Why stories inspire generosity more than statistics ever will. Imagine two church newsletters arriving in your inbox tomorrow morning. The first begins, “This month our food pantry served 1,200 people.” The second begins, “Last Thursday, a grandmother stood quietly in line at our food pantry. She apologized for being there. ‘I never imagined I’d need … Continue Reading
Rev. Hannah Lovaglio The narratives we repeat quietly shape what we believe God can still do among us. We live by stories. The story we tell ourselves becomes our narrative identity, a lens through which we know ourselves, and in turn present ourselves to the world. It shapes how we understand our past, how we … Continue Reading
It’s That No One Can See It If people can’t picture what we’re talking about, they won’t feel connected to it. I listen closely to the way our clients talk about the work in their churches. And I’ve noticed a pattern. We tend to describe things in ways that sound meaningful, and often are meaningful … Continue Reading
Rev. Hannah Lovaglio It seems as though, in most churches, there is the one person. The one person who knows the building inside and out. The one who cares for all the nooks and crannies, having crawled every crawl space, climbed to the top of the tower, and mastered every workaround we’ve come to rely … Continue Reading
“We don’t have the big givers we used to have.” Lately, in conversations with church leaders and members, I’ve been hearing a version of the same concern over and over again. Sometimes it’s a lament over those ancestors who have passed on. Or it’s: “The younger generation just isn’t as generous.” Sometimes it’s said with … Continue Reading
And other ways the church forgets to see what God has already given Rev. Hannah Lovaglio Many churches today are waiting for something. Waiting for younger families. Waiting for financial stability. Waiting for the right leader. Waiting for clarity. Waiting for the culture to shift back. Waiting for some sign that the future will … Continue Reading
How CCS partners with your pastor for the success of a campaign. Rev. Hannah Lovaglio A frequently asked question that deserves more than a one paragraph answer: What is the pastor’s role during a capital campaign? It’s neither an easy nor uniform answer. Each pastor deserves an individual conversation about how they can best support their … Continue Reading
There’s been some conversation lately in fundraising circles about the future of giving. In my interviews with church members, I’m also discovering concerns about economic uncertainty, policy changes, and what lies ahead. Some of that conversation is worth paying attention to. But some of it risks missing the deeper story. Because while a few things … Continue Reading
What Will Visitors Encounter When They Walk Into Your Church This Easter? Rev. Hannah Lovaglio In the Gospel of John, Jesus begins his ministry with an invitation:Come & see. As in: come, look around. Pay attention. Notice what’s here. Feel the difference. Abide. Or, as my Granny might have said as she poured your sweet … Continue Reading
We rely on just a few big givers. People are tired; it’s always the same few carrying the load. The economy feels uncertain. We need more bids, more estimates, more clarity before we even think about moving forward. We’re a small church — surely we couldn’t do something like this. I don’t often hear a … Continue Reading