Every retail organization, like Costco, Target, Amazon, etc., is vying for your year-end dollars. That’s why walking down the aisle at this time of the year is so disorienting. There are all sorts of ghoulish decor, like giant skeletons, werewolves, costumes, and candy for the kids. But, on the next aisle, there are Christmas trees, lights, giant inflatable Santas, and any other commercialized version of Christmas you can imagine. Why? According to the National Retail Federation, the United States is set to spend, on average, a record $902 per person for items like gifts and decorations. It’s a major competition for consumers’ money.
Compare that amount to the 2024 Church Giving Statistics report by Nucleus – the average church donation in 2023 was $205. That’s a big difference. The report also shows that 14.35% of church donations happened in December, almost double of all other months. Capitalizing on December donations is just as important for churches as sales are for retailers.
Shameless Promotion
Retail businesses have found success in putting their products in consumers’ faces at every turn, starting in October. Churches need to develop similar strategies. Clearly, churches are not peddling the Gospel as a product for sale, but they should think strategically about promoting and marketing their outreach efforts. December is a busy time for churches; events like kids choirs, advent services, special musical programs, and multiple Christmas Eve services all lend to reaching the local community with the Gospel. Inviting the community requires developing a communication plan encouraging the faithful to invite their friends personally; this costs the church nothing but time. However, the church should also invest in promotions through social media, mailing invite cards, radio ads, etc., and these options require money. Churches need to fund their mission.
The Donation Statement
An often overlooked way to encourage generosity during the holiday season is through communication around the annual donation statement. Every year, it’s standard practice for churches to provide every donor with a statement of their financial contributions. Savvy churches know that communication needs to happen well before the end of the year and that there needs to be more than the nuts and bolts of the last day to donate and how to access the statement. Here’s an example of a missed opportunity:
All donations received or postmarked by December 31 will be listed on your 2023 giving report. Gifts received and postmarked after December 31, even if the check is dated December 31, will be listed on your 2024 donation statement.
We provide electronic access to your annual donation statement. To print your giving statement, you will need access to the system. If you do not have an account, please create one.
While this example is technically accurate, it’s not very inspiring. Instead, leverage the opportunity to inspire those financially partnering with the church and spur them on to increased generosity. Here’s a better example:
As one of our financial partners, we want to share with you some highlights of what God is doing in and through our church. This last year, we hosted several local outreach events like … Our church continues to provide care and help to our community through programs like … Our church remains steadfast in making disciples through … On top of all that, we significantly improved our facility with …
The staff and elders, thank you for your generous, consistent, faithful, and sacrificial financial investment in what God is doing in and through our church. We look forward to partnering with you in 2024 as we pursue our mission to …
This type of communication shows the impact of their contribution to accomplishing the mission. It’s a reminder that they are part of something bigger. They are a member of the body.
As December rolls around, people are going to spend money, up to $902 per person. Churches must demonstrate why they are worthy of a piece of the holiday pie by providing outreach events and leveraging communication about year-end donation statements to spur more extraordinary generosity.
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