Walking the Walk!

One of the “best practices” in pledge campaign planning is to take advantage of the power of a strong theme. A well-chosen stewardship theme can unify your messaging, make your materials more memorable, and amplify your impact, and with a little creativity, a strong theme can help get a congregation energized and excited in ways beyond a typical pledge campaign.

A strong theme is more than just words on the page. A strong theme works for your church, resonating with your members, inspiring action, offering meaning. This year’s TENS.org theme is Walk in Love. Remember, as a member of the Diocese, you have access to all TENS materials (this year’s passcode is Ephesians5:2).

Just for fun, here are some creative, “off the beaten path” ways you might put Walk in Love to work for you…

• Stepping Out to Walk in Love: As faithful stewards, we care for the gifts God has entrusted to us, including our bodies and our churches. For our bodies, many of us are counting steps as a way to stay fit. Why not organize regular fitness walks for members under the theme of Walk in Love?
• Neighborhood Prayer Walk: Take it a step further by incorporating prayer into your walks. Organize prayer walks in your community, helping congregants learn more about each other and their neighborhood. Click here for more information to supplement your neighborhood prayer walks provided by The Episcopal Church.
• Community Service Walks: Organize walks where members engage in community service, like picking up litter or delivering care packages. Reflect on how these actions embody the Walk in Love theme, and encourage folks to pledge as part of their commitment.
• Campus Walk: Walk around your church campus with fresh eyes. What stands out as particularly beautiful? What needs care? Identify projects that could be added to a stewardship wish list to enhance the church’s appearance and functionality.
• Welcoming Walkers: If your church is in a busy area, think about ways to make your building more hospitable to passersby. Consider placing a fresh bowl of water outside for dogs or adding inviting signage to welcome people in. Simple gestures can make your church feel more open and inviting.

Talk the Talk!

Walk in Love Testimony Series: Many of our churches invite parishioners to share their own stewardship stories during campaign season. The Walk in Love theme can be a helpful way for speakers to reflect on how they’ve experienced love within the church or shown love to others. These testimonies can inspire others to walk in love and encourage them to pledge.

Show the Love!

• Walk in Love Art Project: Children could create artwork that represents how they walk in love. Display these creations around the church or during a special service, connecting their creativity with the stewardship theme.
• Create a visual display that grows throughout the campaign. Members can add symbols or notes representing acts of love they’ve witnessed or participated in. This journey can inspire others to walk in love by contributing their own gifts.
• “Footsteps of Love” Pathway: Create a pathway where children add footsteps each week, representing acts of love they’ve completed. This visual reinforces the idea of walking in love as a continuous, growing effort.

Making Connections

• Walk in Love service projects for kids: Engage children in simple service projects, like making cards for homebound members or planting flowers. Each project can begin with a discussion about how it embodies walking in love.
• Walk in Love Connection Ministry: Establish a ministry where members visit homebound seniors to offer companionship, read scripture, pray together. These visits are a tangible way to walk in love.
• Walk in Love Care Packages: Create and deliver care packages to homebound folks – with items like baked goods, and hand-written notes. Each package can include a letter explaining that these gifts express the church’s commitment to walking in love.

OK, that’s a lot. I hope one or two ideas inspire you to take your own creative path forward!

P.S. Don’t miss out!

Register today for our free TENS webinar: Campaign Strategies for 2024 Campaigns to be held on Thursday, September 12 starting at 7 PM. Our TENS speakers will be covering common pitfalls and success tips to help your members make their best gifts. Register for this free webinar today: Click here to register.