2026 Stewardship Webinars
Webinars offered from 6:30 to 7:30pm Central Time
Jan. 28 – Orientation for Treasurers
The presentation reviews basic aspects of the treasurer, financial secretary, and trustee roles in a local congregation. We will discuss creating a “financial dashboard” to help fellow board members understand the finances of the congregation, effective ways to record and thank donors for their gifts, and best practices around cash controls and cash management. Rev. Andrew Warner, CFRE, President of the Wisconsin Foundation UCC, will lead the presentation. Register here.
Feb. 25 – OCWM Special Offerings Orientation for Mission Teams
Join Rev. Rachel McDonald, Generosity Officer for OCWM and Special Mission Offerings, to learn how to confidently promote and celebrate wider giving in the UCC. Explore how a yearly cycle of Special Offering gifts provides a curriculum of generosity—already built into your church calendar! Clergy, mission committee members, and anyone interested in giving will receive an overview of how Our Church’s Wider Mission giving works in the UCC and gain helpful tips to bring back to your congregation. Register here.
Mar. 25 – Understanding Your Why
Being able to effectively communicate your purpose as a congregation is a vital step in animating generosity. Join Rev. Kent Siladi and Rev. Wendy Vander Hart to explore why your “why” connects to giving and processes to help you discover and effectively communicate it. Clergy and key lay leaders will find inspiration to dive into vision work. Register here.
Apr. 22 – Testimony
Effective story-telling leads to generosity. Stories put flesh and bones on the ministry of a congregation. Stewardship season may be the only time churches engage in the practice of testimony and miss an opportunity to encourage more storytelling from lay leaders and congregants. Join Rev. Molly Baskette and Rev. Wendy Vander Hart to learn ways to expand story-telling and effective use of testimony to grow engagement and giving in your church. Register here.
Aug. 26 – Narrative Budgets
A narrative budget translates the line items of a traditional budget into a story of how your congregation makes a difference in the world. It can be a helpful tool for a stewardship campaign or annual meeting. By telling the story of our congregations’ impact, we can inspire generosity in our donors. Rev. Andrew Warner, CFRE, President of the Wisconsin Foundation UCC, will lead the presentation. Register here.
Sept. 23 – Gen Z and Generosity
Most churches can have up to five generations of people present in them. Studies show that there is a diversity in the way generations approach generosity. A “one size fits all” approach to engaging givers will fall short if it does not account for those differences. Join Rev. Bonnie Bates in a conversation about generational variety in giving patterns with a particular focus on reaching members of Gen Z. Register here.
Oct. 28 – Thanking People
Gratitude is one of the most powerful stewardship practices. Thoughtful and sincere thank-yous deepen donor relationships and express appreciation that builds trust, loyalty, and long-term support. Join Rev. Ruth Edens in a discussion about strategies to show every donor that they are valued and inspired to give again. Register here.
2026 DAMASCUS PROJECT COURSES
Cultivating Generous Congregations Seminar #1
Feb – May (leads – Andrew, Rev. Dr. Elena Larssen, and Rev. Melissa St. Clair)
Cost – $100 per person (MI, WI, MN, OH), $125 all others
Cultivating Generous Congregations Seminar #2
TBD (leads – Wendy and UTS colleague)
Cost and registration – TBD
Planned Giving Course
June 17 & July 15 (lead – Andrew)
Cost – $10 per person (MI, WI, MN), $25 all others
Registration to come