On September 9, 2024, Pastor Tim Brown, Director for Congregational Stewardship Support for the ELCA, led an insightful and practical webinar on how to create a Narrative Mission Plan. This step-by-step guide, hosted by the Grand Canyon Synod Stewardship Team, focused on how congregations can effectively communicate their impact by shifting from traditional line-item budgets to mission-oriented plans.

Whether you are new to Narrative Mission Plans or looking for a refresher, the recording of the webinar is now available for viewing. Pastor Brown walks through the process in clear, manageable steps, making it accessible even for those who may have found the concept daunting. The goal is to help congregations convey their mission in a way that aligns with the values of stewardship and community impact.

You can access the full recording here using the passcode: ZALT?V7F

Additionally, all resources used during the webinar, including worksheets, presentation slides, and tools to help calculate volunteer impact, are available for download:

• Pastor Tim Brown Presentation slides as Powerpoint

• Narrative Budget Worksheet.docx

• 2014 LMC Line Item Budget Recommendation Line Item Budget Operating.pdf

• Narrative Budget Staff Breakdown.docx

• LMC Fall 2015 Online Narrative Budget.pdf

• Calculating Volunteer Impact – 2024 Value of Volunteer Time Report by Independent Sector

• GCS Mission Plan Presentation (2 Options)

  • PowerPoint File:  2025-2026 Mission Plan Presentation.pptx

  • PDF File:  2025-2026 Mission Plan Presentation-2.pdf

Recording (Multiple Options)

1. Zoom Recording Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/ks-i7531MruWdeJwS-YsYV2duiR9SsK-aoq2BXI9GyC9iAUv-scq_UfaGOLbbfU_.9UrvKMxdTDl0U4uw Passcode: ZALT?V7F

2. GCS Narrative Mission Plan Webinar_9-9-24.mp4

This is a fantastic opportunity for congregations to rethink how they present their financial planning, transforming it into a story that showcases the mission and ministry of the church. Take the next step in your stewardship journey and explore these valuable resources today!

Tim Brown is a pastor in the ELCA serving parishes in Chicago, IL and Raleigh, NC.  He currently serves in the Office of the Presiding Bishop as Director for Congregational Stewardship Support where he creates and curates relationships and resources to help Synods and Congregations fuel their ministries. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife and two sons, and you can usually find him at a coffee shop or brewery reading or writing something he thinks is interesting.