Don’t throw Christmas away!
- Are you serious about “growing” your parish?
- Do you really want more people in your pews year ‘round?
- Is the Spirit of Christmas worth sharing?
If you said “yes” to any of these 3 questions, you need to read further and see what your can do in preparation for Christmas. Regardless of where people are on their spiritual journey, Christmas has a special draw to bring people to Church. Church is not just about the people in the pews but the people who aren’t in the pews. Use these 6 weeks before Christmas to get ready now. Start small but start somewhere.
Whatever you do, you want to continue the relationship. Therefore, make it a goal to obtain as many FLEP’s as you can. (First name, Last name, Email and Phone)
Watch these two videos (each one is 30 minutes long)
In the videos you will:
- Learn creative ways to get everyone’s FLEP (first name, last name, email and phone)
- Develop ways to empower parishioners to invite others
- Create a sense of community before the Christmas Mass
- Engage in crèche trivia
- Foster a reverent atmosphere
- Discover the value of taking “selfies” before Mass
- Receive suggestions on engaging your visitors after Christmas is over
Part I: Christmas Connections: Nurturing Visitors for a Lasting Parish Home.
Worksheet for part 1: Click here
Part II: Christmas Connections: Nurturing Visitors for a Lasting Parish Home.
Worksheet for part II: worksheet.
Also watch: Nine Innovative Christmas Service Ideas.
PREPARE THE CONGREGATION
Regular attendees are often less than excited about the crowds at Christmas. They grumble about the lack of parking spaces, someone taking their “seat”, the noise and confusion, the strange faces. Prepare your congregation now! Recommit all the parishioners to be “Missionary Disciples”. Sprinkle them with holy water some Sunday during Advent and remind them that “By virtue of Baptism we become ‘missionary disciples,’ called to bring the Gospel to the world.” (Evangelii Gaudium, n. 120).
Therefore:
- Be civil in the parking lot both coming and going.
- Extend a warm welcome when seeing new faces.
- Sit in the middle of the pew, encouraging others to join you.
- Be sensitive to anyone who may not know what books to use, when to sit, stand, etc.
- Invite people to come back.
- Welcome the late comers and the babies crying.
LUMINARIES
Set up Christmas eve luminaries (candles in paper bags) on Christmas Eve leading from the parking lot to the door of the Church.
HAVE A PHOTO BOOTH
Set up an area where people can have their picture taken by someone in the parish – picture is sent to the visitor’s phone, or use the visitor’s phone. Perhaps they would prefer to take their own pictures. To participate they need to give you their FLEP. (First name, Last name, Email and Phone)
HAVE A RAFFLE
After every mass raffle off (theme baskets, $10 gift cards, free cooked dinner by a parishioner, breakfast with the pastor, etc). To enter all they need is to put their FLEP on a raffle ticket. (first name, last name, email and phone). Raffle something that would entice the children to want to participate. Again, parents must give you their FLEP. (First name, Last name, Email and Phone)
CHRISTMAS MASSES
- Silent Night – use glow sticks instead of candles.
- Find a way to incorporate children. (They could be an honor guard as you place the baby in the manger, have them sign a song in the choir, engage them as greeters)
- Give treats as they leave Church (apple cider, gingerbread cookies, candy canes, Hershey kisses)
- Invite people to bring canned goods, or winter hats and gloves to donate as they enter Church
GIVE YOUR VISITORS A “NEXT STEP”
Every visitor that comes to your church is a gift from God to be nurtured and cherished. Offer them somethings to attend in early January. Suggestions:
- Have people sign up to have their house blessed on the feast of the 3 kings. (Monday, Jan. 6 but do it on Sunday, Jan. 5) St. Columba/Brigid parish in Buffalo does this every year. They have teams of people that go to each house that signed up for the blessing.)
- Show the first episode of “The Chosen” (It runs 38 minutes. It is followed by music and preaching. You can skip this part if you choose.) Offer further episodes of Chosen afterwards.
- Offer Bible Study
- Invite people to Alpha (begin Feb. 2 – see schedule below)
- Conduct sessions on New Wine, New Wineskins (more information below)
- Have a speaker on an engaging topic
- Have people sign up to be part of an outreach program (great way to meet new people in the parish). Consider: Sleep in Heavenly PeaceorHabitat for Humanity.
IMPORTANT
Be sure to get their FLEP. (First name, Last name, Email and Phone) so you can follow up. Have some event close to the New Year so you don’t lose their enthusiasm.
NEW WINE, NEW WINESKINS
This faith sharing resource is specifically written for restructured parishes. There will be another virtual meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 2:00 PM. To register click here.
| Alpha Retreat held November 9th One hundred and ten people gathered to attend an Alpha retreat on the Holy Spirit. Fifteen Families were represented. The topics were: Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit? All agreed that the Holy Spirit is alive and active in our lives – all we need to do is ask. Before you finish Alpha be sure to get everyone’s FLEP (First name, Last name, Email and Phone) so that you can continue the relationship. Also, be sure to offer something once Alpha is finished. |
| ALPHA SCHEDULE FOR WINTER 2025 If you haven’t hosted Alpha yet, we strongly encourage offering a session in January of 2025: January 22: 2-hour training (virtual) How to run Alpha put on by Alpha USAFebruary 2: Start Alpha this week. Continue for 10 weeks. March 22: Alpha RetreatApril 6: Last week of Alpha The week before Holy Week. For more information on Alpha: http://www.alphausa.org/. |