Stewardship Matters

06/29/2025

Hello pastor,
Here is an idea for your summer preaching that you may not have considered. If you have a stewardship emphasis in the Fall and plan to invite your congregation to make a commitment, then consider a sermon/worship around giving and generosity in the summer!
Why? Because there is not the anxiety that often accompany a Fall stewardship campaign. Of course, preach generosity as a matter of discipleship. Or just preach stewardship because it needs to be preached, including the wise use of money.
Need help? Read John Wesley's Sermon #50 "On the Use of Money" for some good tips.
Need more help? Give me a call (540-335-5175) or send me an email at [email protected]
Good stewardships matters....and makes a difference!
Rev. David Rash, Retired
Waynesboro, Va.

06/24/2025

It's June, almost July, and we are all thinking of summer vacations, a different routine and how to ease off. I get it!
But for pastors and church leaders, this is a good time to at least think and pray over plans for the fall church season, including your stewardship plans! Don't mean to bust your bubble, but if you wait until September, after Labor Day, you may be catching up!
Stewardship Matters of Virginia is willing and able to work with you on making good plans to increase the generosity of your congregation. Through planned giving events, Consecration Sunday, or pulpit supply, give me a call - 540-335-5175 or send me an email at [email protected]
Blessings on you and your ministry!
David Rash

06/09/2025

Stewardship Matters of Virginia will have a display table at the Virginia United Methodist Annual Conference June 11-14, in Roanoke. I will have free materials, copies of my major project about planned giving, generosity, an end-of-life workbook and narrative for sale (checks or cash only). Please plan to stop by and forward this post to others who will be there.
Thank you!!!

11/30/2020

GIVING TUESDAY
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020
Give to others before you spend on yourself or your family and friends. That could be a good motto for Giving Tuesday, an annual an appeal to give to others first. By doing this you will give some real support to missions and ministries that will spread help to those in real need. Dig deep! Be generous! Don’t be afraid!

Historically Americans have given away about 2% or less in charitable giving. Stewardship Matters of Virginia invites you act with generosity at the front end of the Christmas shopping season before you look and funds are limited or worse yet, depleted. Help.

If you need help determining where, let me give you some suggestions.
Start with your church! Make sure your tithes and offerings are up-to-date (or have a plan before the end of the year) so that your church’s mission and ministry will be fulfilled. While the pandemic assaulted every institution, your church continued on with some likely cutbacks, but mission and ministry did not. Give!

Food ministry in your area! If you believe generosity begins at home then act on it and help fund the ministries that feed hungry people. You have no doubt seen the news clips, read the stories, and you know the new vocabulary term “food insecure”. This is not fake news. It is unfortunate news but not fake news. Most churches have some connection to a food ministry.

Then consider ministries beyond your zip code.
African Pastors Food Fund. World Methodist Evangelism works with Methodist /Wesleyan churches worldwide for discipleship and training of pastors and churches to tell the story of Jesus. They are appealing for donations to support pastors whose food supply chain has been severely damaged due to COVID-19. For more information visit www.worldmethodist.org.

Kingsway Prison and Family Outreach has a ministry that helps offenders become and remain ex-offenders. Located in Harrisonburg, Va., they operate mostly through volunteers reaching out to families and the offenders to provide counseling, assisting with housing and employment. For more information visit www.Kingswayoutreach.org Or find a similar ministry in your area.

Of course, as always, make sure your contributions are supporting a ministry that is open and transparent about its finances. If it is a 501c.3 that is good. If it is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) or some other agency that certifies their accounting, even better! Do your homework!

Don’t limit your giving to Tuesday December 1 either. Just get out there ahead of your other Christmas spending so the needs are met, and the wants come later, before you have exhausted available funds. Help.

Rev. David A. Rash
Stewardship Matters of Virginia LLC
809 Fairway Drive, Waynesboro, Va. 22980
[email protected] www.StewardshipMattersVa.org

Kingsway Prison Ministry is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that that has been offering services to the incarcerated, ex-offenders, and their families since 1983. In addition to services provided within the prisons and jails.

09/07/2020

This is Labor Day and if it were not for the honest, diligent work that millions do everyday in every occupation in every place in our country (and elsewhere) we would suffer enormous hardships. From farmers to custodians, to public/civil servants, to teachers and all in education. To those in corporate and financial worlds that work for a better life for all, not just for them; for legislators that have not forgotten to whom they are beholden....we are grateful for all. Below is a Prayer for Labor Day from Bread for the World:
PRAYER FOR LABOR DAY
“Almighty God, Creator of the world, we give you thanks for the gift of stewardship and work. Deliver us, in our various occupations, from the service of self alone, that we may do our work in truth and beauty and for the common good.
God of justice, we pray for all workers, that they would receive fair compensation and treatment in their labor. For those who seek work, provide jobs — both citizen and immigrant alike. For those who cannot work, provide sustenance. Make those who lead the industries and commerce of this country responsive to your perfect will. Build up in the leaders of our country a respect for all labors. Deliver us, Lord Jesus, from the maligning evils of greed, sloth, and gluttony that we may lead lives of holiness in service to you and our neighbor.
We ask all these things for our good and your glory. Amen.”
From Bread for the World, www.bread.org
Posted by Rev. David A. Rash, Stewardship Matters of Virginia. www.StewardshipMattersVa.org or [email protected]

09/05/2020

THE MILLENNIAL WEALTH TRANSFER September 2020
Here in the middle (muddle is a better word) of the Coronavirus pandemic may seem a strange time to be thinking about wealth transfer. As 1 Timothy 6:6-7 says, “…for we brought nothing into the world so that we can take nothing out of it.” But reading recent financial news has made me aware again of the enormous amount of wealth that will inevitably move from one generation to another.
Such as, “The future poses many questions as millennials stand to inherit a whopping $30 trillion over the next 30 years-the largest wealth transfer we’ve ever seen.” (Full page ad by Morgan Stanley in The Washington Post (8.24.2020)
So, what does this mean for you, or for your church? What does it mean for the long-range financial support of the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world? (I suggest we start with the transformation of the local church first!) How will my generation (born 1948) pass along the wealth – whether large or small – in a responsible yet generous way that benefits faith and family and those who would directly benefit from our charity?
Stewardship Matters of Virginia has been repeating the statistic that only 8 out of 100 Christians remember their church in their will. How often have you heard your church, your leadership, your pastor extend an invitation to this act of generosity? Rarely!
Have you thought about this? Have you made sufficient estate plans that will serve to spread your generosity in the best manner? For example, some will want to be careful how their money transfers to heirs who are known to have a poor money management history. A trust with scheduled, controlled disbursements is a viable option. Others have numerous family they wish to bless equally. A good estate lawyer is essential for this.
However, all of us should plan for a minimum of a tithe of our estate to our church for the purpose of extending God’s mission into the world. That first 10% should be stated “as needed”. If our generosity extends beyond the tithe, or if our estate is large, then we may want to direct it to various missions/ministries in the life of the church – music, children/youth, education, scholarships for college/seminary students, ministries that serve the poor, missions beyond the local church, and numerous other opportunities to impact lives.
For years financial experts have been reporting this enormous pending wealth transfer. We Christians who love God and love our church and who are making that transfer need to be wise and generous so that much good will result and the church will be stronger for it. Can I get an “Amen”?
And practice generosity. Always practice generosity!

Rev. David A. Rash © Stewardship Matters of Virginia
[email protected] www.StewardshipMattersVa.org
Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising
Stewardship: It’s Not What You Think. It’s What You Believe…and Do!

01/28/2020

Have you heard about "Say Thanks With a Kiss Sunday"? You haven't? Saying thank you is important, even essential, and churches generally do not do it very well. But if you want to learn a fun and memorable way to do this, contact me at [email protected] and I will make sure you get one!!
Check out my website for resources and more information: www.StewardshipMattersVa.org
Thanks!! David Rash

01/12/2020

I will be sending out the February issue of my monthly stewardship newsletter column. If you would like to receive it please email me at [email protected]
Thanks!! David Rash

01/07/2020

Stewardship Matters is offering a monthly article which can be used in a church newsletter, or a bulletin insert, or in some other measure that may seem fit. This is FREE for all who email me and ask to subscribe. I will even send you some samples from last year or this January if you wish. [email protected]

12/24/2019

"And [Mary] bought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7 KJV
Joseph and Mary took a chance on God, trusting that God had a plan though it must have terrified them. These events, this calling from God was bigger than anything they had ever imagined, and for their simple trust we give thanks! Amen.
Stewardship Matters of Virginia wishes you the gift of simple trust this Christmas season.

11/21/2019

Giving Tuesday is December 3 and I want to encourage gifts to two UM missionaries from Mozambique, John Nday and Florence Kayling. They visited with us in October spending the night here and speaking at our church. They live in a very remote area, in challenging conditions and do hard, important work. They have few resources.
She is a nurse at the Cambine Women's Health Clinic, where she delivers babies and teaches health care to women, some of whom walk for a day to get there.
John has established a farm and is teaching farming methods for growing vegetables for the community and to sell in the market, 7 miles away.
Here is how to give. Make a check payable to a UM Church. On the memo line for the women's clinic write #)9734A.
For the farm put #3020561.
If you want to know more about them, send me an email at [email protected] This is a worthy and excellent place to give your gifts. Give before getting!

12/24/2018

In Bethlehem long, long ago, generosity was on display.
"For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich for (our) sakes he became poor..."
May your Christmas be merry and bright with the light of Christ.
David Rash
Stewardship Matters of Virginia