You may remember Giving Tuesday last year. Giving Tuesday was created to follow Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving. These two days are all about spending for Christmas. So some folks decided to insert a day to give, rather than spend. The giving totals for Giving Tuesday rose 162 percent from 2012 to 2013.
Giving Tuesday is not about giving to one particular non-profit. Giving Tuesday invites any non-profit to get on the bandwagon. The only catch is that it is all electronic giving. If you have a means to receive funds electronically, why not join in the Giving Tuesday experience?
I suggest you focus on a particular mission or ministry that represents who you are and reaches beyond the walls of the church as your focus for Giving Tuesday. Or you can point folks toward The Advance or other missions of The United Methodist Church. Then begin to think how to communicate via Facebook, web pages and Twitter as we enter November. Every dollar received is a blessing. And do not forget to thank donors!
