We do a couple fundraisers a year at the UU fellowship, but one has been around so long that it's a core social event as well as a fundraiser (an auction and dinner) so we'd likely do it whether we needed the cash or not. The other we tend to tinker with, trying different ideas. A craft sale in the church hall that sells table space to outside vendors is one that we do occasionally. Other fundraisers occasionally happen based on offers from members or friends or opportunities that come up.

I think fundraisers are a legit way to supplement your church's revenues, but you have to worry if/when they become the primary source of revenue. It either means you're living beyond your means OR your members aren't being very giving. Well, it could mean you're just really good at doing them, but that I don't think that's what churches are supposed to be really good at. We're supposed to be out there serving our membership and the broader community.

Mendalla

Amen, Gord. Our "church" used to be a private nightclub, so the main hall that we use as a sanctuary is nicely laid out for any number of activities. We currently have a local barbershop choir renting the hall on an ongoing basis as their rehearsal hall (they also sang at a service in the spring) and have rented to other religious groups in the past as well (a pagan group used to use our space many years back, for instance).

Mendalla

Crazyheart - this was a problem with my former church.  True they were a struggling congregation.  Much of their time and effort seemed to be towards fundraising:  three or four large suppers a year (which cut down on the number of congregation building potluck dinners they used to enjoy); a big fall bazaar; a spring and fall yard sale; special drives of one kind or another.   True some of these things could be fun - gathering together for a Saturday to make apple pies - but the emphasis was always on how much profit did we make?  Was this a successful fundraiser?   It was hard to find volunteers for our programs when people were worn out from working on fundraisers; and hard to find time for outreach or community building events because they might conflict with fundraising activities.  And the ones who worked hardest at the fundraising events were often considered the ones 'who do everything for the church', over the Sunday School teachers, the choir members, the ones who concerned themselves with pastoral care, who didn't bring in any money.

StevieG - One big project caught my eye.  There is a church in a small village an hour's drive from town.  Every fall for the past 10 or 12 years they had hosted a noon-hour luncheon each day for two weeks.  It is hard work at the time.  Everybody in the congregation, and a few friends, are involved.  They advertise widely - through friends, relatives, Presbytery, etc.  For many in town its become a regular thing to organize a group to go out for a day - driving up along the river, admiring the autumn leaves, having a delicious meal.  One big project.  It raises thousands of dollars.

Mind you - there is work to be done for months in advance.  Pickles and preserves are set aside when people are putting up their own winter supply.  Whatever can be made in advance.  People organize cooking, or work parties.  The rural women always have a couple of quilts on display for sale - and people submit other handicrafts to be displayed at the back of the room.  But this type of work is done in their own homes, on their own time.  Then the big rush.  Two weeks, and they work all morning in preparation, rush, rush, rush through a two hour lunch hour, then sit down to their own dinners, before spending another hour or more on clean-up and advance prep for the next day. 

But once it is over, its over for another year.

We do fundraising but spread it out over the year.  We do 4-5 different things.  The money raised is either given to outreach programs such as the school lunch program, the food bank, People for a Healthy Community, PWRDF. etc.  Other then that we put money into our new building account.  This is clearly announced before and during the events.

Shalom

Mate