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Author: Suraj

John the Baptist is in the desert, near to Jerusalem, proclaiming a baptism of forgiveness and announcing the coming of the Lord with great anticipation. Yet, he feels unworthy of the Lord, his own cousin, Jesus. Even so, Jesus will come to him! How many of us feel unworthy? How many stay away from Christ because they feel unworthy or unwelcome? The good news is that the Lord wants to come to them, just as he came to his cousin, John. Jesus is the very embodiment of the proclamation we heard from the Prophet Isaiah in today’s 1st reading. He is the one who will bring God’s comfort to His people! In Christ, their oppression is at an end. If Advent is about the coming of the Lord, let us take this time to invite Him to come into our hearts and souls now! Call to action: St. Bernard referred to the coming of Christ (Advent) in three ways. The first was the coming of Jesus at Christmas as a matter of history (past). The second is the Advent of the Lord in the form of the Holy Spirit, who is here with us now guiding the Church (present). And the third is the Advent regarding the coming of Christ at the end of all time to unveil the new creation (future). In modern times we have tended to focus only on the first of St. Bernard’s meanings of Advent. This has, no doubt, been exacerbated by the commercialization of Christmas and the entire holiday season. However, if we are responsible pastors, we need to help our people have the fuller understanding of what Advent means for us as Christians. When we decorate our homes and churches, we are not merely mimicking our neighbors but making a statement about the future! All things shall be made new in Christ, and in Christ we shall dwell in the light! Let’s educate our people about why we decorate and what it means from a Christian point of view! You can use your GC Smart Tools to send short messages to your people that will educate them and remind them of who they are, children of the light! Pastoral Action Points ● The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe will bring lots of parishioners and visitors to your parish, making this celebration the perfect opportunity to welcome all, grow engagement and donations in support of your mission and ministries. Join Edgar Barroso for a very special webinar to learn more about ways to boost your parish engagement and giving for the Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day. Friday December 8, 2023 at 10 a.m. CLICK HERE to Register! ● Pastors, have you asked your parishioners to consider their Christmas or end of the year gift to the parish? Join us for an upcoming webinar where you will learn all of the marketing materials and tools GiveCentral has available to assist you with engagement and giving for Christmas and year-end giving. ● DEC 11 Webinar Registration ● DEC 15 Webinar Registration ● DEC 18 Webinar Registration Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org No longer want to receive these emails? You can unsubscribe here.

August 9, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 6

Rediscovering the True Meaning of Advent: Welcoming Christ in Every Moment

John the Baptist is in the desert, near to Jerusalem, proclaiming a baptism of forgiveness and announcing the coming of the Lord with great...

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A Call to Hope and Connection

August 9, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 8

A Call to Hope and Connection

This Sunday marks the beginning of the new liturgical year (Happy New Year) and the start of Year “B” in the Sunday Lectionary cycle....

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GIVE CENTRAL Vs DONORBOX WHY IS GIVE CENTRAL THE BEST CHOICE?

August 6, 2024 • Alumini Giving • Views: 68

GIVECENTRAL VS DONORBOX

WHY IS GIVECENTRAL THE BEST CHOICE? Donation and fundraising are the most important pillars of any nonprofit organization. In today’s...

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Giving Tuesday

July 26, 2024 • Smart News • Views: 23

Update Login Credentials / Giving Tuesday is Coming!

FEATURED IN THIS WEEK’S EMAIL: Giving Tuesday GiveCentral Platform Update Patrick’s Corner Updating your GiveCentral Login...

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Fathers Day Fundraising: 9 Ideas That Will Encourage Donations 2024

July 21, 2024 • Easy Fundraising • Nonprofit Fundraising • Views: 37

Fathers Day Fundraising: 9 Ideas That Will Encourage Donations 2024

A fantastic day to organize a fun fundraising effort to celebrate the dads in our community is Father’s Day. Offering your supporters a...

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July 21, 2024 • Donor Management • Views: 62

The Best Online Donation Platform | GC Smart Tool

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any nonprofit; they typically have a deep love for the work they perform. Their generosity in devoting...

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July 21, 2024 • Best Practices • Crowdfunding • Easy Fundraising • Giving Tuesday • Ideas • Nonprofit Fundraising • Unique fundraising ideas • Views: 75

10 unique fundraising ideas in 2024

Silent dinners and simple auctions are old-school methods. Today’s donors want to feel the excitement alongside their philanthropic...

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Camino

July 12, 2024 • Smart News • Views: 17

Get Ready for Giving Tuesday / Camino Announcement

    FEATURED IN THIS WEEK’S EMAIL: GC Integration with Camino Giving Tuesday Announcement Upcoming Webinars  Stay...

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July 2, 2024 • Smart News • Views: 16

Client Highlight: Holy Redeemer / Webinars and Training

FEATURED IN THIS WEEK’S EMAIL: Shout out to Holy Redeemer Parish! GiveCentral Webinars and Training GC SmartLinks Reach Every in...

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Summer

June 21, 2024 • Smart News • Views: 18

Give Central and Camino Offer Seamless Integration

FEATURED IN THIS WEEK’S EMAIL: Webinars and Recordings Summer is Here and the Giving Does Not Need to Stop GC Integration with...

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