Creating Tithing Letters Just Got Easier
We gathered a team of faith professionals and writers to build church giving letter samples for every scenario. Check out the links below to be directed to the solicitation letter your church needs help with.
You'll find guidelines and samples within each article to help you get started.
Or, You can read on to get the best practice for any church tithing or appeal letters. And, you can get a few extra appeal letters for a variety of needs.
9 Ways to Effectively Craft Church Tithing Letters & Free Samples
The following tips will help inform smarter, more effective approaches to giving when you write your church tithing letters.
1. Lead With Faith
Churches that lean into their faith will perform much better on every level no matter what future uncertainties lay ahead. Some Scriptures offer hope.
2. Focus on Programs
Another helpful path in offering a message of hope and perseverance is to focus on the programs that you are implementing (or have implemented) together as a church. Church members can feel malaise when all they hear about are dollars and cents. You must connect them to the good that they are doing.
Look at what you're doing as a congregation. Evaluate the ministries that are worth keeping, the ones that can really motivate your people to open their hearts and their wallets. Place this center-stage in your church tithing letters.
3. Accentuate the Positive
Tithing makes it possible to help the needy and bring people to Christ. Always let your churchgoers see the effects through storytelling. If you've touched the lives of someone through member-supported efforts, ask them if they wouldn't mind sharing their story.
If they can't be there in person, use a prerecorded message. Accentuating the positive stories will always result in supportive efforts.
4. Turn to Scripture
The Bible has much to say about the necessity of giving. Any donation-based mission of the church can benefit from revisiting these Scriptures. In particular, the following:
- 2 Corinthians 9:7 ("God loves a cheerful giver.")
- 2 Corinthians 8:12 ("For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable...")
- Malachi 3:10 ("Test me in this, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be enough room to store it.")
The Bible has no shortage of direction to give. You can probably think of dozens more. Use them to continue emphasizing tithing in your communications.
5. Make It Easy
Large donations, in many churches, come from donors who are set in their ways. They will go on making sure the church is funded no matter what, usually through traditional methods. Not so for younger families or the tech-savvy.
Open online channels for giving, and get your congregation used to the idea of using them. Sometimes all it takes is a reminder to members that online giving means are available to get them started on a regular contribution schedule.
Make those methods of payment as easy as possible for them by partnering with a service that gives them the option of storing payment information. From there, they can give with just the click of a button or follow an automatic deduction from their preferred bank account.
With our eGiving tools, you can set up a means for people to make their donation online. Our tools allow members to give with a text, through a mobile app, via an online webpage and by swiping their credit card in a portable credit card reader or a kiosk.
6. Stay With It
Whatever you do, maintain your positivity and determination. Some future givers might have the means to give right away.
"Non-giver donations" can help in a variety of ways. One of the most common is to volunteer their physical or mental effort wherever it is needed.
As Matthew 9:38 notes, you should ask the Lord to send workers for his harvest. Every effort, no matter how small monetarily, aids in strengthening the church. And a strong church is one that has the means to support its programs.
7. Make It a Group Effort
Get as many people in church leadership as possible to talk about the issue. Just discussing the needs of the church with other parishioners will accomplish, in marketing, what is referred to as impression marketing.
It usually takes several "touches" before you see sales results when marketing a product or service. Church and matters of the Spirit go well beyond marketing in importance, but you can certainly learn something from marketers in crafting your church tithing letters.
Work together as a group, and you'll see more impressions. More impressions mean more giving.
8. Continue Sharing Ways to Get Involved
A constant stream of asking for money will likely not get you the results you want. Instead of always hitting your money needs, take a moment to share all the other ways parishioners can get involved.
De-emphasizing monetary giving can seem counterintuitive, but it's really not. It's just one more way that you can connect the church to the overall mission of the congregation. (Or what the mission should be.)
As you do this, accept any willing heart. Have a plan in place to educate them about programs they can get involved with and make them as efficient as possible.
9. Get Out Into the Community
Growing your base should be the objective of any church. You want to bring as many souls to Christ as you possibly can, and you will not accomplish this if you're only preaching to your existing members.
Get out into your community. Educate them on what you are doing to make it a better place. Help others' lives without expecting anything in return, and that service will come back to you.
Now that you know which objectives your church tithing letters should be meeting, it's time to look at an example of how to do one effectively. Only use these as templates!
Your approach to parishioners should be heartfelt and customized to the needs of the congregation. With that said, here are a couple of examples to get you started.
Free Sample Letters
1)Sample: Churches Facing Significant Challenges
Dear Rebecca:
As you're all aware, the year has presented this church with many challenges. To continue the core work, leadership has reevaluated existing programs as well as some planned for the upcoming year.
Many of you have been negatively affected by events nationally, statewide and at the local level. Even the uncertainty of these events can produce a hesitancy to do more than you're doing.
Remember that God "loves a cheerful giver" and that "where there is a willingness," no gift to the Lord is too small. That's true whether through monetary giving or volunteering your time.
This church would like to continue the following programs in the coming year... [share programs] To run these programs in the way they should be run, the church needs to generate [target amount] in revenues.
It's the purpose of this leadership team to reach out and encourage you to keep doing what you're doing. Also, please keep in mind how [notable issue] has affected some of your fellow members.
Please consider raising your contribution in the year ahead if you can afford to do so. This can relieve pressure on other members and ensure these worthwhile programs can continue to serve the community. Sincerely, [Church Leadership].
2) Sample: Churches Without as Many Challenges
Dear Rebecca:
The previous year has presented many churches with challenges. Through it all, God has blessed us, in part, no doubt, to this congregation's generous spirit!
To continue the core work we do and expand efforts into the upcoming year, leadership has determined a monetary need of [target number]. If this congregation maintains its previous year giving and raises contributions by [x percent], this goal is certainly within reach.
This church would like to continue the following programs in the coming year... [share programs] It's also the leadership's desire to launch [share programs].
Please consider the growth this church has experienced due to the generosity of members like you. If the goals outlined above can be met, and with God's help they can, then next year will be even better. Sincerely, [Church Leadership].
3) Sample: Launching Electronic Giving Letter
Note: If your church accepts donations by credit or debit card—KEEP the bracketed phrase that pertains to credit and debit card processing. If not, simply DELETE the phrase.
Dear Rebecca:
[Church Name] is pleased to announce the introduction of an electronic option for making regular
offerings. Contributions can now be debited automatically from your checking or savings account*[or processed using your credit or debit card]. Our new electronic giving program offers convenience for you and provides much-needed donation consistency for our congregation.
If you are currently giving on a weekly basis, you will no longer need to write out 52 checks a year or prepare 52 envelopes. And, when travel, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, this program will allow your weekly offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis.
An authorization form and a “Frequently Asked Questions” flyer are available from the church office.
4) Sample: Electronic Giving Reminder Letter
Note: Customize this message by KEEPING only the description of electronic giving methods used by your church and DELETING the others.
Dear Rebecca:
[Church name] wants to remind you that we offer electronic giving as a way to automate your regular weekly offering. Electronic giving offers convenience for individual congregation members and provides much-needed donation consistency for our congregation.
Direct Debit Giving is used to automatically transfer funds from your checking or savings account to the church’s bank account.
Credit & Debit Card Giving allows you to make offerings automatically on a pre-determined schedule using a credit or debit card.
Online giving allows you to go to [Church Website Address] at any time to set up an automatic donation plan, change your donation plan, make a one-time donation or view your online donation history.
As you contemplate future contributions, please consider electronic giving. Authorization forms and additional information are available from the church office.
5) Sample: Thanksgiving Letter
Dear Rebecca:
As [Church name here] prepares for a new year, it is important to know what support we can depend on from our congregation members. By knowing what you are willing to commit financially, we are able to better plan for the future. Please consider setting up a recurring giving plan. Automating your financial commitments means your contributions will be received on a steady, uninterrupted basis.
To set up a recurring giving schedule, visit us online at [www.churchaddress.org], locate the Online giving button and set up your recurring giving schedule. The first time you give, you will select a password that will enable you to log in at any time and make changes to your giving or view your complete online giving history. Or if it’s easier, complete a paper authorization form and return it to the church office.
Thank you for all you do to support our mission.
6) Sample: Christmas Giving Letter
Dear Rebecca:
In this season of gift giving to family friends and those less fortunate, we hope you will also consider your gift to [Church Name]. It is through the donations of every individual and family in the congregation that we are able to carry on our work. You can use our electronic giving option for both regular offerings and one-time gifts. To help us achieve a more consistent level of funding, we encourage you to use electronic giving for your regular offerings. Please contact the church office for details.
7) Sample: Letter Asking for Special Funds
Dear Rebecca:
In the course of year-end tax planning, you may find yourself considering special one-time donations. There is a growing trend among donors to make contributions to their favorite organizations via the Web during the final week of the year. As you contemplate year-end gifts, please keep [Church Name] in mind. We welcome your donations through the giving page on the church website at [Church Website Address].
8) Sample: Letter to Ward Off the Summer Giving Slump
Dear Rebecca:
Would you find it helpful to have your offerings debited directly from your bank account as you probably do with other obligations? [Church Name] offers electronic giving for those of you who wish to have contributions transferred electronically to the church’s account. If you have plans to travel this summer, electronic giving offers you a convenient way to keep up with your intended offerings. Simply complete and return an electronic giving authorization form to get started.
9) Sample: A Special Letter for Holiday Visitors
Dear Rebecca:
During the holiday season, we extend a warm welcome not only to our current congregation members, but also to their families and friends and to former members of our congregation.
No matter where you live now or how infrequently you attend services, many of you probably have your religious roots here or regard this congregation as your religious home. If you are not making regular donations, we hope that that you will consider contributing to the support of our congregation. Your donations now and throughout the year are needed and greatly appreciated.
Consider electronic giving. The church offers a convenient electronic giving option that allows donations to be made on a scheduled, automatic basis. We highly recommend this method of giving for visitors, former members and others who wish to support the church on an ongoing basis. Authorization forms are available in the church or from the church office.
10) Sample: Holiday Letter to Members
Dear Rebecca:
As you contemplate donations this holiday season, please keep [church name] in mind. Your contributions are needed for everything from special programs to basic operating expenses—both are deserving of your support. Please be as generous as you can this holiday season and in the year ahead. For the convenience of church members, we offer electronic giving. Contact the church office for more information.
11) Sample: Fall Pledge Drive Letter
Dear Rebecca:
It’s that time of year again. The busy summer months are slowing down, the weather is getting colder and [Church Name] is ramping up for our fall stewardship drive. Many of our members make increased contributions during this time, and we appreciate your gifts.
During our fall drive this year, [Church Name] reminds you that there’s an easier way to give. eGiving is a fast, secure way to make donations.
With eGiving, you can give in the moment without writing a check or preparing an envelope. Make a one-time stewardship pledge or set up recurring payments using your bank account, debit or credit card. In just a few seconds, you can make a pledge that helps keep our doors open and fund important
projects.
To learn more, visit [Church Website] or call the church office.
We thank you for your continued support of our mission and
appreciate your generosity!
105 Giving and Thank You Letter Templates for Every Church Occasion
Without a framework, or an example, crafting an appeal or a thank-you message can be cumbersome. That's why we built a complete guide that not only offers 105 letter samples and templates for nearly any situation, but also offers specific guidelines to help.
Download the guide for free!
