Regarding sponsorship requests within your HC, it’s important to take the time to understand why someone is asking for support. This not only helps discern the legitimacy of the request but also allows you to better understand their situation and heart.
There are typically two reasons someone might seek sponsorship:
- They genuinely cannot afford it. In this case, it is an opportunity for the HC to step in and reflect Christ’s love by supporting one another.
- They can afford it but don’t feel it’s worth the cost. In this situation, it would be awkward to ask the HC to contribute. Instead, our role is to lovingly help them see the value of our Annual Retreat. Once a year, we have this opportunity to step away, gather as a whole church family, and dedicate three full days to seeking God together. It’s a time of renewal, connection, and spiritual growth. If they still don’t see the value, that is their choice. Much like the rich young ruler, who didn’t take Jesus’ invitation, because at the time he didn’t think it was worth the cost.
There could be other reasons, or something even in-between, but this is to proved some specifics on sponsorship discernment.
Sponsorship request steps:
- Contribute What You CanWe encourage those in need to pray and decide what they can contribute. This helps foster a sense of ownership and commitment to the retreat.
- House Church SupportOnce the individual shares how much they can contribute, the remaining amount will be communicated to the House Church leaders (HCLs). HCLs will then share this need with the rest of the group, allowing members to support through generosity. HCLs are simply facilitators and are not expected to personally raise the funds.
- Collect and UpdateAfter collecting contributions, the funds will be given to the finance team with the recipient’s name. If there’s still a shortfall, the sponsorship fund will cover the rest. Any extra funds will be added to the sponsorship pool.
By following these steps, we can ensure that financial challenges don’t prevent anyone from attending the retreat. Let’s continue to support each other and walk in generosity as a community!
Sample Message
Hi HC,
Our annual retreat is coming up on [Retreat Date], and sign-ups are now open! The early bird rate is [Retreat Price] until [Early Bird Deadline]. For more details, visit www.sphk.org.
Don’t let finances stop you from joining! We really hope everyone can come—it’s going to be an amazing time to connect with God and each other. As a community, we will also be supporting one another through sponsorships.
- If you need financial help, please pray and consider how much you can contribute, and let me know before [Early Bird Deadline]. We understand it can be hard to ask for help, but remember, God provides, and this gives others the chance to bless you.
- If you are able to help financially, please pray about how you can give. You can either decide on an amount or contribute based on the total need. Let me know how you’d like to help.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
God Bless,
[Your Name]