1. Purpose

• What is the purpose of our giving review/appeal?
• What do we want to change (in terms of people’s discipleship, engagement with the church’s vision and plans, understanding of the church’s finances)?
• How do we want people to respond?
• Do we want to run a ‘light touch’ appeal – or do we need to run a focused chaplaincy giving programme at this time?

2. Planning

• Timescale: When is the best time to hold our review? Do we have sufficient time to plan?
• Audience: Who are we communicating with? Regular congregation, everyone associated with our church, wider community?
• Preaching/teaching: What are we going to include to provide a Christian context to our giving?
• Communication: What information do we need to communicate? How are we going to communicate?
• Method: How are people going to give? Do we have the right giving mechanisms in place?

3. Prayer

This important steps gives an opportunity to seek God’s guidance and commit the giving review to God. It’s good to involve the whole church family in prayer – through a special chaplaincy prayer and special prayer times.

4. Preparation

• Are we going to hold a presentation as part of our plans? What materials do we need to prepare? (Powerpoint slides, letter, leaflet, response form etc).
• Do we have a list of people that we need to communicate with?
• Can we present our current financial situation clearly? And be able to show the difference that people’s giving will make?
• Do we have a clear plan of what we are going to do and when during the giving review?

5. Praise

It’s a good idea to hold some sort of Thanksgiving Service as an opportunity to praise and thank God; to communicate any giving review result; and to thank people for their generosity – either through your church’s newsletter/website or through a letter.