For congregations that conduct a fall stewardship campaign -- especially those that have just completed a pledge drive -- the end of the year can seem like a good time to take a break from all the talk about fundraising and stewardship. After all, everyone is tired of discussing money! We got the pledges we needed (or at least enough to feel comfortable that we're not any worse off than in previous years). And it's Advent! Christmas is coming, and we all have more important things to focus on.

But be warned. As tempting as it might be, taking a stewardship break means missing a critical opportunity for our congregations. The end of the year can be a powerful moment to celebrate generosity and invite giving. It's a chance for churches not only to attend to year-end stewardship but also to build momentum for giving year-round.

How do we do this?

In many -- maybe even most -- congregations, stewardship is often relegated to a short fall campaign, in some cases even a single day, "Stewardship Sunday." Because churches have so many different ministries, all vying for time and attention, fundraising and stewardship can be easily dismissed as a "business operation" of the church, understandably given only limited airtime. This is especially true when leaders don't particularly enjoy this task that is so essential to congregational life.

Unfortunately, our efforts to make fundraising or stewardship more palatable by limiting "money talk" and rarely asking people directly to give may only make the task harder and more uncomfortable. If we want people to be more generous and to engage with the life of the church through financial giving, we need to talk about it more, not less. Philanthropic research shows that people give because they have been asked; too often, our indirect approach to congregational giving results in fewer and smaller gifts than we might otherwise receive.