Giving > Giving in Grace

Using Giving in Grace

"Giving in Grace" is a complete online programme that can be used by almost any kind of parish. Everything you need is available on the website, and can be downloaded without charge, although a donation to CUF (the Church Urban Fund) is requested. 

Planning for Giving in Grace (see their briefing page) 

Giving in Grace is a great tool, but it is possible to be overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of the resources available. This page helps to focus you on a pathway through the material :

• Get permission and agreement within the church to go ahead. 
• Choose the right people to lead and champion the initiative in the church. 
• Identify and collect key information. 
• Seek God’s blessing through prayer and biblical reflection. 
• Have an understanding of the needs and aspirations of the church and its people through talking and listening, face to face. 

This will take time; do not try to rush the planning and preparation. Better to delay the programme than attempt something half hearted and ill prepared. Like the wise man in Jesus' parable, build on deep and solid foundations.

The Giving in Grace programme 

There are five essential strands or building blocks of the programme:

1. Preaching
2. Leadership
3. Prayer
4. Interaction
5. Communication

Within the programme there are two principles which are important to think through :

Differentiation : presenting the message in different ways according to the level of commitment of the recipient.  Our expectations of a PCC member should probably be different from those of an occasional visitor to special services. Giving in Grace works through this.

Case Statement : writing down the reasons why the Church is asking for money is very helpful in making sure that your thinking is clear. It provides a simple framework for analysis, vision building and getting agreement that what is being proposed is supported by the whole leadership.