As we are getting close to wrapping up 2019, we are looking ahead to 2020 and how we can continue to live into and fulfill our mission of “Loving God and Loving Neighbor” as a community of faith. We are a growing and active congregation and we want to continue this momentum in the many years to come. For the last few months we have shared and explored our fall stewardship campaign, "Gifts and Giving 2020". Through this campaign we have leaned into the image of having "2020 vision" and discerning how God is calling us grow in our stewardship and discipleship. Helping us to capture a clear vision, we encouraged our community of faith to fill out a survey sharing with us how they give at Holy Trinity and how they give beyond the walls of our church.
We were very pleased that we had 66 people (or families) fill out our survey, which gives us a great snapshot of how and why people give at Holy Trinity and beyond.
I want to first share some stats and numbers, but if numbers and percentages bore you, feel free to skip to the end where I share the many ways we give...
spoiler alert, it's impressive.
How often do our members give at HTLC?
23% Weekly, 55% Monthly, 6% Quarterly, 15% yearly
How do our members give at HTLC?
The top four were; 47% check in the offering plate, 19% online giving through our website, 28% through automatic bank draft, 14% other (such as Stock Gifts, mail offering to the church office, and Brokerage Check)
How do our members plan to give at HTLC in 2020?
The numbers didn't change that much. A "check in the offering plate" slipped down to 38% and "other" (such as charitable trust gift, stock gifts, and text to give) rose a few percentage point.
With the question of how people find out what is going on at HTLC, the majority said weekly emails, announcements in the worship bulletin, and by word of mouth during announcements at worship. While we will continue to do these ways of communication we are still encouraging people to use our website and social media sites to stay plugged in with what's happening at Holy Trinity.
We also asked members how they were presently involved with HTLC, and how they would like to be involved with HTLC in 2020. The majority said they were mostly involved with the worship life of our community (including helping lead worship as lectors, acolytes, bake communion bread, etc.), Faith Formation (Sunday School, Youth Group, etc.) and Outreach. This was no big surprise. We did have some who said they were involved with Ministry Teams and Church Council. Not much changed with how members said they would like to be involved in 2020 but involvement in Faith Formation did grow by 6% points.
We take to heart the questions, "What do we do well?" and "What can we do better?" We hope to continue to grow strong in what we do well and we pledge to work harder on what we need to improve on as a community of faith. With that said, we do remind the congregation that the staff can only do so much, it will take all of us pulling together using our collective gifts to grow stronger in our weak spots and regain vision with our blind spots...
What we do well = Lutheran Campus Ministry, Outreach to our surrounding community, vibrant worship experiences, children and youth ministry, inter-generational, we are an open minded and progressive congregation, social justice minded, a congregation that loves music and liturgy, we are a warm and welcoming congregation, we have a strong and down to earth staff, we offer a wide range of programs and ministry, and our willingness to engage important cutting edge topics like Faith and Science.
What we can do better = communication and up to date website, interfaith opportunities, checking in on members who are inactive, getting newer members involved in more established ministry and fellowship groups, a new pictorial directory, more opportunities for Bible Study and small group fellowship, become more visible in our surrounding community, be more open and welcoming to marginalized members of our community (specifically the LGBTQ community), a thriving Men's Ministry, and working closer with the Graduate student population at UNC.
And so here comes the climax and crescendo of the survey!
The Stewardship Ministry Team is super impressed and proud with how our congregation answered how they give, serve and practice their faith beyond the walls of Holy Trinity.
These are most of the responses, but to be honest it's hard to write everything down... well done Holy Trinity and Lutheran Campus Ministry, keep up the good work out there!
Volunteer at Ronald McDonald House
Cooking at IFC
Pro Bono projects at the UNC Law School
Serve on Chapel Hill/Carrboro Commerce General Counsel
Food donations to local food banks
Donating breast milk
Donate to St. Jude
Contribute to Hope Creek, School for Autistic Children
Volunteering at PTA Thrift Store
Volunteering at a local Animal Shelter
Donate to Camp Agape
Donate blood
Donate to the Red Cross
Donate to Lutheran World Relief and Disaster Relief
Quilting
Donate to the Jimmy V Foundation
Donate to Musical Empowerment
Meals on Wheels
Donate time and money to Habitat for Humanity
Donate to Hurricane Relief
Mentoring and tutoring students
Cook meals at the SECU House
Donate to the United Way
Donate to the ACLU
Volunteer at COMPAS Center
Stephen Ministry Care Giver
Helping neighbors in our neighborhood
Wow! We are an active congregation in our church building and beyond our walls. We are indeed the hands and feet of the Body of Christ out in the world.
Our hope and prayer is that you will continue to use your gifts in following Jesus where you work, live and play. And we hope that Holy Trinity can continue to be a sacred and safe place for us to regroup, refocus and to be strengthened in God's Word and the Sacraments of God's grace as we journey and grow in life and faith. We encourage you to commit to supporting Holy Trinity and Lutheran Campus Ministry financially and with your time and talents.
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