GiveCentral Blog

Menu

Pastoral Notes

Fill Us With Your Love, O Lord, And We will Sing For Joy

October 10, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 51

Wisdom in Giving: How Your Parish Can Inspire Generosity this Advent and Christmas Season

Wisdom is a spiritual gift. We can possess it by life experience and the grace of God. The scriptures implore us to ask for this divine...

Read More →
Consecrate Us In The Truth

September 27, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 21

Consecrate Us In The Truth

Do not stop people from doing good things and recognize the good they do!  We need to have the humility to recognize that the work of the...

Read More →
The lord, God is my help

September 13, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Uncategorized • Views: 18

The Lord, God is my help

After last week’s readings from Isaiah and St. Mark which focused on the signs of the arrival of the Messiah, this week’s readings...

Read More →
Best fundraising Platform for non profits

September 5, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 25

Judged in Love: Reflecting on the Final Weeks of Ordinary Time

  There are two important points here. The first is that God’s justice is always about repair, renewal, and restoration. It’s...

Read More →
The Solemnity of the Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated because it allows the Church, through the experiences of Peter, James, and John, to have a dazzling glimpse of the future as all is fulfilled in Christ. We can only begin to imagine how small and inadequate these apostles must have felt in this moment. Peter feels that he must do something, so he wants to set up “boothes,” or altars, for Moses, Elijah, and Christ. But nothing is needed save for them to “listen to the voice” of the beloved Son of God. It is the Church’s work in our time to offer that same dazzling glimpse of all things transformed and transfigured in Christ. The work of transfiguration begins when we listen to the voice of Christ as He calls us. Our job is to make as many hear His voice as possible! Call to action: Even the story of Christ’s Transfiguration contains a sense of the urgency of mission! We can no longer think of our parishes as sedate and stable places, rather, we must re-envision them as mission stations set in the midst of a hurting and unbelieving world. Pope Francis has asked the Church to conceive of herself as a “field hospital” where the hurting and injured may come for healing and succor. Ask yourself whether, as a skeptical visitor, you would feel welcome in your own parish? What needs to change? What needs to be added? Are you using your GC Smart Tools to reach out as effectively as you can? GiveCentral offers many webinars to help your parish reach out and grow. Look for our upcoming webinars here and sign up today! Pastoral Action Points 1. School will reopen soon! Use your GC Smart Tools to welcome families back to school and back to parish life. Nearly 20% of Catholics active before Covid have not returned to regular attendance at mass or in volunteering for parish activities. This presents a great opportunity for reaching out! 2. The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated in 9 more days. GiveCentral has email templates you can adapt for use in your parish for free. You can find them under Global templates in the New Communications Portal. Connect with GiveCentral Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 19

Embrace Faith and Mission: Transform Your Parish Outreach

The Solemnity of the Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated because it allows the Church, through the experiences of Peter, James, and...

Read More →
The final liturgical weeks of Ordinary Time have us turning to reflect on the final things of life, most notably how we shall be judged. Pope St. John XXIII noted that on the final day we shall be judged in love. This not only reflected the optimistic view of the Holy Father, but was also a theological statement, for God is Love! The first reading today causes us to reflect on the very practical aspects of what that love looks like for us as human beings. Are we fair? Are we generous? Are we forgiving? Are we aware that God hears the voices of those who suffer, especially those who may suffer at the hands of other human beings? The Gospel continues by asking us if we love the Lord our God with our whole mind, heart, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves? Perhaps our first thought about being judged at the end of all history in love brings us a sense of relief, as well it might. But then, the question will go further, “how have we loved our neighbors?” Call to action: Three great acts have traditionally been noted as hallmarks of the Christian life when we are repenting – that is, when we are turning our hearts and minds back to the Lord. They are emphasized more strongly in Lent but apply to the Christian life always. The first is prayer, the second is fasting, and the third is the giving of alms (gifts to the needy). Giving, whether to the Church, to the homeless and poor, or to one’s favorite charities is a hallmark of Christian discipleship. As we thank God for these fall months of harvest and prepare for a new year, let us ask our people (and ourselves) if we are indeed praying, fasting (not just from food), and giving our alms as the faith beckons us. Pastoral Action Points GiveCentral has an amazing set of GC Smart Tools available to help your church grow. Do you know how to use them? Just call or email us at GiveCentral and we will be happy to spend time with you making you a success! Are you doing a fall stewardship drive? Statistics are clear that the greatest amount of giving happens in the final quarter of the year in association with the holidays, and that people are planning their budgets for the new year already. Use your GC Smart Text and GC SmartQR codes to help your people make their gifts quickly, efficiently, and without the donor friction of apps, website logins, etc. Getting ready for Advent? GiveCentral has email templates you can adapt to your parish for free. Just look for them in your New Communications Portal.       Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social!   Toll-free:  833.716.2612   |   Email us at: support@givecentral.org        

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 8

Judged in Love: Reflecting on the Final Things and Our Call to Action

The final liturgical weeks of Ordinary Time have us turning to reflect on the final things of life, most notably how we shall be judged....

Read More →
Pastoral Reflection There is an irony in the juxtaposition of the first reading and the gospel. Abraham, who thinks he must “give up” his son (after years of having no heir) is able to keep him, whereas God the Father’s Son will be the one sacrificed for human sin. All these events happen on mountain tops, which are spiritual images for peak experiences. However, what stands out in today’s gospel passage from St. Mark are the words of the Father, “this is my beloved Son, listen to Him.” Listening, by which is meant deep listening, is no easy thing. Our minds are ablaze with our thoughts, our “to do” lists, and, let’s be honest, our own prejudices. We tend to filter everything we hear through the thick haze of our own preoccupations. Yet, if we will settle down, calm down, and turn the inner noise down, we might then be able to “listen to Him.” When we listen to God, we are in the act of being obedient. The word obedient comes from the Latin roots meaning “to listen to.” Someone who is disobedient, therefore, is someone who isn’t listening. They are filtering – as we all tend to do. The disciplines of Lent are meant as a gift to help us de-clutter, to cut the “noise,” and to listen to the Lord deeply. Call to action: At Give Central we keep pressing the point about becoming welcoming parishes. Why? Because if we listen to the numbers only 15 to 18% of Catholics are attending mass or being active in some way in their parishes. We must be obedient to the Lord when he told His disciples to out to all the nations and spread the Good News! Our churches must become sanctuaries of welcome where the brokenhearted can find rest and renewal in Christ. As Easter approaches and many “sometime” Catholics will attend our masses please take advantage of your GC Smart Tools, like GC Smart Text and QR Code to “capture” the contact information from your visitors, then follow up by contacting them and making them feel welcome. Once again, form a welcoming ministry, or ask your youth groups and/or senior citizens group to become welcomers. You can also set up a small kiosk in your entry area with information for visitors and guests. Pastoral Action Points 1. Keep your pews equipped with your parish’s pew cards all through Lent to make engaging and giving easy for your donors! 2. GC Guru is launching soon! This your GC AI assistant! You have questions? GC Guru has the answers! You will soon see the GC Guru upon logging into your admin account. 3. If you have not signed up for SmartGive Elite for Lent & Easter - - now is your chance to signup! Time is running out, click here to sign up! Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 9

Listening to God: Embrace Obedience and Welcome in Your Parish

Pastoral Reflection There is an irony in the juxtaposition of the first reading and the gospel. Abraham, who thinks he must “give up”...

Read More →
The Solemnity of the Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated because it allows the Church, through the experiences of Peter, James, and John, to have a dazzling glimpse of the future as all is fulfilled in Christ. We can only begin to imagine how small and inadequate these apostles must have felt in this moment. Peter feels that he must do something, so he wants to set up “boothes,” or altars, for Moses, Elijah, and Christ. But nothing is needed save for them to “listen to the voice” of the beloved Son of God. It is the Church’s work in our time to offer that same dazzling glimpse of all things transformed and transfigured in Christ. The work of transfiguration begins when we listen to the voice of Christ as He calls us. Our job is to make as many hear His voice as possible! Call to action: Even the story of Christ’s Transfiguration contains a sense of the urgency of mission! We can no longer think of our parishes as sedate and stable places, rather, we must re-envision them as mission stations set in the midst of a hurting and unbelieving world. Pope Francis has asked the Church to conceive of herself as a “field hospital” where the hurting and injured may come for healing and succor. Ask yourself whether, as a skeptical visitor, you would feel welcome in your own parish? What needs to change? What needs to be added? Are you using your GC Smart Tools to reach out as effectively as you can? GiveCentral offers many webinars to help your parish reach out and grow. Look for our upcoming webinars here and sign up today! Pastoral Action Points School will reopen soon! Use your GC Smart Tools to welcome families back to school and back to parish life. Nearly 20% of Catholics active before Covid have not returned to regular attendance at mass or in volunteering for parish activities. This presents a great opportunity for reaching out! The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated in 9 more days. GiveCentral has email templates you can adapt for use in your parish for free. You can find them under Global templates in the New Communications Portal. Connect with GiveCentral Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 9

Transfiguration and Mission: Transforming Our Parishes for the World

The Solemnity of the Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated because it allows the Church, through the experiences of Peter, James, and...

Read More →
Pope St. John XXIII was known to tell people that we had a “cheat sheet” for the final judgment; it is found in St. Matthew’s Gospel in the 25th chapter – today's Gospel proclamation. How we should conduct ourselves as Christians is no mystery. Whatever else our faults may be, and whatever our sins in need of reconciliation, we can be charitable and kind to those who hunger and thirst, to those who are sick or imprisoned. (As St. Peter tells us in his epistles, love covers a multitude of sins!) However, the call of Matthew 25 isn’t directed at only the individual Christian! It is directed at the Church, corporately! Another Pope of blessed memory, Benedict XVI, reminded us that the Holy Eucharist finds its fulfillment when the Church goes forth from the Sacred Liturgy and puts love into action in the world! In the first reading today, the prophet Ezechiel tells us what sounds like a job description for the Church. “The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal.” That’s why we need to welcome the lost and strayed back into our churches Call to action: This is a good time to remind your people about their end-of-year giving! Use your GC Smart Tools to send an email or direct mail to your parishioners about end-of-year giving, or to make a commitment for their giving for the coming year of 2024. It’s a best practice to let them know the impact of their giving from this past year and to thank them for their generosity with time, prayer, and financial giving! (Did you know there is research from neuroscience about what’s called “giver’s glow?” More on that later.) Finally, Advent and Christmas are great seasons for welcoming back Catholics who have slipped in their participation, or potential new Catholics who are seekers in faith. Be careful about judging the lapsed! It might be better to be curious about why they’ve been away! Pastoral Action Points Are you ready with new, seasonal pew cards for Advent? You can find free templates for Advent pew cards in our Communication Portal. Not sure how to use it? Contact Teresa at teresa@givecentral.org or Edgar at edgar@givecentral.org Over 85% of Americans, including the elderly, now use smart phones. More Americans use smart phones than computers! Make sure your GiveCentral Smart texting phone number and GC Smart QR Codes are ready to go! Again, you can email Teresa or Edgar for more information or training! Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 6

Embracing the Mission: The Transfiguration of the Lord and Parish Renewal

Pope St. John XXIII was known to tell people that we had a “cheat sheet” for the final judgment; it is found in St. Matthew’s Gospel...

Read More →
Pastoral Reflection The readings for Sunday call for peace, respect, and the exercise of virtue in family life. While modern family life is a great deal more complex than family life in ancient times, the need for virtue and respect is as relevant as ever! The idea of the family today is very broad and includes the extended family, the family of the parish community to which we belong, our “work” family, and many others. Yet, the family of our own household is the place where the greatest lessons of life and love are learned. Let us take this Sunday and New Year’s Day (Mary, Mother of God) to first give thanks for our own families, in all their joys and sorrows, their virtues and vices. Then, let us ask God’s blessings upon our families that we may grow in love and devotion to one another, reaching out where needed and reconciling where bonds have been bruised. Finally, let us pray that the bonds of love may unite the whole human family in love and peace throughout the entire world! (Mary, Mother of God, is also the day of prayer for world peace.) Call to action: Use your GC Smart Tools to send a quick email or text to your families this week inviting them to attend mass this weekend as a family. Also, remind them to pray together as families, and to offer prayers of blessing together before meals. Remind parents that they may offer simple blessings to their own children every day. In some cultures, it is common for mom and dad to make the sign of the cross with their hands or thumbs on the forehead of the children each night before bed, or in the morning before school. Also, at masses this weekend, offer a special blessing for families at the end of the homily. You can find some lovely blessings in the official Book of Blessings. Studies are clear that in families where faith is expressed at home, more family members will remain connected to the Church. Pastoral Action Points You might also consider handing out a simple gift, like a bookmark, that has a blessing prayer for families printed on it. Families can then use this as a prayer in the “domestic church” of the home. Consider a simple family activity after mass, like having families come to the hall. There you can have sheets of paper where families can draw their family tree. The family tree can then be blessed and taken home as a reminder of belonging. Help non-traditional families, like one parent households, to feel included. Remind them that they are a part of the greater family of the Church and the Kingdom of God! Keep your eyes open! GiveCentral has some exciting and innovative announcements coming in January 2024! Your experience of GiveCentral is about to get easier and faster! Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

August 11, 2024 • Pastoral Notes • Views: 13

Strengthening Family Bonds: A Call to Peace and Virtue in the New Year

Pastoral Reflection The readings for Sunday call for peace, respect, and the exercise of virtue in family life. While modern family life is...

Read More →