RAISING $5,050 WITH 100 ENVELOPES

This idea for raising money for missions, to supplement the children’s ministry budget or for any children’s ministry project has been used successfully in numerous churches.  All you need is: 100 envelopes, a marker, a church service full of adults, and approval of your pastor.

Lay the 100 envelopes on tables in front of the platform, each numbered 1-100. After presenting your project, ask individuals and families to consider choosing an envelope and then putting that monetary amount into the envelope. So if a family chooses the envelope with the number 24 on it, they give $24.

Explain that if the envelope for the amount a family was thinking of giving has already been taken, they can add other envelopes together to equal their amount. 

You might ask: “Why do that instead of just having a special offering?” If every envelope is taken and returned, you get $5,050 in one service.  Churches who have done this say they don’t even come close to receiving that amount if an offering is taken.

The key is to announce it a few weeks ahead of time with clear expectations and to also specifically identify how the money will be used.

You can also give away free 0’s so if people want to add a 0 to the end of their amount, they can. For instance, the 7 envelope would be picked up and the family adds a 0 to make it 70.

(This idea was originally presented to the children’s pastors of the Assemblies of God. Used with permission.)