The Planning Group

The Planning Group's task is to carefully and prayerfully discern the stewardship needs of the church, as well as plan the scope and feel of the Annual Review. To be effective the Planning Group will require similar roles and responsibilities to those needed for planning a Giving in Grace programme. However, the Annual Review is not a repeat of Giving in Grace, it is a separate and sustainable annual event. The size and time commitment of the Planning Group should reflect this.

• Members of the Planning Group are involved in a key leadership activity and should review the Discussion Paper on Leadership as part of their preparation.
• A small working group of four people should be adequate to cover the preaching, prayer, communication and finance tasks.
• The Planning Group may be the finance, standing or stewardship committee of the church, or a group pulled together solely for this purpose. It would be helpful to include at least one member of the previous Giving in Grace Planning Group, if possible.
• Planning Group members are required to make a time commitment of three meetings (over a three month period) before the Review Sunday and commit to one meeting afterwards.
• If the Treasurer is not formally a member of the group then s/he will need to be invited to give input at appropriate points during the planning process.
• One PCC or leadership meeting prior to the Review Sunday should discuss and approve the Annual Review Document.
• As with a Giving in Grace initiative it is highly recommended that where the Annual Review seeks a formal response (such as the return of responses and/or commitment forms), the church's leadership should make their own personal financial response before the congregation are invited to do so.