Planning a stewardship campaign, or any fundraising event, typically focuses on the big-givers, the easy-picking fruit, the people with money who are comfortable with the concept of sharing their treasures.

But in these days of spiking food prices, retirees watching their savings as the markets rise and fall, and younger families wrestling with raising a family, much less paying for college or trade school … what about them?

How can churches not only connect with, but actively engage, members with modest or limited resources, who still want and need to be a part of their faith community?

Rev. Steve Keeler, longtime pastor at Sea Island Presbyterian in historic Beaufort, SC, knows well the challenges of engaging families with limited resources. Before joining Sea Island Presbyterian, he served in the US Navy as an enlisted corpsman, later becoming a Navy chaplain.

When he and his wife Kay were first stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in 1974, they attended First Presbyterian Church where the late Rev. Milton Wilmesherr encouraged his congregants to live on 80 percent of their salary, save 10 percent and tithe 10 percent to the ministry of Christ via the Church and other non-profit organizations.

“We have used that formula in our own lives,” Keeler said. “Our hope is to continue to provide a culture of giving in our church that is not coercive, manipulative or oppressive, but is welcoming, cheerful, and accepting of others,” he said.

Beaufort, SC, founded in 1711, is nestled in the same county as Hilton Head Island and is midway between Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA. It is a mixed community of old – very old – money, new money, oceanfront homes and then a majority who live more modest lives, sometimes paycheck to paycheck.

The community serves three military installations – Marine Corps Air Station-Beaufort, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, and Naval Hospital Beaufort. Some of those sailors and Marines attend Keeler’s church, which also participates in the Family Promise program to shelter those without housing.

“I continue to keep an eye out for those who may be disregarded, overlooked, and not seen as important because they may not have financial means,” Keeler said. “There is a great passage in Mark 12:41-44 where Jesus talks about a poor widow putting in two copper coins in the temple treasury as opposed to those who tried to impress their friends and colleagues by offering large sums of their financial assets, which the widow couldn’t do.

“As a pastor, I have always encouraged parishioners to give with a cheerful heart because they want to and they believe in the mission, work, and ministry of the church. We ask all our members to prayerfully consider their level of giving, and that it’s not so much the amount as it is the good will” of the gift, Keeler said.

It is key to connect with all parishioners and get them involved, get them invested in the success of the church, whether that’s helping set up for Sunday School or volunteering with a church program, or joining a committee. Sometimes it’s enough just to get them to regularly attend Sunday services.

“We succeed with our stewardship outreach with the help of everyone in the pews and at home, those with much to give and those with less,” Keeler said. “Each of them has an important role in the life of the church.”