It's a batting average that even the most potent of pennant contenders would envy.

From its inception in 2002, the number of "5 for 5" UCC churches – those congregations giving to Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) through their church budget and providing parishioners the opportunity to participate in OCWM's four special mission offerings received during the year – has nearly doubled, to more than 1,500.

"'5 for 5' was conceived as a thank-you for our stewardship display area at General Synod in Minneapolis in 2003," says the Rev. Kathryn Matthews Huey, minister for stewardship, scripture and discipleship on the UCC Churches Finances Ministry Team in Local Church Ministries.

"It was so popular that, after we returned, we received calls and emails from folks who wanted to know more about it, and asked for materials they could use to promote it," says Huey.

The four special mission offerings are One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS), Neighbors in Need, Strengthen the Church and the Christmas Fund.

OGHS provides resources for international programs, while Strengthen the Church funds the StillSpeaking Ministry; new and renewing churches; youth and young adult ministries; and lay and pastoral leadership formation. Neighbors in Need supports ministries of justice and compassion. The Christmas Fund helps provide pensions and health-premium supplements to low-income, retired church workers; emergency assistance to clergy families in need; and Christmas checks to hundreds of annuitants.

Increased participation means frequent updating of the "5 for 5" brochure and a rise in requests for "5 for 5" stickers, says Huey. "The stickers ("My church is 5 for 5") work well on Mission Sunday, or possibly Pentecost Sunday because they're red, and they remind us of the wide spectrum of ministries that churches support through OCWM and the special mission offerings.

"The youth who visited our display at Synod in 2003 were looking at the list we had of '5 for 5' churches to see if their congregations were there. When they were, they were happy to get stickers. When they weren't, they told us they were going to go back home and ask why."

Other promotional materials include "5 for 5" posters for participating churches and certificates of recognition presented to Conferences at annual meetings.

Huey says "5 for 5" has successfully captured the imagination of individual churches as a way to give to the wider church. "Whenever I'm speaking on behalf of the UCC national offices, I ask those who are from '5 for 5' churches to stand. They show such enthusiasm and joy. They are excited to be involved in mission like that."

The concept works for churches big and small alike; for those unfamiliar with "5 for 5," it's an educational opportunity, says Huey.

For the Rev. Dr. David Bahr, pastor at Park Hill Congregational UCC in Denver since November 2007, "4 for 5" had served his church well for many years. Then the final piece fell into place.

"Adding Strengthen the Church ended up not being a difficult sell for this social justice-oriented congregation," says Hill. "I attribute our commitment to '5 for 5' to our already strong ties through OCWM and our alignment with who the UCC is and tries to be."

Bahr recalled a time when his congregation's contributions dropped sharply after inner conflict over an interim pastor. Despite the turmoil, OCWM was not affected, he said. "So that's really about OCWM, but it helps when promoting the special offerings.

"And, of course," adds Bahr, "to tie it to God Is Still Speaking, the case was made."

"Our church has always been mission centered," says the Rev. David T. Hill, pastor of First Church UCC in Oberlin, Ohio, since November 2003. "The second General Synod was held here in Oberlin. This is where the statement of faith was adopted.

"Our church has a well-established pattern, and our history of mission giving made it a natural," says Hill. "It's an easy sell. I never hear any push-back. This is just what we do."

To learn how your church can become "5 for 5," please visit <ucc.org/ocwm/is-your-church-five-for-five/>.