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Written by 2:18 pm Pastoral Notes

God’s Simple Messengers: The Shepherds’ Lesson for Our Parish Community

Pastoral Reflection (based on the reading for mass at dawn) The shepherds referenced here by St. Luke were remarkably simple people who lived in the fields among the sheep. We have romanticized the idea of the shepherds and turned them into cute Knick Knacks for our nativity sets. But what is said by St. Luke is actually shocking! “All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds!” And what the shepherds told the people was the message they had received from the angels; namely, that the Christ (messiah) had been born. The fact that people were amazed does not mean they believed the shepherds! Swarms of people did not come out from Bethlehem to see him. The only other account we have of visitors were the magi in St. Matthew’s gospel. Proof once again that God uses the simple people of the earth to tell His story, to tell of His might and glory. Most people who come to our churches feel that they are simple people. They are not famous, nor do they wish to be. Their lives are not perfect, and they humbly rely on God’s grace to bring about a perfection which we humans, unaided, can never achieve. Let those who feel simple and in need of God’s grace be welcome in our church, just as the visiting shepherds were at the manger. Call to action: With so many visitors, family members, and former parishioners visiting this weekend it is a critical moment for connection with them. Please do use your GC Smart Tools to assist you in making these connections. Use your text number, your QR code, your pew cards, banners, bulletin announcements, greeters, pulpit announcements – every means you have to get the information you need for growing your parish and widening the circle of relationships among your people! These next few days are busy, but GiveCentral stands ready to help! Don’t be afraid to call us or contact us at support@givecentral.org with any question or request you have. Pastoral Action Points Make sure your ushers/greeters/staff personnel are ready and keep the pew cards restocked for each mass and service this weekend. You don’t get second chances to make first impressions. Have your staff or volunteers ready to keep your lavatories clean and well stocked between each mass or service! You want your church to look great and be welcoming. Ask your High School aged youth to get involved as extra greeters and information ambassadors for this weekend! It will be a wonderful experience for them, and it will help visitors feel wanted and welcome. Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social! Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email us at: support@givecentral.org

Pastoral Reflection (based on the reading for mass at dawn)

Pastoral Reflection (based on the reading for mass at dawn)The shepherds referenced here by St. Luke were remarkably simple people who lived in the fields among the sheep. We have romanticized the idea of the shepherds and turned them into cute Knick Knacks for our nativity sets. But what is said by St. Luke is actually shocking! “All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds!” And what the shepherds told the people was the message they had received from the angels; namely, that the Christ (messiah) had been born. The fact that people were amazed does not mean they believed the shepherds! Swarms of people did not come out from Bethlehem to see him. The only other account we have of visitors were the magi in St. Matthew’s gospel. Proof once again that God uses the simple people of the earth to tell His story, to tell of His might and glory. Most people who come to our churches feel that they are simple people. They are not famous, nor do they wish to be. Their lives are not perfect, and they humbly rely on God’s grace to bring about a perfection which we humans, unaided, can never achieve. Let those who feel simple and in need of God’s grace be welcome in our church, just as the visiting shepherds were at the manger.Call to action: With so many visitors, family members, and former parishioners visiting this weekend it is a critical moment for connection with them. Please do use your GC Smart Tools to assist you in making these connections. Use your text number, your QR code, your pew cards, banners, bulletin announcements, greeters, pulpit announcements – every means you have to get the information you need for growing your parish and widening the circle of relationships among your people! These next few days are busy, but GiveCentral stands ready to help! Don’t be afraid to call us or contact us at support@givecentral.org with any question or request you have.Pastoral Action Points
Make sure your ushers/greeters/staff personnel are ready and keep the pew cards restocked for each mass and service this weekend.You don’t get second chances to make first impressions. Have your staff or volunteers ready to keep your lavatories clean and well stocked between each mass or service! You want your church to look great and be welcoming.Ask your High School aged youth to get involved as extra greeters and information ambassadors for this weekend! It will be a wonderful experience for them, and it will help visitors feel wanted and welcome.
Stay up-to-date with news & information - follow us on social!
Toll-free:  833.716.2612   |   Email us at: support@givecentral.org

The shepherds mentioned in St. Luke’s Gospel were simple, humble people who lived out in the fields with their sheep. Over time, we’ve romanticized the idea of these shepherds, turning them into cute knick-knacks for our nativity sets. But what St. Luke describes is actually quite shocking

“All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds!” The message the shepherds shared was the incredible news the angels had delivered to them: the Messiah, the Christ, had been born.

However, the fact that people were amazed doesn’t mean they believed the shepherds. Not everyone flocked to Bethlehem to see the child.

In fact, the only other visitors mentioned in the Gospels were the Magi, as told by St. Matthew. This once again shows that God often chooses the simplest among us to carry His message and reveal His power and glory.

Most people who come to our churches are like the shepherds—simple, humble, and aware of their imperfections. They may not seek fame, but they rely on God’s grace to guide them toward the perfection that only He can offer. Let us welcome these humble seekers, just as the shepherds were welcomed at the manger.

Call to Action:
With so many visitors, family members, and former parishioners attending services this weekend, it’s a crucial time to connect with them.

Use your GC Smart Tools to help with these connections. Whether it’s through text numbers, QR codes, pew cards, banners, bulletin announcements, greeters, or pulpit announcements, make sure you are providing the information needed to grow your parish and build stronger relationships.

These next few days are busy, but GiveCentral is here to help! Don’t hesitate to contact us at support@givecentral.org with any questions or requests.

Pastoral Action Points:

  • Ensure your ushers, greeters, and staff are prepared, and make sure the pew cards are replenished for each Mass or service this weekend.
  • First impressions matter. Have your staff or volunteers keep the restrooms clean and well-stocked between Masses. A welcoming environment is key.
  • Encourage high school-aged youth to get involved as extra greeters or information ambassadors this weekend. It will be a rewarding experience for them and will help make visitors feel truly welcomed.

Stay up-to-date with news and information—follow us on social media!
Toll-free: 833.716.2612 | Email: support@givecentral.org

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Last modified: November 9, 2024