Considering how essential fundraising is to ministry, many church leaders remain terrified of asking for money. However, this essential task can be organized, expanded, and successfully executed on a number of levels as illumined by a variety of working pastors and professionals through their books and resources available from Church Publishing Incorporated.
The newest stewardship handbook from CPI – boldly titled Fearless Church Fundraising – is by Charles LaFond, widely recognized as one of the most important stewardship leaders in the Episcopal Church today. In this highly anticipated and ecumenical new book, LaFond describes his approach as fearless “not because it takes so much courage to get the job done, but because knowing the basics will take the fear out of the task.
“In fearless fundraising, we are looking at the entire system, no matter how small the church or how fragile the congregation or how gifted the leadership. We are looking at not only how the money is being raised but also how the mission is decided, how the case is communicated and how the tasks of fundraising fit into the rest of church life. When we see this interconnected system clearly, there is no reason to fear.
“What the donors are doing when they give a gift to a religious group may be an act of stewardship, but what we are doing in asking for that gift is fundraising. I hope this book helps to reduce fear and increase mission in the church.”
Fearless Church Fundraising: The Practical and Spiritual Approach to Stewardship,
by Charles LaFond. 978-0-8192-2863-5 $26.00 Paper 8.5 x 11 208 pgs Morehouse
Review copies for media and exam copies for seminary professors available on request
Part handbook, part workbook, part spiritual guidebook, Fearless Church Fundraising combines road-tested strategies and sample campaign documents with a spiritual director’s sensitivity. The result is an irresistible text that promises to transform the ministry of fundraising. The new book is designed for clergy, vestry members, seminarians, nonprofit fundraisers and development professionals and is available now. Early readers are unanimous in their praise:
“No matter how many times scripture says “Fear not!,” money and asking for money strike fear in the hearts of those being asked and those doing the asking. Charles LaFond starts with easing the fear and strengthening the spiritual spines of the askers, and then moves onto setting the givers’ hearts on the path to gratitude and generosity as a gift back to God.” – V. Gene Robinson
Bishop of New Hampshire (retired)
“From the pragmatic to the inspirational, and all steps in between, this book is the real deal. It’s a must-have for any church trying to raise money in the 21st century, and it’s the next-best thing to having Charles sitting down with you in person to explain the process.” – Cynthia Cannon McWhirter, Executive Director, The Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes
“I commend Charles LaFond’s Fearless Church Fundraising to all Rectors, Vestries, and Stewardship Committees of all sizes…” The Rev. Charles Cloughen, Jr., author of One Minute Stewardship Sermons
The Rev. Canon Charles LaFond is canon for congregational life in the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. He spent a decade as a corporate non-profit development officer and a second decade as an Episcopal priest and monk. Now a farmer and potter living in New Hampshire, he blogs on spiritual life, food, hospitality, and generosity at www.charleslafond.com.
Many additional stewardship resources can be discovered or rediscovered by browsing ChurchPublishing.com. Among these are the 1997 classic, One Minute Stewardship Sermons (9780819217202 $16.00), by Charles Cloughen, Jr., director of planned giving, stewardship, and development for the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. His book has dozens of endorsements on the Church Publishing website including this one:
“Cloughen shows that we cannot speak too often or too directly about the life-transformative practice of generosity.” Walter Brueggemann
RELATED TITLES ON STEWARDSHIP FROM CPI:
Transforming Stewardship, Robertson. $16.00
A Plan for Stewardship Education and Development through the New Year, Gordon. $13.00
More Blessed to Give: Straight Talk on Stewardship, MacNaughton. $18.00
From Scarcity to Abundance: A Complete Guide to Parish Stewardship, Ponting. $24.00
On the Road Again: Managing Evangelism and Stewardship for the Kingdom, Brown. $20.00
With Generous Hearts: How to Gather Resources for Your Church, Church School, Church Agency, Chaplaincy, or Diocese (Revised Ed.), Holliman. $15.00
CPI books can be ordered through any member store of the Episcopal Booksellers Association; direct from Cokesbury customer service at 800-672-1789 or www.Cokesbury.com, or through any other religious or secular bookstore or online bookseller.
Founded in 1918 and headquartered in New York City, Church Publishing Incorporated is the publisher of official worship materials, books, music, and digital ministry resources for the Episcopal Church, plus a multi-faceted publisher and supplier to the broader ecumenical marketplace. Publishing imprints include Church Publishing, Morehouse Publishing, and Seabury Books. Additional CPI divisions include Morehouse Church Supplies, a provider of church supplies and clergy shirts; and Morehouse Education Resources, which produces lectionary-based curriculum and faith formation programs.
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