What If the Endowment Helped People Feel More Connected to Your Church?
We’re entering the holiday season and during this time your church may receive more visitors, whether they’re coming for the first time or returning after some time away. Often these visits are prompted by a desire to reconnect with their faith or with familiar holiday traditions. The holiday season is a time of renewed connection, and it’s a chance to help people connect more deeply to your endowment and to one another.
1. Show what the endowment makes possible
When parishioners hear the word “endowment,” they may think of it as just a financial asset, not a ministry. This season is an opportunity to shift that perception by making the endowment’s impact more visible and more personal.
Start by highlighting one story. Add a line in the bulletin about a ministry made possible by the endowment. Add a line in the bulletin about a ministry made possible by the endowment. Feature a scholarship recipient or seasonal outreach project in your e-newsletter, such as an Advent supply drive, Christmas meal for local families, or a holiday concert supported by the endowment. Invite a Legacy Society donor to share why they gave and what it means to them. Include a photo and caption in your e-newsletter about a scholarship recipient or a seasonal project the endowment helped fund.
You don’t need a lengthy article or a formal announcement. Just name one moment, one ministry, or one way the endowment helped your church live out its mission this year. show one clear way the endowment has helped your church serve, grow, or adapt this year. If you’re not sure where to begin, this blog post on storytelling will help you shape the message.
2. Use the endowment to build belonging
When more people are in the pews, it’s a good time to ask, what are you inviting them into? Your endowment can offer more than a giving opportunity. It can be a way to invite people into the shared work of sustaining ministry and to show them what you as a community value.
Look at how people are currently invited to engage with the endowment, and where there may be gaps. Is there a checkbox on your pledge card for “I’d like to learn more about the endowment”? Is the Legacy Society listed on your website with a brief description and contact name? Are newcomers ever invited to join the committee or attend a meeting to learn more?
If you don’t have these in place, now is a good time to add one or two. A short introduction in your Advent email series, a 10-minute Q&A after church in December, or a printed handout at your welcome table can open the door. You don’t have to lead with a fundraising ask. Offer a sense of purpose and a role to play.
To see how endowment conversations can complement your annual giving efforts, this post offers guidance and examples.
3. Use the endowment to meet a need right now
Your endowment doesn’t just provide long-term sustainability. It can also be a flexible resource for responding to timely needs and opportunities. If your endowment policy allows, consider using a portion of your draw to fund a one-time ministry during the holidays.
That might include covering costs for a community meal, providing supplies for a children’s event, or supporting pastoral care outreach to those who are isolated or grieving this season. You could also partner with a local nonprofit by offering a small year-end grant. They projects don’t just demonstrate generosity. They show your endowment in action, serving people and ministries in real time.
To choose the right project, listen first. Ask your rector, ministry leaders, or parishioners, “Where are people struggling? What would help someone feel seen right now?”
This blog post offers ways to connect with potential donors by recognizing what they’re ready for and giving them room to take the next step.
If you’re ready to think more broadly about how your endowment can support ministry, deepen relationships, and strengthen your church’s future, the Endowment Management team can help. Contact us at [email protected] to start a conversation.