Passionate Steward - 10th Anniversary Edition

146 THE PASSIONATE STEWARD
redemption, as people are more apt to let financial pledges go
unredeemed when dissatisfaction with the campaign, parish or parish
leadership (lay or clerical) outweighs their motivation for pledging or
giving in the first place. Stewards, on the other hand, understand that
gifts are made according to our faith, in appreciation for the bounty
that God has bestowed upon us, and consequently, are not predisposed
to allowing temporal conflicts to interfere with their desire to follow
through on their freely given sacrifice of time, talent or treasure.
Taking the pledge redemption period seriously, planning the
work and working the plan, is an integral part of every campaign, and
should receive as much attention as any other phase of the campaign.
Pledge redemption is not the only reason to ensure that this is so. The
entire pledge period gives the parish an opportunity to communicate
the achievement of its goals, and monitor its progress in using donors’
gifts to support of mission, ministry, bricks and mortar. People are
thus encouraged to continue to value the objectives and goals which
first necessitated the campaign. Pledge redemption isn’t just about
collecting money: it also provides an opportunity for understanding.
Making frequent contact with parishioners (at least every 6 months)
is thus greatly preferable to providing redemption envelopes
annually. Reaching the goal without then collecting the money is an
exercise in futility, and is one of the areas in critical need of
improvement in all Church campaigns. Not least, pledge redemption
invites and requires pastoral attentiveness, since an unredeemed
pledge, so far from signifying a change in financial circumstances,
may well be a first indication of spiritual crisis.
The more parishioners see that they are valued not for their
wealth, but for their inherent worth and dignity as human beings and
members of the Christian family, the happier and more receptive they
will be to the Church’s financial needs. The better people understand
how their money supports the mission and ministry of the Church, the
more highly they will value the need to redeem their pledges, thereby
reinforcing the cycle of grace begetting gratitude begetting generosity.