Generosity Week 2023 ran from Sunday 24 September to Sunday 1 October.
But…. we’re called to be generous all year round, so these resources can be used at any time. Holding a Generosity Week is a chance for churches to celebrate God’s generosity, and to consider their own generous response.
We suggest Generosity Week covers two Sundays, to give space to consider both gratitude and generosity. Two Sundays also means more of your congregation will be included.
Generous God
Out of the abundance of your love
you have given us all we need
for fullness of life with you.
Thank you that you have withheld nothing,
even your only Son Jesus Christ,
giving him to the cross
by which we know forgiveness and freedom.
In response to your boundless goodness,
teach us to reflect your generosity
with open hands and open hearts.
May we live generously and lovingly,
trustingly and hopefully,
for the glory of Jesus’ name.
Amen
Resources
The National Church of England Giving Team and our own team here at Southwark have produced a suite of resources to support you. You’ll find service outlines and liturgy, sermon notes, children’s and young people’s resources, daily podcasts, social media posts to share and more.
Click below for sermon notes which correspond with the lectionary readings for Generosity Week, and a fun powerpoint quiz you can include in a generosity themed service. More sermon notes for generosity themed services with other readings can be found here.
These ideas and prompts for sharing Generosity Week with your wider community
How else can we support you?
Drop us a line if there are any resources you’d find useful.
Top tips
Prepare
Choose your dates, get them into your calendar, and ensure others know too.
Involve leaders in the church. Treasurer, PCC, children’s and youth leaders, small group hosts – so the week is embedded throughout church life. Remember there are resources to help all these groups and to help you.
It can be helpful to have a small Giving Team or similar – for example, a treasurer, clergy, and someone gifted at communications – to help plan.
Choose the resources you would like to use e.g ideas how to celebrate Generosity week in the wider community.
Create any bespoke resources, for example if you wish to ask people to review their giving, a leaflet setting out your vision, need, and a clear idea of how to respond. We can provide a template and work with you on this – do get in touch: [email protected].
Preach
Generosity is at the very heart of God. Share a theological foundation in sermons at the beginning and end of your week. We have prepared sermon notes for many lectionary readings. The national team has provided resources for a service themed around generosity, and for a service themed around gratitude.
Actions speak louder than words! Prayerfully consider your own response – generosity in leadership is contagious.
Get people talking – encourage people to use the daily podcasts in bible studies or small groups, children’s and young people’s work, in social media (use the daily challenges), or over tea and coffee, provide opportunities for people to discuss this area of discipleship.
Ask
As you think about gratitude inspire the congregation with a refresher of your church vision and show how their giving enables it.
Be honest and clear about what’s needed, showing the costs of your mission and ministry, and the impact generous giving makes.
Enable people to respond. Provide ways for people to give – regular giving, one-off gifts, or pledges to remember the church in wills and legacies. One church uses a red envelope (see Southwark Stories) with information about regular giving and legacies, with a pledge form. They then ask people to bring the red envelope back to church with their pledge included.
Celebrate
Thank everyone for what they are already doing!
Report back on response and celebrate together!
God loves a cheerful giver – throw a party and invite the community
Read Southwark Stories to be encouraged by times of generosity and gratitude across our Diocese.
