s a great summer blockbuster. It emphasizes kindness. There’s romance. Plus, there’s a dog. What movie can’t be improved upon by including a cute dog? Applause all around.
Now to the topic at hand: generosity and what sparks it.
One of the primary things that encourages people to be generous is gratitude. I don’t mean some slavish over-the-top-bordering-on-insincere kind of appreciation; I mean the kind of thank you that comes straight from the heart.
Rev. Gigi* Siekkinen of Madras UMC recently highlighted the beauty of gratitude for me. Here’s the text she sent (along with the photo):
For a recent anniversary, Jim and I ordered china plates to replace the ones that had broken through the years. (We use them every day, but that’s another story!)
These small business owners know how to say, “thank you!” They included a beautiful handwritten card, a handwritten request to leave positive feedback, and a separate handwritten card with their eBay contact info.
They even managed to share their faith by including a scripture quote in the card.
No doubt, if Gigi ever needs to buy replacement china again, she’s going to go back to that company. Did you notice how it delighted Gigi so much that she shared it with me? And now, I’m sharing this with you. Gratitude that comes from the heart is contagious.
How can your church copy such an example? Let’s start with visitors.
What do you do to surprise people who visit once, maybe twice? How are you expressing gratitude that they came to be with you? What process do you have in place to encourage a return visit?
If someone fills out a visitor’s card or signs your Fellowship Pad, that means they are willing to be contacted by you (yes, really). Here are four ideas:
A handwritten note to thank and welcome them back (see Gigi’s example above)
Drop off a coffee mug at their home with information about your congregation (Yachats Community Presbyterian gives a mug with cool stickers to new folk after worship)
Deliver a plate of cookies (my own church used to drop off apple pies – let me say that may or may not be a reason we are attending Salem First UMC today).
Send some homemade jam along with a note (First Presbyterian in Ashland, OR does this for new people who watch online)
In a recent interview with Jason Mitchell on Carey Nieuwhof’s podcast, Mitchell said that he has an “attendee onboarding process” for his non-denominational church. Mitchell says,
We actually ran this for 18 months. We tweaked it and did a bunch of A-B testing…a person who has ten personal contacts within 16 weeks of their first visit is 280% more likely to be at church a year from now than a person who did not.
Feeling seen and welcomed from the heart sparks generosity.
If it can happen because someone bought replacement china online…it surely can happen in your awesome congregation too.
Send me your ideas! How do you welcome the stranger, the visitor, into your congregation? I’d love to feature your ideas in a future post. If I could, I’d give $50,000 for the best idea…but my deep appreciation just might have to suffice.
*Side note, I serve on a committee with Gigi. Try having a “Cesie” and a “Gigi” in the same meeting. Name hilarity ensues. Thank goodness there’s no “DeeDee” to contend with.
Photo credit: Rev. Gigi Siekkinen
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Upcoming webinar! I’ll be leading Legacy Giving 101: Developing a Simple Program for your Congregation on August 12. It’ll be offered twice: 11am-12pm and from 7-8pm. You can register now.
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 inspiringgeneorsity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered. Click on the link below. Here’s her current favorite moment on America’s Got Talent: a wonderful group of young people from Birmingham singing an uplifting Gospel song.
Schedule a meeting now.
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