In church stewardship, there is growing concern as “traditional” givers age out – they move closer to family, they enter assisted living, they reallocate their estate, or they pass away. The challenge has always been how to continually engage younger people, to connect with them and build a foundation of giving.

At First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, young children start learning about stewardship as toddlers, said Rachel Davis, communications director at the church.

They created a fun, age-appropriate booklet to guide children in the tenets of stewardship. The message is clear, using 1 Peter 4:10: ^“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” They emphasize that giving isn’t just about money.

“We mailed the stewardship worksheet to every child on our rosters, ages 1 to 12,” Davis said. “While infants and toddlers may not have engaged directly with the handout, we intentionally included them because we see this as an opportunity for parent education. Some parents have expressed gratitude for the practical resources and others thanked us for the clarity of the message.”

In the stewardship worksheet, First Presbyterian in Nashville’s team wrote: “God gives everyone special gifts — things like money, time, talents, or kindness. Being a steward means using those gifts to help other people and say thank you to God. Even though you might not have a job yet, you can still be a steward! Stewardship doesn’t depend on how much money or time you have —it’s about sharing the gifts God has given you. Giving, helping, or using your talents is a way to thank God for all the good things in your life.”

Part of the thinking, Davis said, is that children should understand why giving is important — giving to the church, giving to their community, and especially giving to their family.

Establishing that understanding in the elementary grades saves the sometimes-uncomfortable conversations that church leaders have with members in their 20s or 30s who are new to the concept of stewardship – of giving time, talents or funds.

They measured results in more ways than money raised, Davis said.

“We’ve had a handful of children begin bringing envelopes of coins, which has been delightful to see. That said, the number of coins collected is not my primary measure of success,” she said. “After mailing the Kids Stewardship worksheet, we sent a follow-up email to parents that included a breakdown of the annual cost per child in our Children’s Ministry. When divided by the number of children we served in 2025, the cost came to approximately $800 per child. We shared that information within the broader context of stewardship and how pledging supports ministry.

“Based on email analytics, that message directly resulted in two first-time pledging households who immediately set up recurring gifts. One parent wrote: ‘I wanted to thank you for highlighting the 2026 Stewardship pledge. Your thoughtful message made us stop and consider our contribution more fully. We appreciate you and your team giving so much of yourselves all year. FPC has become an important part of our boys’ lives and we are so grateful.’

“By my estimate, approximately 20 percent of our first-time pledges came from households with children,” Davis shared. “From my perspective, that’s what made this Kids Stewardship campaign successful. While the materials equipped families with practical tools, they also strengthened the overall annual campaign and helped some parents make connections they hadn’t previously considered.”

She closes with a note about consistent messaging, something we have hit on several times in these columns.

“My overall approach to stewardship communication is to explain both the ‘why’ and the ‘how.’ I try to ground giving in theology — why generosity is part of discipleship — while also clearly explaining how pledges function operationally and why they matter for responsible church leadership.

“Over the past 18 months, I’ve intentionally repeated these themes in multiple settings and formats,” Davis said. “At times it feels repetitive, but I’m beginning to see that the consistency is helping the message take root. Stewardship formation requires patience, and I believe the repetition is starting to bear meaningful fruit.”