If you had any children with you this Christmas time, you will have no doubt been encouraging them to say thank you for the gifts they received. As we grow this becomes a natural response when we receive gifts, although for very young children, getting a simple thank you can sometimes feel like pulling teeth and so explaining the reasons behind why they should be doing this often makes the task more fruitful.
Although this is an expected response when receiving a gift, the idea of sending out giving statements to the church is something that many still shy away from. For some churches, tithings and donations are kept confidential from even the treasurer's, whilst other churches go the other mile and send out detailed statements of giving to the members.
Whilst iKnow’s Finance module can cater for both approaches, sending out a thank you to those who are giving regularly to the church should be something that every church does in some form, as gratitude precedes generosity.
The principle of tithing may be one of the foundations of the Christian life but a spirit of mammon is one that is hard to break in a culture that divides our attention and money. By taking the time to purposely say ‘thank you’, it encourages people in their giving and can spur them on towards working together as a church to meet communal needs.
With iKnow, you can easily generate and print off giving statements for each individual at a press of a button, which will show how much they have given to the church over the past year.
However, if you prefer that this remains an anonymous process then you could still send a letter of thanks that says how much has been received in total and how the money is being used.
Why not aim to keep regular communication with your givers and determine a regular pattern for your church to communicate its position with those who are providing financial support; this may be annual, bi-annual or quarterly, as long it is consistent. Doing so regularly can start to build a community of giving and thanksgiving in your church.
The iKnow Team are on hand should you need further advice about using the Finance Module in iKnow, or if you are simply enquiring. You can call us on 0121 651 1125 or email hello@iknowchurch.co.uk