Remember as a child when every once in a while you’d get an ice cream sundae and someone would add an extra cherry or maybe another dollop of chocolate sauce? Not anything you asked for, it was just an added treat?

Think of Giving Tuesday as that “value add” to your stewardship efforts – you don’t have to ask for it; it’s part of an international effort that’s already packaged.

Church leaders should take the lead in making Giving Tuesday a focal point of the annual stewardship campaign because it leverages international marketing to let you zoom in on your specific church needs.

It’s a lot simpler than it sounds.

Giving Tuesday is Dec. 1 this year, an international effort when communities come together to give back in varied different ways, through acts of kindness, gifts of their voice, time, talent, or their treasure. It follows Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving, when lots of holiday shopping kicks off) and Cyber Monday, when that shopping moves online. Giving Tuesday offers an opportunity to turn the focus to the true spirit of Christmas.

The approach started in 2012 as a simple idea – one day a year to encourage people to do good. Since then, the idea has grown into a year-round global effort that inspires millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity. That celebration should connect to your church.

Research shows that people are motivated to give to different causes. The key is to ensure your relationship with supporters is based on positive experiences and not just the financial transaction.

One month out – November 1

You’ve got five Sundays until Giving Tuesday arrives.

From the pulpit, in the newsletter, by email blast, and social media, announce that the church will be participating in Giving Tuesday and how the funds will be used. Be as specific as possible – some churches earmark Giving Tuesday gifts for a special project; some say the funds will be given to a community partner.

Then, tell your members how to participate. Giving Tuesday is primarily an online event, so ensure your members can give through electronic means. You can also remind them they can drop off a check the church office on Giving Tuesday — and make sure your office staff knows what to do when someone shows up with a check on that day.

Keep a separate tally of gifts received on Giving Tuesday. That way you can give special thanks the following Sunday, and also use it as a benchmark for the 2027 event.

If your church is active with social media, now’s the time to start posting about Giving Tuesday and how it works at your church. Be specific, but keep each post brief and to the point. It’s fine to share short messages as you lead up to the actual event.

Two weeks out – the week before Thanksgiving

Use this time to reinforce your earlier messages but emphasize the direct touch – talking about it from the pulpit and in church, in the emailed newsletter and any social media where you have a high concentration of members.

Utilize your deacons or any church committees to make phone calls to past donors to talk up this year’s Giving Tuesday plan, and ask them to help spread the word. The old-fashioned phone-tree still works wonders, even if most of the messages end up being sent as texts.

Remind your church staff that they may have more drop-in visitors on Giving Tuesday, many of them to deliver checks. Go over the process of logging in those gifts so that appropriate thank-you notes and IRS letters can be sent out.

Take advantage of the built-in push behind Giving Tuesday and make it work for your church.