Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Leading Ideas: "10 Ways to Strengthen Relations with Police and Public Safety Officials | Doing Mission Fundraising Well" from The Lewis Center for Church Leadership at The Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., United States for Wednesday, March 22, 2017


Leading Ideas: "10 Ways to Strengthen Relations with Police and Public Safety Officials | Doing Mission Fundraising Well" from The Lewis Center for Church Leadership at The Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., United States for Wednesday, March 22, 2017
From the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
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10 Ways to Strengthen Relations with Police and Public Safety Officials by Tony Hunt
Baltimore pastor Dr. C. Anthony Hunt says congregations need to work proactively to strengthen community relations and build trust with police and public officials. He provides ten suggestions for strengthening these critical relationships in the wake of recent police-involved shootings and violence toward police.
One key to a church’s vitality is the quality of the relationships it establishes with a broad spectrum of leaders and institutions throughout its community. One of the most important set of relationships a church can develop is with police and other public safety officials. Recent well-publicized police-involved shootings and deaths, and the shootings and deaths of a number of police officers around the nation, have strained police-community relations and resulted in unrest in many areas.
Working proactively rather than reactively to strengthen a church’s relationship with its surrounding community and with police engenders trust. It also helps improve the quality of life for persons living and working in particular communities. It is a part of the theological task of churches to “seek the welfare” (shalom, peace, well-being) of all people in their respective communities (Jeremiah 29:7). Individuals, churches, groups, organizations, institutions, and even governments can promote the well-being of communities by making a sincere commitment to strengthen the relationship between the church, the community, and the police.
Working proactively rather than reactively to strengthen a church’s relationship with its surrounding community and with police engenders trust.
Here are ten ways that individuals, churches, and other community organizations can work toward strengthening these relationships.
  1. Pray for the police serving your community.
  2. Pray for and publicly affirm the police and other public safety officials who are members of your congregation.
  3. Know your community police officers by name, and keep their contact information readily available. Schedule regular meetings with community police officers to establish and strengthen relationships.
  4. Participate in periodic drive-arounds and community walks with police and community leaders.
  5. Invite police to community events held by the church, such as back-to-school events, community meals, and food giveaways.
  6. Include local police on the distribution lists for the church newsletter and email communications.
  7. Seek to collaborate with community entities like the Chambers of Commerce, NAACP, community associations, PTAs, and other churches in the community across denominations and faith traditions to address common interests and concerns regarding policing and public safety.
  8. Invite community police to speak to youth and young adults in the church.
  9. Educate youth and adults on appropriate conduct if stopped by police.
  10. Assist police departments in the recruitment of qualified persons in the congregation and community who would serve well as uniformed police officers, especially women and minorities who may be underrepresented
Related Resources:
Read more.
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Doing Mission Fundraising Well by Lisa Kipp
Do you wish your church could do more to support mission? Pastor Lisa Kipp gives tips for how special fundraising for mission can be done effectively to enhance stewardship and increase a congregation's overall mission giving.Several years ago, our congregation decided to try an experiment. We wondered what might happen if we held specific fundraisers through the year for our mission partners. 
  1. Would we be able to encourage regular givers to give above and beyond our regular budget? 
  2. Would we inspire those who don’t give regularly to join in our mission?
People love to hear stories about how their giving makes a tangible difference in the world.
We’re only a few years into this experiment, but the results have been encouraging. Two years ago, we celebrated our 150th anniversary and raised enough funds to purchase a food truck to support our mobile food ministry. Last year we raised tens of thousands of dollars to purchase supplies and furnishings for the obstetrics department at a small rural hospital in Tanzania. And the overall amount of congregational giving to mission has risen significantly.
So how did we do it?
Focus
A decade ago the congregation gave money to over 20 mission organizations throughout the year. I suspect that very few people in the congregation knew anything about the organizations we were supporting. And I suspect that our small gifts here and there weren’t making a significant difference to any single organization. With some hard work and intentionality, we identified six primary mission partners and committed to raising funds outside of our annual budget for one or two of those organizations each year. In an effort to avoid donor fatigue, we carefully determined when these fundraisers would fall throughout the year, making an effort to ensure people wouldn’t feel like we were always asking for money. Today I suspect that the majority of folks in our congregation could identify at least a couple of our primary mission partners. Even better, we do our very best to engage folks in hands-on volunteering for these partners.
Lots of Storytelling
People love to hear stories about how their giving makes a tangible difference in the world. With each fundraising campaign, we identify the message we want to communicate and then consistently tell that story in as many ways as possible. At the beginning of each fundraiser, we strategically create a scheduled communication plan that typically includes each of the following: compelling newsletter articles, an invitation to give letter, blog posts, a video, photo displays in the narthex, social media posts, and storytelling during preaching and worship. We also identify a key photo or two for each fundraiser. We’re a visual culture and photos tell powerful stories.
Saying Thank You
I’m surprised how often church organizations skip this step. Throughout each fundraising campaign we create thank you notes specifically for the project. Each note includes the theme photo and a personal note from a pastor or one of the mission team members. We regularly lift up our progress in worship and celebrate what we accomplish together. Saying thank you is an excellent opportunity to remind people that their gifts can make a real difference in the world.
There are many creative ways to increase stewardship in congregations. Perhaps by rethinking how your church supports mission partners, you too might find success in engaging stewards both financially and with their hands and feet to make a real difference in the world in the name of Jesus.
This article is adapted from an article in the electronic newsletter of the Center for Stewardship Leaders at Luther Seminary. Used by permission.
Related Resources:
Read more.
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The Right Question
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
Thomas G. Kirkpatrick says most people enter a meeting asking two questions. The meetings you lead will be more productive and fulfilling for everyone if you go into each meeting knowing these two questions are foremost in the minds of your participants.
  1. Why are we meeting?
  2. How may I participate? 
Want more Right Questions? Read Right Questions for Church Leaders.
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New Book -- Synergy: A Leadership Guide for Church Staff and Volunteers
By Dr. Ann A. Michel, Lewis Center Associate Director
The landscape of ministry is rapidly evolving as more and more lay persons take on significant ministry roles. Yet our mindset about ministry hasn't been as quick to change. Lay ministry practitioners are often ill-prepared and underappreciated, confused about their call, and unsure of their theological identity. Synergy is a leadership guide that speaks directly to their needs.
Learn more and order now.
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Apply by March 31 for the 2017-18 Lewis Fellows Program
We are receiving applications for the 2017-18 Lewis Fellows program that brings together outstanding young clergy (under the age of 35) from a variety of denominational backgrounds for intensive leadership development activities and sustained peer interaction. Support for this program is provided by the Lilly Endowment's Transition into Ministry initiative. Applications are due by March 31, 2017.
Learn more about the program and apply now.
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Quotable Leadership:
This is not the first time the Spirit has substantially disrupted the established patterns of the church's practice and place in a culture, and it will not be the last.[Alan J. Roxburgh]
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Help Ensure Your Church's Mission Hits the Mark
Vital congregations are increasingly committed to serving others through mission. And congregations are asking whether their good intentions always yield good results. Through engaging videos and presentations, the Doing Good Well Video Tool Kit explores the fruitfulness of mission efforts and provides practical strategies to help ensure your mission hits the mark.
Learn more and order today.
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To the Point: Ways Established Church Leaders Can Work with Young Clergy
It is incumbent upon those who are older to reach out to their younger colleagues, because those who are younger are not nearly as likely to feel they are in a position to initiate dialogue. If established leaders reach out with authenticity and a willingness to learn, then emerging leaders will respond enthusiastically.
Learn more and download free.
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Editors: Dr. Ann A. Michel and Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr.
Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
Connect with the Lewis Center:

Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Wesley Theological Seminary
4500 Massachusetts Avenue NorthWest
Washington, D.C. 20016, United States
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