MORE THAN ENOUGH FINANCIAL COACHING MINISTRY FOR CHURCHES

How to implement this at your church…

• Let people know that this is a ministry that can help individuals and families with their finances. Start by printing the poster below and posting it on your church bulletin board.  There may be some people in your church that need help but want to contact More Than Enough on their own.  Let people know that this is a ministry that can help individuals and families with their finances.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD POSTER

• If your church is able, consider including covering part of the coaching as part of your churchbenevolent care ministry.  Use the referral form (click here) and  More than Enough will report back to your church with non-confidential information (number of sessions, level of engagement, and if there are more than a couple – the total amount of debt paid off, etc.).
• Run a Financial Fitness Seminar in your church/community.  This 90-minute seminar covers budgeting basics, biblical principles, and a discovery of how to live financially fit and free.  This is a great starting point for families and individuals.  This seminar is free for FM churches – contact [email protected] for details or to arrange a seminar at your church.
• Run a Financial Hope Small Group.  This 5-week Small Group Material provides Help, Hope and Truth in how to manage finances God’s way. Small groups discuss the cultural pressures of debt and consumerism while learning biblical principles and practical tools to live within their means, get out of debt, save, determine a healthy lifestyle, set long-term goals and live generously.  By the end of the 5 weeks, participants will create a realistic budget using their own financial data.  Online training for facilitators equip anyone in your church to run the small group.  This material is free for FM churches.  Contact [email protected] for details or to arrange for a facilitator to be trained.
• List your community resources – create a list of  support contacts for social services, shelters, who to call when someone’s hydro as been disconnected, food banks, job banks, employment assistance, resume writing, etc.   Having this go-to contact list can make the difference in emergency situations.
• Asset Map your church –   use the asset mapping tool (fmcic.ca/asset-mapping)to uncover skills and abilities in your local church that can help others:
  • Saturday Car Repairs in the church parking lot – church offers/teaches simple car repairs and maintenance where there is not labour costs and the parts are supplied at costs (especially if there is a parts supply store in your community that participates)
  • Carpenters/Handymen that could provide/supervise home repairs (labour is free and material paid for by individual or subsidized by the benevolent fund)
  • Car Sharing – church people willing to drive people to appointments at little or no costs
  • Community Gardens – churches converting green space to gardens where the produce is shared with those in need or given to the local food bank
  • Cooks/nutritionists that can help young moms who do not know how to meal prep/plan and were spending too much on eating out and junk food simply because they did not know how to cook
  • Community Cooking Lessons at the church that inspire healthy meals on a budget
  • College Pantry – providing a food pantry for local college students that have run out of money and need to eat
  • Accountants that could help teach budgeting
  • Writers that can help someone with resumes so they can get a better job
  • Mentors that can help with life skills at home/work
  • Knitting hats/mitts for local schools during winter
  • Winter coats/boots/snowpants for growing children (this is an expensive item for families each winter)
  • Working Wardrobe – providing work appropriate clothing to get/start a job
  • More?  Everyone in your church has a gift or talent that can be used to help their neighbour.  The leadership of the church creates the environment for how these gifts/talents are used.
• Network Church Community – for many in financial crisis, the problem is not just budgeting but being underemployed.  Finding a better job can be overwhelming especially if your are stressed over financial debt.  A church can network business owners in the church that can help refer /find work for people in need.  This helping hand not only helps the individual/family in need but also provides a very real way others in the church can help.
• Host Job Fairs at your church – this is another real help for those in financial crisis and a way to connect with your local community.

morethanenough.ca/fmcic