By Community of Faith Stewardship Support Staff
Faithful Footprints Grant is Back!
The Faithful Footprints Grant supports United Church communities of faith in making decarbonization upgrades to their buildings. Grants of up to $20,000 are available to help reduce fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening long-term sustainability.
Expressions of Interest are welcome until April 30, 2026.
Learn more about eligibility, timelines, and how to apply on the Faithful Footprints Grant webpage.
Bequest and Estate Giving Course – On Demand and Free!
In these cold winter months, why not get some church friends together to learn about the impact Bequest and Legacy giving can have on your ministry? With our on-demand version of this course, you can work at your own pace – watching short videos and doing the readings – either over a few weeks or in one sitting (about 2 hours). Many teams gather at the church or someone’s home with some snacks for a fun and informative evening.
In the course you’ll learn:
- why you should offer a Planned Giving program and how to set it up and maintain it,
- what exactly are the different kinds of Planned Gifts?
- how to inspire and invite people to make a Planned Gift,
- how to recognize those who make a Planned Gift.
Please note, we’re not offering this course live with an instructor this spring, but your Stewardship Support Staff Sarah Giles, is available to answer your questions and help you take the next steps.
• It’s Tax-Receipt Time!
Write a nice personal message to include with the tax receipts you send to say, “Thank you” to people for their 2025 gifts. Share a couple of inspiring highlights from the past year of how their gifts made a difference in people’s lives and increased discipleship. The most important phrase to use is, “Your gifts made this possible.”
You can get sample letters by downloading the “Stewardship Digging Deeper” free Stewardship Resource Kit from the Encouraging Generosity in Your Community of Faith webpage.
• Stewardship Seconds (NEW Update for January-June 2026!)
Short, pithy sayings that pack a punch, to help infiltrate stewardship thinking into your community of faith. Add them to newsletters, worship, announcements, webpages, wherever people gather! Find them at the Stewardship in Worship webpage.
• Offering Introductions & Dedication Prayers (NEW Update for January-June 2026!)
The offering time in worship is NOT about collecting money! It is about growing generous disciples and stewards. These Offering Introductions and Dedication Prayers for each Sunday of the year, will help. Find them at the Stewardship in Worship webpage.
• 2026 Lectionary Worship Starters UPDATED
Sermon ideas, theme hymns, RCL-based. Five-week worship series on giving and generosity. Available now on the Stewardship in Worship webpage.