So this week we are talking about the lost art of thanking. How are you taking time to foster a culture of saying “thank you” to people in your ministry?

Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone. ~G.B. Stern

How do you thank the people who donate to your ministry? What do you do make sure that they know how important they are to the mission?

When people give to your ministry it’s a personal decision for them. They are deciding against something else in their life because they believe in what your mission is all about.  ( . . . the new tv . . . or the church staff salary . . .)

Do we take time to give them a personal response or simply treat them like a potential cash machine that we need to prepare to give to us?

What if for every person that donated to your ministry for the first time you sent a hand written note?  What if instead of the cleverly crafted form letter you blocked out time to sit down and write a note to them personally . . . use that clever database of yours to attempt to personalize it as much as possible.  (Do they have kids? Ask them if their kidlets are enjoying your church . . . )

Meet their personal decision with a personal response.

I know . . . you don’t have time for this.  Too many other important things to do than to write notes to people you barely know.  Really?  My experience has been these take about 2-3 minutes to do per card . . . do the math.  I can assure you that over the long haul the “value” of that donor to your ministry out weighs the 3 minutes.

What about you?  How do you thank your donors? Take some time to comment right now!