Interaction and the Annual Review

The purpose of Interaction is make space for church members to discuss, share and ask questions around the subject of giving, as well as wider money issues in the church. The core elements of Interaction are, small groups, social events and parish visiting. These elements are summarized on the main Interaction page. See also the discussion paper Thinking about Interaction.

The twin keys to Interaction around the Annual Review are creativity and sustainability. Any Interaction must reflect the tone of the Review and not create expectations that cannot be sustained year on year. Consider the following:

• Use a financial presentation to communicate the financial facts of life in a simple and accessible form, as part of your normal Sunday worship. A new Powerpoint presentation, God's Church and Our Church, was prepared for 2007. A financial presentation is most appropriate when the Review Sunday anticipates the start of a new financial year. It would be less relevant in the middle of the year.
• Explore possibilities around a social event that would complement the Sunday preaching and the brochure. See the case study for St John Birkdale, who used social events to good effect in their 2005 Giving in Grace programme. For example, a service followed by a meal celebrating Epiphany would avoid the Christmas rush, while the theme of making Christ known is appropriate to a financial presentation.
• The Review might be the occasion for using the small group resource materials, perhaps a study course in Lent.
• Embed Sunday preaching on giving, in a sermon series looking at varied aspects of personal discipleship. Or make use of one of the sermon series on giving available from this web site.
• Link the Annual Review with the distribution of new Stewardship envelopes, accompanied by a thank you letter.
• Targeted parish visiting maximises the undoubted value of personal visiting, without overburdening the church with a huge visiting programme. Visit with a specific purpose amongst a specific target group in the church. e.g. to promote:
  • the take up of giving envelopes amongst the fringe members.
  • Gift Aid amongst appropriate non tax efficient givers.
  • Standing Orders amongst all planned givers, both tax efficient and other planned givers.