I know there's a calendar on the CRC website for all the offerings (http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=crcna.org_dklgus71pu6qkgltfut41j4j74%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles) but even so it seems like every week our church gets a letter about an upcoming special Sunday with bulletin covers or other worship helps, and a request for an offering. They're all great causes and I've shared the calendar with our deacons but it still seems like we can't keep up.
When I get a letter I look at our offering schedule (our deacons set it up at the beginning of the church year) and see if they have an offering scheduled for that cause on the requested Sunday. If not, I see if there's one scheduled on another Sunday and then I try to remember to use the materials on that Sunday instead.
But it's not a very good system. I don't know what would work better. Any thoughts out there?
Mavis
Comments
Diaconal Ministries Canada has a helpful handout that includes guidelines for scheduling offerings.
I think that Mavis' process is about as good as it can get. Our worship / liturgy team also manages special days and seasons each year which should be provided before the church season starts.
Our web site shows the organizations we support with offerings as well as a list of organizations which asks for offerings where there is no room. Hopefully the deacons then have a complete list when they look at the next year's offerings.
When an organization provides worship / liturgy helps for a special day we can see whether there is a match or not.
Organizations should check the Calendar as Mavis indicated before they send a request for a special day so that there is no obvious duplication.
Organizations should realize that each congregation has its own special days so that the church can not always provide support for each organization's request.
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