The Virginia Plan for Covenantal Giving

Following the work of the Resourcing God’s Mission Task Force, the 2021 Annual Convention adopted R-1a: Resolution to Establish the Virginia Plan for Covenantal Giving, which directed us to begin the process of Covenantal Giving. This is a new process, and this first year the Executive Board wants to hear your stories and begin to understand each church individually. Financial
information is part of this process and so is the character and ministry of each church. This is about working together and not about judgment.

The Virginia Plan for Covenantal Giving uses a 3-year rolling average of line 3 of your church’s parochial report to calculate a beginning point for your pledge. As we begin our three-year transition from the previous proportional giving plan into the Virginia Plan for Covenantal Giving, churches will come together in community with other congregations in their region and with members of the Executive Board to strengthen the spirit of covenant and allow for exchange of ideas, increased understanding, and fuller cooperation by learning from one another.

Living in a covenantal relationship doesn’t set the focus on the size of our operating budget. Instead, we focus on our ability to make the Gospel of Christ known in a variety of meaningful ways. Being in covenant with one another is about supporting one another to fulfill our mission and ministry together.

June 18 Group Meetings 

On June 18, 2022, between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., members of the Executive Board and of the Resourcing God’s Mission Task Force will convene meetings at four locations (listed below) to begin the process of Covenantal Giving. All churches are encouraged to participate in these meetings, even if they currently meet or exceed the pledge guidelines of Resolution R-1. Click to read the full letter from the Executive Board to churches.

In preparation, every church in the Diocese is asked to fill out pages 1 and 2 of the universal form (so that both the churches submitting the information and the conveners receiving them are better prepared for our time together), and to submit this information by June 1. Churches that do not anticipate making a pledge of 8% of their rolling three-year average of line 3 of the Parochial Report will also need to fill out page 3 of the accompanying form. We ask that every church do this, regardless whether or not your church plans to attend the June 18 gathering in person.

The Executive Board is also providing a planning worksheet that will help churches prepare for the full implementation of the pledge guidelines of R-1. This planning worksheet is simply for your information and guidance. 

Meeting Locations

All meetings will take place on Saturday, June 18, 2022, from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

1. Group A: The Falls Church, 115 E. Fairfax St., Falls Church
   The Rev. David Lucey, Executive Board Representative, rector@stfrancisgreatfalls.org, phone: 703-759-2082, ext. 102
   The Rev. Chris Miller, RGM Task Force Member
   
   
2. Group B: St. James Church, 73 Culpeper St., Warrenton
   The Rev. Webster Gibson, Executive Board Representative, rector@chrischurchwinchester.org, 540-931-5288
   The Rev. Kathleen Murray, RGM Task Force Member
   
   
3. Group C: Christ Church, 5000 Pouncey Tract Rd., Glen Allen
   The Rev. Emily Dunevant, Executive Board Representative, emilydunevant@gmail.com, 804-995-5045
   Ken Royston, RGM Task Force Representative
   
   
4. Group D: Grace Church, 303 S. Main St., Kilmarnock
   The Rev Jay Morris, Executive Board Representative, morris@aquiachurch.org, 540-659-4007
   The Rev. Sven vanBaars, RGM Task Force Member
   

Who Should Attend

Rector, Vicar, or Priest-in-charge, Senior Warden or other church officer or Vestry Appointee, and/or the Treasurer.

What to Bring

Please submit these items to the Executive Board by June 1.

1. The 3-year rolling average provided by the Treasurer sometime after April 30
2. The last three years of Parochial Report financial data
3. Do you have a priest to serve the congregation as a pastoral leader who is not interim?
4. Answers to the following prompts:
   a) Two moments or actions by the church that proved to be blessings during the past two years.
   b) Two moments or actions that proved to be challenges.
   (NEITHER OF THE ABOVE ANSWERS NEED INVOLVE FINANCES! We are hoping to get an idea about your ministries and missions in the places you serve.)
5. Tell us who and how many will be coming.

June 18 Schedule

9:30 a.m.        Introduction and Worship 
10:00 a.m.      Presentation 
10:30 a.m.      Dialogue w/ Churches (Large Group) 
11:30 a.m.      Small Groups and 1 on 1 w/ Churches 
12:00 pm.       One-on-one with Churches 
12:30 p.m.      Into the World 

Calendar Dates to Remember

May:               Treasurer sends church the 3 year average number.
May/June:     Churches accumulate data/stories/questions.
June 1:           Churches submit data, stories, and attendees to the Executive Board.
June 18:         R-1 Gatherings.