When membership at Saint Stephens Presbyterian Church was low and potential for growth in membership seemed unlikely, the remaining members decided to close rather than use up their resources to remain open a few years longer. They then sold their building and converted their assets into a charitable endowment that would carry on the church's mission.
Faithful Generosity Story Shelf
This story collection highlights congregations and other religious groups who are using their assets and resources in creative ways as an expression of faithful giving. Each story is short enough to read and discuss during a committee meeting or other group gathering. Use these accessible vignettes to spark new questions, conversation, and imagination with your leaders about funds, buildings, land, and other resources in your care. If you know a story that should be included in the Story Shelf, suggest it here.
Read stories about:
Investing for Impact
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A Pastor’s Jericho in North Carolina
An enterprising pastor in Wilson, North Carolina pushed his congregation to revive its nonprofit and launch a plan to improve seven properties.
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Building Black Wealth through Homeownership
Amid calls for reparations, Arlington Community Church launched a foundation to lend interest-free funds to help Black Americans purchase their first home in their community.
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From Discernment to Epiphany
Atlanta’s First Presbyterian Church launched a social entrepreneurship program to recognize how God was already moving in their city and to provide business mentorship and financial assistance to aspiring social entrepreneurs.
Innovative Giving
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Church Grows a Solution to a Hidden Need
Bethel A.M.E Church of Ardmore responded to food insecurity in their community by starting a garden on their property. The project started with one bed and now has 15 that produced 1,200 pounds of food in 2022.
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Flood Becomes Turning Point for AME Church
After a flood did major damage to Bethel Church of Morristown, its pastor had a vision of rebuilding their property with support from outside of the congregation and to meet the needs of the larger community.
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The Path to Reparations
Beyond the first step of acknowledgment, some faith communities are taking up concrete reparations as a way of demonstrating authentic repentance for their role in systemic oppression.
Selling/Donating Property
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Church Finds Freedom in Selling Property
The congregation of Biltmore United Methodist Church sold their property and is devoting their energy and resources toward responding to Asheville, North Carolina’s most pressing social needs.
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A Life Cycle and a Legacy
A rural Tennessee church closes with one final, old-time singing and a donation to a Christian disaster relief agency.
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Presbytery Gives Property to Indigenous Group
Hudson River Presbytery transferred the title of former church to the Indigenous-led Sweetwater Cultural Center as a "pledge of partnership" and in an effort to make amends for harm done to Native American populations.
Sharing Property
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Manse Becomes a Home for Refugees
A Presbyterian church transforms their unused manse (minister's house) into a home for Afghan refugees, and serve as community for the home's first tenants.
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Actors and Acolytes
A NYC church continues its long-term relationship with the theater community and generates needed income by opening rehearsal space.
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Cooking up Business in the Church Kitchen
Churches in Wilmington, Delaware share their commercial kitchens so food entrepreneurs can grow their businesses.
Browse more stories:
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A 140-year-old congregation in the heart of south Minneapolis decides to close their congregation and donate their property to a nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness.
Alfred Street Baptist Church donated $1 million to Jackson State University during a water crisis to help students who had incurred related expenses and to help the university respond to the crisis.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave $32 million to the United Nations World Food Programme - the largest single donation to-date to a humanitarian organization - to fight the global hunger crisis.
First Baptist Church of Clarendon in Arlington, Virginia decided to serve its community by sharing its square footage for affordable housing, a child development center, and a seminary.
A monthlong fast led a church to donate $150,000 to students at HBCUs who needed financial assistance in order to graduate.
A story about what happened when a church learned to see its money in a new way.
Congregation partners with an affordable housing nonprofit.
Leaders of a church in Pennsylvania launched a Year of Contagious Generosity, and what happened next surprised a lot of people. Money raised benefited the local fire department, school district, and helped rebuild a community playground.
Church's money management lessons lead to transformation in an impoverished neighborhood.
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