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5/1/2013

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Congratulations, you have logged on successfully to

Our Sunday Visitor’s live webinar

Inviting More Parishioners to the Joy of Ministry

Presented by:

Sue Erschen

Moderated by:

Diane Brumbaugh

Technical Note: The audio portion of this

webinar will be delivered directly through

your computer speakers or headphones. If

you can’t hear the audio via that method,

please call in on the phone number on the

right side of your computer screen.

Our Sunday Visitor serves millions of Catholics worldwide through its publishing, offertory and communication

services. Established in 1912 by a local parish priest, Our Sunday Visitor has grown into the nation’s largest supplier of offering envelopes, parish and diocesan mailings, books, curriculum, periodicals, address management and stewardship services. Our Sunday Visitor annually returns a portion of net earnings to the Catholic community through the OSV Institute.

Presented by

Sue Erschen

•Freelance stewardship writer and consultant.

•Has written stewardship training manuals,

newsletters and brochures, including

Understanding Stewardship

•Conducted stewardship training workshops for

ICSC and regional stewardship conferences

•Served as the Director of Stewardship

Education for the Archdiocese of St. Louis from

1999 to 2012

•20 years experience in non-profit public

relations, volunteer relations and development,

25 years in parish volunteer work.

•Degree in business communications from Saint

Louis University.

InvitingInvitingInvitingInvitingMore Parishioners to the

JoyJoyJoyJoy of Ministry

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InvitingInvitingInvitingInviting More Parishioners to the

Joy Joy Joy Joy of Ministry

Why Do We Want More Parishioners

Involved?



Good Reasons• Current volunteers are tired.

• Same people are doing everything.

• If they are more involved

they will give more.



Better Reasons• So much more we could do as parish.

• Move from being a private social

club into making a difference

in our community.

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Better Reasons“Year “Year “Year “Year of Faith” of Faith” of Faith” of Faith” ….

“What good is it, my brothers, if

someone says he has faith but does

not have works?” - James 2:14



Better Reasons

“Amen, amen, I say to you,

whoever believes in me

will do the work that I do.” - John 14:12



• Brings our faith

from our

• To our

• To our

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Ten Realities of the Uninvolved



# 1 # 1 # 1 # 1 They are busy and they are tired!!!

• 52% of all Americans would rather

give money than time.

• 58% of those over 65 or those working

full time would rather give money than time.

• Only 30% would rather give time.

• 28% would rather give nothing.



#2 #2 #2 #2 They Are Shy

• 94% of Americans say they feel shy in

unfamiliar circumstance.

• The 6% who are not shy have

already stepped forward.

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# 3 # 3 # 3 # 3 They Do Not Like Rejection

• If you are not prepared to follow-up

DO NOT ASK!!!!!

• If you already failed to follow up

APOLOGIZE!!!





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# 4 # 4 # 4 # 4 They Need to Feel Welcomed

• Research by Dr. Charles Zech

• Direct correlation between number of

welcoming activities and the amount of

active ministry in a parish



# # # # 5 5 5 5 They need to be appreciated

• $22.14 Current estimated value of one hour of

volunteer time.

• Do not waste it!!

• Be appreciative!

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# # # # 6 6 6 6 They need see the vision

• Catholic parishioners hear little about the

mission and vision of their parish.

• They feel less “ownership” for their parishes

than all other major denominations.

• They don’t know and they don’t care what is

going on outside of Mass every week.



# # # # 7 7 7 7 They need the right ministry

The facts:

• 26.3% of all Americans volunteer

• 23% of adults between the ages of 45 and 65

say they would like to volunteer but they are

not doing so right now.




The typical parish:

• Too much parish activity revolves around

the school children.

• Not enough social outreach ministry.

• “It’s the way we have always done it.”

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The solution:

• Survey parishioners about what they

might be interested in doing.

• Survey parish leadership about

opportunities for new ministry.



# # # # 8 8 8 8 They need to feel that they belong

• Every parish has a minority.

Discover yours.

• Start a “dinner table” ministry.

• LISTEN!!!! And follow-up.



# # # # 9 9 9 9 They need easy entry activities

• 70% of Americans prefer a commitment that

lasts 6 months or less

– Spring planting day

– Fall clean-up day

– Garage sale/trunk sale

• Encourage “try it” or “opt out” options for

traditional ministries

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# # # # 10 10 10 10 They need to be personally asked

71% Will say, “Yes!”

When personally asked!



Questions Questions Questions Questions orororor

CommentsCommentsCommentsComments



Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!Decisions!Decisions!Decisions!

1. The BIG FOUR or Something New & Different

2. Public Invitation or Private Invitation

3. Annual Commitment or Ongoing Invitation

4. Educate or Market

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The BIG FOUR vs.

Something New & Different

1. Ministry Catalog

2. Lay Witness Talk

3. Festival of Ministries

4. Commitment Card



#1 – The Ministry Catalog

• Post it online

• Ministry brochures

• 8 ½” x 11” ministry pages

• Frequently updated contact list



#1 – The Ministry Catalog - Ideas for Groupings– Liturgical

– Youth

– Social justice outreach, helping and caring

– Spiritual enrichment

– Fun times

– Parish care and administration

– Especially for Women

– Especially for Men

– Ministries you can do from home

– One-time ministries

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#2 - Lay Witness Talks

• Insert excerpts (or full text) in the

bulletin or parish newsletter.

• Mail excerpts (or full text)

with your commitment card.

• Husband & Wife or Group Witnessing

• Lay Witness Skits/Ministry Play



#2 - Lay Witness Talks

• Lay witnessing in other venues

�Parish Meetings

�Organization Meetings

�Welcome Events

�Back-to-School Nights



#3 - Festival of Ministries

• Give it a new name.

• Serve fun food.

• Have food stations at

different ministry groups.

• Do it on a Friday night – easy family

dinner and activities for kids.

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• Add other “draws” – book fair, history

display, attendance prizes, school

exhibit, health screenings, unveiling of

new parish plans.

• Publicize! Publicize! Publicize!

• Schedule smaller, more focused and

more frequent events.




• Ministry Procession

• Ministry Video/Power Point

• Ministry Newsletter

• Blessing of Ministers

• Ministry Cart



#4 - Commitment Card

• Highlight new ministries.

• Post the number of new people needed.

• Add a place for people to suggest

ministry ideas.

• Add a place for comments.

• Add skills, talents, “passions.”

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Public Invitation or Private Invitation

71% will say “YES”• Personal Asks – from pastor or parish leader

• Nomination Committees (formal or informal)

• Gift Discernment Programs

• “Every Member Ask One” Sunday



Annual Commitment or Ongoing Invitation

•Weekly Ministry Highlight

•Weekly or Monthly Want Ads

•Monthly Information Booths



Annual Commitment or Ongoing Invitation– December – Advent Ministries

– Jan – Liturgical Ministries

– Feb. – Outreach Ministries

– March – Prayer (Lenten Ministries)

– April – Environmental/Gardening Ministries

– May – Mothers’ / Women’s Ministries

– June – Fathers/ Men’s / Construction Ministries

– July – Care of Parish Ministries

– August – Educational Ministries

– September – Youth/Teen/Scout Ministries

– October – Sustaining Clubs and Fundraisers

– November – Celebrating/ Growth Ministries

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Annual Commitment or Ongoing Invitation

• Smaller Ministry Festivals

�2 to 6 a year

�Tied into Hospitality Sundays

�Highlighting ministry groups or

ministries that need immediate

assistance

Educate or Market



vs.



Education tells:

• What

• Where

• When

• How

• Why

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Marketing says

• It is wonderful!!!

• It is fulfilling!!!

• It will change your life.

• You will love it.

• It will bring you JoyJoyJoyJoy



Ways to Educate:

• Bulletin

• Website

• Facebook

• Emails

• Newsletters

• Annual Stewardship Report

• Pulpit Announcements



Ways to Market:

• Lay witnessing

• Volunteer reflections

• Volunteer recognition

• Motivational quotes

in ministry catalogs and brochures

• Ministry bulletin board

• Ministry video/Power Point

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• Two

ministry outreach

strategies

• Five

communications

strategies

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Your Most Basic Ministry Invitation Plan

• 2 strategies that are successful

• 2 strategies improved and enhanced

• 1 strategy shelved

• 3 new strategies

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Your Ministry Invitation Plan

• Began with five strategies

• Ended with seven strategies

• Continue to expand

and get better



Your Ministry Invitation Plan

Continue to expand and

get better every year

�� MoreInvitingInvitingInvitingInviting�� MoreJoy Joy Joy Joy

Thank

You!

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Contact Information

Susan Erschen

[email protected]

Resources

Best Practices in Parish StewardshipList Price: 24.95 US$ISBN: 978-1-59276-492-1 ID #: T731 Copyright: 2008 Pages: 134 Format: Hardback

Available at: www.osv.com

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