M&S Ideas

From Southminster United Church, Ottawa

"Stimulating interest in the work of the Mission and Service Fund is at the heart of what the M&S Committee is all about. The broad work of the church requires money, as well as prayers and moral support."

Ways to Generate Interest and Gifts

In February a cabaret and talent show attracted an audience of 100 people and generated money for local outreach and M&S.

Minutes for Mission are presented monthly and M&S resources are used widely. Members of the committee participate in baptism services and represent the congregation at United Church and ecumenical education and action events. They organize card and letter writing to overseas personnel at Christmas and write advocacy letters that are suggested by the wider church.

Each year an annual sale of Christmas trees raises money for M&S.

Southminster reached 99% of its $60,000 goal for M&S. Members also gave generously to Beads of Hope, local outreach projects, and to one of our partners with a United Church supragift. They included a Georgian proverb that guides their work: "Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it."

A Tithing Tip

One of our Gift Planners shares this idea from McClure United Church, Saskatoon, about tithing. The congregation started with Bible study on the theology of tithing. Members then asked people who were interested to tithe on "something"-their mortgage payments, for example-to get them used to the idea. The next year they asked people to consider tithing on something more (mortgage plus groceries, for example). The idea was to bridge the leap from their present level of giving to tithing on their income-a way to set attainable goals. One of the results of their campaign was that PAR increased dramatically, as did post-dated cheques. That summer they didn't have a cash flow problem!

Salisbury Pastoral Charge, New Brunswick

(modelled after a campaign at Heritage United)

Change for Change Campaign for M&S

The Sunday school children collected nickels for M&S and challenged the youth to collect quarters. They in turn challenged the adults to collect toonies. The competition included cheers to spur on the teams. Here they are:

Children (Tune: Rubber Ducky)

Little nickels
You're the ones
Who make our mission work
Lots of fun.
Little nickels
You're lots of fun for me!
Yeah M&S!
Yeah children!

Youth

We're the youth, young and sweet
Collecting coins, we can't be beat.
Looking for quarters, here and there.
Asking around: Got a quarter to spare?
We're collecting change for M&S.
We're the youth and we're the best!

Adults

One-a-toonie, two-a-toonie
Three-a-toonie, four.
We're collecting toonies. Gonna get more.
We're collecting toonies for M&S.
We're gonna win! Yes! Yes! Yes!