We had such a great response to our blog last week that we thought it deserved a second part! Since being back to church means truly connecting with one another in person, we thought the focus should be there – connection. We thrive on human connection and what better way to unite than through your local parish. Here are some of the ideas we have come up with!
Bit of Creativity and a Willing Parish
Have you ever had an idea, but been afraid to present it to Father or the Business Manager at your parish? We think you should say something. When you think about it, if someone didn’t mention Youth Groups or Youth Ministry, we would not have those opportunities to bring the next generation into the church. It doesn’t have to be about youth – any idea is a great opportunity to help your parish grow. And sometimes just putting a thought into someone’s mind is just like planting a seed – it takes time but nurturing the idea will help it grow.
What your Church can do vs. What your Church is doing
I always say there are two different kinds of people out there: those who say they can do something, and those who are doing something. So, the question is, what is your church doing to help bring parishioners back to the pew? Are they hosting Youth Ministry activities? Are they hosting Bible study groups? Are they hosting Church hangouts? Or are they hosting volunteering to help the community? These are great examples of bringing parishioners back to the parish and members of the community too!
What’s your Communication Plan to keep your community and parish connected?
One great way to keep your community and parish connected is through a food bank. Many parishes have a St. Vincent de Paul Society to help provide food for those who are in tough times. They may be in between jobs, fallen on hard times, or must choose between a roof over their heads or food on the table. When the community sees what the parish is doing, it gives them a good name and more parish volunteers to help.
What are you doing for the elderly or homebound?
Being able to accommodate those who are not able to safely travel to Mass is a necessity to any parish. Therefore, many parishes support senior centers or nursing homes. Taking Mass to them, or even sitting with a senior, is one of the greatest gifts you can give them.
We’re all in this together
It’s true. That is why Parish Giving wants to help your parish succeed. If you need assistance with online registration and payment, we are here to help! In addition to providing the form and payment tools, we offer easy to read reports of the registration/payment data and email notifications when someone registers. How easy is that? If you want to raise money for St. Vincent’s, we can help. If you want to host a Super Bowl party for the Youth Ministry, we have the sign-up form with payment option. If you want to host any event and need us to help advertise it, we are more than happy to post it on our social media to help spread the word!
We hope these ideas help you and your parish thrive with your existing and new parishioners. Please let us know how we can help! We are only a phone call or email away.