Archbishop s Call to Share Parish Manual. Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas

Transcription

1 Archbishop s Call to Share 2014 Parish Manual Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas Office of Stewardship & Development Parallel Parkway Kansas City, KS stewdev@archkck.org

2 Contact Information If you need any additional information, please contact the Office of Stewardship & Development. Office of Stewardship & Development Parallel Parkway Kansas City, Kansas Phone: Toll-Free: ext. 175 Fax: Website: Lesle Knop Executive Director Direct: Dolores Heckman Annual Appeal Coordinator Direct: Kristen Ring Administrative Assistant Direct:

3 Table of Contents Contact Information... 2 Archbishop s Call to Share Case Statement... 4 Tips for a Successful Appeal... 5 Appeal Timetable... 6 ACTS Target Calculation... 8 ACTS Allocation Review Committee... 9 Clergy Advisory Committee New for Pastor s Checklist Appoint a Parish Appeal Coordinator Recruit a Lay Presenter Play Archbishop Naumann s Homily Use Suggested Prayers of the Faithful and Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements Conduct the In-Pew Appeal Optional: Send Pastor Endorsement and/or Thank You Letters Optional: Telephone Follow-up Parish Appeal Coordinator s Checklist Assist the Pastor with the In-Pew Appeal and Other Campaign Elements Process Pledge Cards Each Week Report Pledge Collections to the Office of Stewardship & Development Each Week.. 19 Process In-Pew envelopes Sample Weekly Report Form Resources Text of Archbishop Naumann s Homily Suggested Pastor Endorsement Letters Suggested Prayers of the Faithful Suggested Bulletin Announcements Suggested Pulpit Announcements Blank Weekly Report Form

4 Archbishop s Call to Share The Archbishop s Call to Share (ACTS) in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas was initiated by Archbishop Strecker as a response to Vatican II: to engage more fully the Catholic faithful in the evangelical mission of the Church. The ACTS has grown to become a lifeline for more than 40 specific ministries, services and agencies provided by the Archdiocese. The ministries supported by the ACTS fall into four pillars : Pastoral Care, Evangelization and Catechesis, Education, and Human Services. For a large number of these ministries, the Archbishop s Call to Share is their sole source of funding. Some of these ministries attend to needs beyond the scope of individual parishes, and some exist for the sole purpose of assisting parishes in their mission to teach, evangelize and provide good liturgical experiences. The ACTS annual campaign returns under the leadership of Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. The Archbishop s Call to Share is the annual coming together as one united community of the Catholic Church of Northeast Kansas. The theme for ACTS 2014 is A Story of Love. Pope Francis recently said, The Church is a story of love and we are part of it. He encourages us to think of the Church as our mother. The overall goal for 2014 has been set at $4,620,000. Targets are assigned to regions based on each region s share of total plate and envelope collections in the Archdiocese. Individual parish targets are at the discretion of each region s pastors, but a recommendation was made by the Clergy Advisory Committee (CAC) to the regions that they consider basing them on the same formula they use to divide the Pastoral Center and Priesthood Present & Future assessments. Parish targets are not assessments. In 2014, there will be no parish rebates from the Archbishop s Call to Share. Archbishop Naumann asks that every parish make a good faith effort. A good faith effort is defined as following closely all of the suggestions in this manual and cooperating with the Office of Stewardship & Development (OSD) and the Clergy Advisory Committee. Parishes that may struggle with reaching their targets are asked to accept additional suggestions from OSD and CAC. Special thanks to our Honorary Chairpersons for the Archbishop s Call to Share 2014 Kent and Donna Saylor Sacred Heart Parish, Sabetha 4

5 Visit to download the resources found in this manual Top 10 Tips for a Successful 2014 Appeal 10. Make your gift first. You need to believe in the mission of the ACTS. 9. Read and follow this Parish Manual. Outlines and descriptions of actions for the promotion of the ACTS can be found throughout. 8. Recruit an enthusiastic Parish Appeal Coordinator to assist you in your efforts. 7. Play the Archbishop s homily CD or DVD on kick-off weekend, January 18/19, Ask! 5. Tell where ACTS funds go: how will their gifts benefit others? 4. Put a human face on the ACTS with a Lay Presenter to address the increasing needs of people in your community. 3. Be Persistent: Keep talking about ACTS during the five weeks of the active campaign by using the suggested prayers of the faithful and bulletin and pulpit announcements included in this manual. 2. Follow the instructions for In-Pew Appeal Weekend. 1. Remind your parishioners that we are the Body of Christ. 5

6 6 Appeal Timetable November Crosier Society Mass and Brunch (Appreciation event for all 2013 Crosier Society members) 20 Annual Report mailed to all 2013 donors 22 Crosier Society Thank You ad in The Leaven Part One 27 Advance mailing to 2013 Crosier Society members 29 Crosier Society Thank You ad in The Leaven Part Two December Festival of Lessons & Carols at the Cathedral (Appreciation event for 2013 Crosier Society members at the Benefactor level and above) 13 Annual Report published in The Leaven 20 Deadline for regions to submit parish targets 20 Deadline for selecting a Parish Appeal Coordinator and reporting that name to the Office of Stewardship & Development 20 Deadline for selecting Lay Presenter(s) and reporting name(s) to the Office of Stewardship & Development January 2014 WEEK 0 10 Coverage begins in The Leaven 17 Mailing to all families 17 Coverage in The Leaven WEEK 1 18/19 Archbishop Naumann s homily played at all Masses with endorsement by pastor from the pulpit 18/19 Suggested prayers of the faithful, bulletin and pulpit announcements 18 Moratorium on fundraising begins 24 Coverage in The Leaven WEEK 2 25/26 Pledge card collection 25/26 Suggested prayers of the faithful, bulletin and pulpit announcements 31 Coverage in The Leaven February 2014 WEEK 3 1/2 Lay Presenters speak at all Masses 1/2 Pledge card collection 1/2 Suggested prayers of the faithful, bulletin and pulpit announcements 7 Coverage in The Leaven WEEK 4 8/9 Pledge card collection

7 8/9 Suggested prayers of the faithful, bulletin and pulpit announcements 10 Moratorium on fundraising ends 14 Coverage in The Leaven WEEK 5 15/16 Pastor conducts in-pew appeal (Option 1) 15/16 Pledge card collection 15/16 Suggested prayers of the faithful, bulletin and pulpit announcements 21 Coverage in The Leaven WEEK 6 22/23 Pastor conducts in-pew appeal (Option 2) 22/23 Pledge card collection 22/23 Suggested prayers of the faithful, bulletin and pulpit announcements 28 Coverage in The Leaven First follow-up mailing sent to non-respondents March 2014 May 2014 Second follow-up mailing sent to non-respondents Evaluation sent to pastors Parish progress report published in The Leaven November Crosier Society Mass and Brunch 7

8 Q. How is the overall goal determined? ACTS Target Calculation Process A. The overall archdiocesan goal is determined by the Archbishop upon consultation with the Clergy Advisory Committee, the Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors and the Administrative Team. Q. How is my parish target determined? A. The archdiocesan goal is allocated to the regions based upon the regions reported income divided by the archdiocesan reported income. Reported income is defined as envelope and plate collections minus 50% of net school expenses for tithing parishes. Regional Reported Income Archdiocesan Reported Income = Regional Percentage of ACTS Target The parish target is calculated based upon a formula determined by each region s priests. Regional Target Percent determined by regional priests = Suggested Parish Target Important note: Each region decides its formula to determine how assessments are calculated within their region. The archdiocese assesses regions and assigns regional ACTS targets. Each region then determines the formula to divide the regional target among the parishes. 8

9 Allocation Review Committee The Archbishop s Call to Share Allocation Review funding process focuses on the outcomes being achieved by ministries serving the Archdiocese s primary focus areas or pillars : Pastoral Care, Evangelization and Catechesis, Education, and Human Services. The evaluation process is performed by a committee comprised of lay community volunteers and pastoral leaders. It includes a review of department, ministry, and organization information and financials along with representative interviews. The primary task of the Review Committee is to ensure that donor dollars are being used effectively and efficiently toward advancing the mission of the Church in Northeast Kansas. To that end, agencies are evaluated on adherence to the Archdiocesan standards, performance criteria, and demonstrated need. Mr. Pat Buck Sacred Heart, Emporia Ms. Carla Mills Chief Financial Officer, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas Mr. John O Donnell Church of the Ascension, Overland Park Father Gary Pennings Vicar General, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas Mr. George Riehle St. Joseph, Shawnee Mrs. Susan Straub Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Shawnee Father Pat Sullivan Annunciation Parish, Frankfort, St. Columbkille Parish, Blaine and St. Monica-St. Elizabeth Parish, Blue Rapids Monsignor Tom Tank Church of the Ascension, Overland Park Father Jerry Volz St. Matthew, Topeka Father Richard Warsnak Chair, ACTS Clergy Advisory Committee, Sacred Heart, Emporia Mrs. Brenda Zimmerman St. Matthew, Topeka 9

10 Clergy Advisory Committee We wish to thank the members of the Clergy Advisory Committee for the Archbishop s Call to Share for their leadership of this year s campaign: Father Richard Warsnak, Chair Sacred Heart, Emporia Father Thomas Aduri Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Topeka Father Brandon Farrar Annunciation, Baldwin City and St. Francis of Assisi, Lapeer Father James Ludwikoski Good Shepherd, Shawnee Father John Pilcher Mater Dei, Topeka Father John Riley Chancellor, Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas Father Patric Riley Holy Family, Eudora 10

11 New for ACTS 2014 Appreciation event for Crosier Society members at the Benefactor level and above Members of the 2013 Crosier Society at the Benefactor level and above have been invited to an event on the eve of the feast of St. Nicholas at St. Peter s Cathedral on December 5, The event will feature a reception and crèche display in the Parish Center, and a Festival of Lessons and Carols led by Susuum Corda, a polyphonic vocal ensemble under the direction of Dr. Kevin Vogt. Parishioner Lay Presenters In the past, many parishes have chosen a leader from an ACTS-funded ministry to speak at all Masses on Lay Presenter weekend. This year, we have asked pastors who recruit a parishioner to research a ministry and share it with their fellow parishioners. Ministry sharing opportunities have been scheduled by the funded ministries. Pastor s message on outer envelope Each pastor has been given the opportunity to write a message to parishioners in his own handwriting to be printed on the outer envelope of all letters mailed to his parishioners. This will serve as an attention-getter, and will help the pastor to call attention to ACTS ministries. 11

12 Pastor s Checklist By Friday, December 20: Appoint a Parish Appeal Coordinator and Lay Presenter, and submit contact information at By Friday, December 20: Appoint a Lay Presenter, and submit contact information at By Friday, December 20: In cooperation with your region s pastors, submit parish targets to the Office of Stewardship & Development On January 18 and 19: Play Archbishop Naumann s Homily at all Masses On weekends from January 18/19 February 15/16: Use the suggested prayers of the faithful and bulletin and pulpit announcements On February 15 and 16 or February 22 and 23 Conduct the In-Pew Appeal at all Masses OPTIONAL: Send endorsement and/or thank you letters to parishioners OPTIONAL: Telephone Follow-up Appoint a Parish Appeal Coordinator Long-term success of the ACTS in each parish is contingent upon the involvement of laity in conducting, promoting and managing the appeal. The appeal coordinator helps to bring the appeal to a successful beginning and ending, assists in recruiting the lay presenter, processes the pledge cards, coordinates various aspects of In-Pew Appeal Weekend, handles the endorsement letter mailing (if used), and generates pastor thank-you letters to parishioners (if used). The Parish Appeal Coordinator could be a member of the parish staff and should be an enthusiastic leader. Please select a Parish Appeal Coordinator to assist you with the appeal and submit that person s contact information at Recruit a Lay Presenter to speak at all Masses on February 1 and 2 In the past, many parishes have chosen a leader from an ACTS-funded ministry to speak at all Masses on Lay Presenter weekend. This year, we have asked pastors who recruit a parishioner to research a ministry and share it with their fellow parishioners. 12

13 The parishioner Lay Presenter witnesses the role of stewardship in his/her life, the impact of stewardship on the parish and the archdiocese, and how the ACTS helps the parish. This person or persons will speak at all Masses on Lay Presenter weekend (February 1 and 2, 2014). The person you select should be an enthusiastic member of your parish. This person is asked to spend a small amount of time visiting or interviewing one of the ministries funded by the ACTS to share the impact of that ministry on the parish. Lay presenter contact information can be submitted at Your Lay Presenter will be sent a link to helpful information, including dates and times available to meet with ACTS ministry leaders, sample outlines for his/her presentation, and other information about the ACTS. This information can be found at All ACTS-funded ministries have set up Ministry Sharing times to meet with lay presenters, or are available for special appointments. Lay presenters are responsible for contacting the ministry of their choice to arrange a meeting time. Play Archbishop Naumann s Homily at all Masses on January 18 and 19 Archbishop Naumann has prepared and recorded a special homily for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 19, This homily also introduces the ACTS and invites all parishioners to make a generous response to God s call to support His Church. A beautiful slide show DVD with the homily will also be available this year. Each parish will receive a copy or copies of an audio CD and the DVD with slide show. These will be mailed to you the week of January 6, Please play the CD or DVD at all Masses on the weekend of January 18 and 19. If for any reason you are unable to use the CD or DVD, please read this homily at all Masses. The text of the homily can be found on page 25 of this manual or at Use the suggested Prayers of the Faithful, Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements during the active phase of the campaign Prayers of the Faithful, and bulletin and pulpit announcements for the active weeks of the campaign are included on page in this manual and at Conduct the In-Pew Appeal at all Masses on February 15 and 16 or February 22 and 23 Objective: Awareness & Increased Participation The in-pew aspect of the ACTS is targeted primarily to those who typically do not give to the ACTS. Our records indicate that once we receive a pledge from an individual or family, they usually continue to give to the ACTS annually. Securing a first-time pledge is the secret to 13

14 continued giving. In-Pew Appeal Weekend is designed to help achieve increased participation from first-time contributors. Pastors leadership is clearly evident in the results of the In-Pew appeal. People by their very nature are more likely to offer financial support knowing that their gift will make a difference and help others in need. We cannot assume that people across the Archdiocese are aware of the variety of services that are provided through ACTS-supported agencies. Many ministries sponsored by the ACTS assist parish life, and other agencies and services extend the mission of every parish by serving special needs in our communities. Therefore, the task of communicating the vital work of ACTS-funded agencies and ministries is critical. In addition, the opportunity for stewardship to both parish and Archdiocese can be an equally motivating message for potential donors to the ACTS. Multiple articles are planned for The Leaven, the ACTS audio recording, and mailings sent to all registered Catholic households throughout the Archdiocese. This communication enhances your effort to engage your parishioners in the life of their Church. Pastors are responsible for the rate of participation. In-Pew Appeal Weekend is deliberately scheduled near the end of the ACTS campaign, after weeks of building momentum. We have found that the use of a strong appeal in which the pastor describes, in a personal way, his thoughts on the value of the ACTS followed by the in-pew appeal has proven to be persuasive with parishioners. To this point in the campaign parishioners have elected to participate in the ACTS in a voluntary way: by submitting a pledge card they received at home through the collection at Mass. The In-Pew Appeal conducted during appeal weekend is vital in order to increase participation. With proper planning this method may make the difference in reaching your appeal target. This is the most important ask of the appeal. Appeal Weekend, (week 5 or week 6) is the most important weekend of the Archbishop s Call to Share. By employing an effective In-Pew Appeal Weekend plan, your parish can reach the majority of Mass-going parishioners who have yet to make their own gifts to the campaign. Appeal Weekend may be your parish s best chance to make its goal, and for all parishes combined, it offers a real opportunity for the Archdiocese to reach its overall goal. Since Appeal Weekend is so critical to the overall success of this effort, you are encouraged to use your best judgment in determining which weekend will be most successful for your parish. The appeal weekend options are February 15/16 or February 22/23. In-Pew Appeal Weekend Procedures The week of February 3, a supply of in-pew pledge envelopes will be delivered in person or shipped to your parish. You will receive a supply equal to the number of households registered in the parish. Please call the Office of Stewardship & Development to request a different number of envelopes. In preparation for Appeal Weekend, please consider the following: Review the suggested remarks for pastors and make them as personal as possible. 14

15 Train the ushers in advance to pass out Appeal Weekend pledge envelopes at each Mass at the start your presentation in order to conduct the in-pew appeal. Your Parish Appeal Coordinator could assist you with that communication. Please note that merely putting the envelopes in the pew does not have the same impact. Begin your presentation and in-pew appeal at one of the following times during the Mass. Before Mass begins After the distribution of Holy Communion Encourage participation of parishioners at any level, but emphasize pledges with monthly payments over a ten-month period, ranging from $10 to $75 per month. Crosier Society members are those who pledge 1% of their income or $1,000 or more. Suggested Remarks for the Pastor s In-Pew Solicitation [Instruct the ushers to distribute the pledge envelopes.] I would like to ask a representative of each household to take an envelope and a pencil that are now being distributed by the ushers. We at (parish) have been involved actively in an important appeal of the Archdiocese, namely the Archbishop s Call to Share. This effort is the lifeblood of our greater Church of Northeast Kansas that assists our parish with a variety of ministries, as well as those among us with significant needs. By participating in the ACTS, we demonstrate our support for programs that affect us, but also those ministries that act out what we believe in. As Catholics we are proudly more than just our parish here at (parish), and the ACTS is one of the best ways we have to express the unity that exists among all Catholic parishes. Now that most of you have received an envelope, please join me in saying the prayer for the Archbishop s Call to Share, which can be found on the flap of the envelope. God of goodness and wonder, you have given to us everything that we need. From the beginning of time, you have provided for your people and led them safely to your love. Grant that we too may see the richness of your blessings and embrace our call to share them in love. Make us true disciples by our response to your word, that all people may see in us the truth of your love in action. We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives forever with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen. I am pleased to report that toward our target of $ (target), (number) gifts have already been received totaling $. This is % of our target from only % of our parish family! With so many of you making commitments today, I am confident that your gifts will bring us over our goal. Every household is asked to fill out an envelope today, even if you have already given. First, print your name, address, phone number and address on the envelope. (Pause and wait until all are finished.) 15

16 If you have already made a gift to the campaign, please write AMEN across the envelope. Thank you so much for your commitment! If you have not yet made a gift, this is now your opportunity to join our parish effort. Please review the giving opportunities suggested in the envelope. When you are ready, please select the amount of a pledge on the envelope. Pledges are over a ten-month period. Archbishop Naumann has challenged all of us to participate and I encourage you to do the same. Finally check how you would like to make your payments on the pledge monthly, quarterly, or other. The Office of Stewardship & Development at the Archdiocese will send reminders based on the plan you choose. We want to hear from everyone! Those we have not heard from after today, we will attempt to contact soon. Please turn in an envelope today! When you re finished, seal your envelope, and ushers will collect them. If you need additional time, please keep the envelope and drop it in the offertory basket next weekend. Thank you very much for your participation in the Archbishop s Call to Share. I would like to especially thank (Lay Presenter(s) and Parish Appeal Coordinator) for the leadership they have provided in helping me with this important effort. Our success means a great deal to me and this parish. God bless each of you for your generosity. OPTIONAL: Send Endorsement and/or Thank You Letters to Parishioners Pastor Endorsement Letters A personal letter of support from the pastor is an effective way to make your parishioners more aware of the need for their financial support. Your endorsement will link the parish to this archdiocesan effort. A second letter should be considered if you find that, by the middle or later stage of the appeal, the number and amount of pledges do not meet your expectations. Samples are included on pages Pastor Thank You Letter Saying thank you is most important when parishioners respond generously to your request for help. In addition to thanking parishioners from the pulpit, please consider sending a personal letter of appreciation to each parishioner as pledges come in. Your Coordinator will need to keep track of the pledges received. If your Coordinator needs a parishioner list they should contact Stacy Niedbalski, stacyn@archkck.org. Thank-you letters from Archbishop Naumann will be sent as pledges are received. He will send an additional thank-you in November near Thanksgiving. OPTIONAL: Telephone Follow-up with Parishioners If you would like to increase the number of people who pledge, contacting parishioners by phone will assure additional pledges. Telephone committees can bring a personal nature to the campaign, which will certainly increase your opportunity for success. If you would like suggestions about forming and using a telephone committee, please contact the Office of Stewardship & Development at

17 Parish Appeal Coordinator s Checklist Assist the pastor with the In-Pew Appeal and other campaign elements Process pledge cards each week Report pledge collections to the Office of Stewardship & Development each week Process In-Pew Appeal envelopes Assist the Pastor with the In-Pew Appeal and other campaign elements The ACTS Parish Appeal Coordinator is vital to the success of the parish appeal. The coordinator should become familiar with the responsibilities of the pastor outlined on pages and assist with them as appropriate. Process pledge cards each week The ACTS Parish Appeal Coordinator is needed to direct the processing of the pledge cards that are completed by parishioners and returned to the parish each week during the appeal. The following steps should be completed by the Parish Appeal Coordinator and other staff or volunteers prior to sending pledge envelopes to the bank lockbox for the Office of Stewardship & Development. It is imperative that the completed cards are mailed each week to the campaign lockbox. Please use the following procedures every week: 1) Open all pledge window envelopes and remove the pledge card. 2) Verify that any enclosed payments match the information on the Amount Enclosed line. You are encouraged to alphabetize them as well. 3) Separate the cards into six groups: (a) those without any payment enclosed; (b) those with checks enclosed; (c) those with cash enclosed; (d) those envelopes with a zero pledge; (e) those with a payment on an existing pledge; and (f) prayer request cards. a. For those cards containing no payment, calculate the total pledge and the number of those pledge cards. b. For those cards containing check payments, ensure that the amount on the Amount Enclosed line matches the check and write the check number in the Office Use Only section indicated on the card. Make sure that the check is attached behind the card with a paper clip or staple. Calculate the total pledge, the total payments received, and the number of those cards. c. For those cards containing cash payments, ensure that the amount enclosed matches the amount indicated on the Amount Enclosed line. Deposit all cash in your parish account, write a parish check payable to the Archbishop s Call to 17

18 Share, and in the Office Use Only section check the box cash and write the parish check number on the line indicated in the Office Use Only section of all pledge cards that had cash enclosed. The parish check needs to be placed on top of the cards that had cash enclosed, and wrap it and the cards with a paper clip or rubber band. Calculate the total pledge, the total payments received (check amount), and the number of those cards. d. For those cards indicating a zero pledge, please count them and bundle with a rubber band. e. For payments on existing pledges, please wrap these payments with a paper clip or rubber band and do not count them in your weekly report. f. For prayer request cards group them together and bundle with a rubber band. 4) Use the Weekly Report Form (page 35) for calculating your weekly totals (see sample on page 24). Write the totals for groups (a), (b), (c) and (d) in the corresponding boxes, and total each column. Insert your totals from the previous week, and calculate your new total to date. Only report on gifts received at the parish. Some gifts are returned directly to the Office of Stewardship & Development, and are added to your parish total. DO NOT USE the gift total from the Parish Progress report published by the Office of Stewardship and Development, DO USE the totals from your most recent weekly report. 5) When your report is complete, please (stewdev@archkck.org), fax ( ) or call ( or ext. 175) the Office of Stewardship & Development with the three numbers in the shaded boxes. Reports should be sent prior to Wednesday at 9:00am each week to be included in the weekly Parish Progress report published by the Office of Stewardship & Development. 6) Place all processed pledge envelopes with their check payments in the Tyvek envelope provided by the Office of Stewardship & Development, affix the appropriate postage, and send to the ACTS lockbox. You may include any additional pledge payments, as appropriate. Send to the lockbox every week. Matching Gift Forms: For those pledge cards that have an employer matching gift form enclosed, send the form with the check in its corresponding pledge envelope in the Tyvek envelope to the lockbox. Do not count the employer s match in the constituent s pledge total. Contact the Office of Stewardship & Development with any questions. If you would like to keep track of gifts received, please Stacy Niedbalski at stacyn@archkck.org for your parish alphabetical listing. No lists will be provided unless requested by the individual parishes. 18

19 Report Pledge Collections to the Office of Stewardship & Development Each Week Please report the numbers in the three shaded boxes on the Weekly Report form each week. You can do this by one of the following methods: to Fax Call or , ext. 175 A sample Weekly Report Form can be found on page 24. A blank Weekly Report Form can be found on page 35. Reports should be sent prior to Wednesday at 9:00am each week to be included in the weekly Parish Progress report published by the Office of Stewardship & Development. Process In-Pew Pledge Envelopes The following steps should be completed by the Parish Appeal Coordinator and other staff or volunteers prior to sending pledge envelopes to the bank lockbox for the Office of Stewardship & Development. Please use the following simple procedures to process the in-pew envelopes from the appeal on February 15/16 or February 22/23. 1) Open all pledge envelopes and verify that any enclosed payments match the information on the Amount Enclosed line. 2) Affix the label supplied by the Office of Stewardship & Development to the Parish Use Only section that corresponds to the personal information completed by the donor. If no label exists and the donor is registered in your parish, write New in that section and write in your parish name. If the donor is not registered, please indicate Visitor in that section. Do not include that pledge information your parish report totals. NOTE: If you receive a check without an envelope, please complete an envelope for the donor and affix the corresponding label. 3) Separate the envelopes into five groups: (a) those without any payment enclosed; (b) those with checks enclosed; (c) those with cash enclosed; (d) those envelopes with a zero pledge; (e) those with a payment on an existing pledge; and (f) those with AMEN written on them. a. For those envelopes containing no payment, calculate the total pledge and the number of those envelopes. b. For those envelopes containing check payments, ensure that the amount on the Amount Enclosed line matches the check and that the check number is indicated on the envelope. Make sure that the check stays inside its corresponding envelope. Calculate the total pledge, the total payments received, and the number of those envelopes. 19

20 c. For those envelopes containing cash payments, ensure that the amount enclosed matches the amount indicated on the Amount Enclosed line. Deposit all cash in your parish account, write a parish check payable to the Archbishop s Call to Share, and write the parish check number on those pledge envelopes that had cash enclosed. The parish check needs to be placed on top of the envelopes that had cash enclosed, and wrap it and the envelopes with a paper clip or rubber band. Calculate the total pledge, the total payments received (check amount), and the number of those envelopes. d. For those envelopes indicating a zero pledge, please count them. e. For payments on existing pledges, please wrap these payments with a paper clip or rubber band and do not count them in your weekly report. f. For envelopes with AMEN written on them, please wrap these payments with a paper clip or rubber band and do not count them in your weekly report. 4) Use the Weekly Report Form for calculating your weekly totals. Write the totals for groups (a), (b), (c) and (d) in the corresponding boxes, and total each column. Insert your totals from the previous week, and calculate your new total to date. DO NOT USE the gift total from the Parish Progress report published by the Office of Stewardship and Development, DO USE the totals from your most recent weekly report. 5) When your report is complete, please (stewdev@archkck.org), fax ( ) or call ( or ext. 175) the Office of Stewardship & Development with the three numbers in the shaded boxes. Reports should be sent prior to Wednesday at 9:00am each week to be included in the weekly Parish Progress report published by the Office of Stewardship & Development. 6) Place all processed pledge envelopes with their check payments in the Tyvek envelope provided by the Office of Stewardship & Development, affix the appropriate postage, and send to the ACTS lockbox. You can include any additional pledge payments, as appropriate. Send the in-pew envelopes to the lockbox within a week of the in-pew appeal. 20

21 Archbishop s Call to Share 2014 Weekly Report Form Date 01/25/12 Parish Name City Holy Ghost Church Topeka Number of Cards Pledge Amount (a) Pledges without payment 12 $4, Amount Enclosed Now (b) Pledges with check enclosed 30 $5, $4, (c) Pledges with cash enclosed 3 $60.00 $60.00 TOTAL THIS WEEK (a+b+c) 45 $10, $4, TOTAL FROM LAST WEEK (Insert from your last report) TOTAL TO DATE (Add the totals of this week and last week) 63 $18, $28, Number of REMEMBER: Cards (d) TOTAL Zero Pledges THIS , fax, or call in totals from the 3 WEEK shaded boxes each week to the TOTAL FROM LAST WEEK Office of Stewardship & Development by 2 Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. to: (Insert from your last report) stewdev@archkck.org ( ) TOTAL TO DATE (Fax) (Add the totals of this week and (Phone) last week) ext. 175 (Toll-Free) Additional Calculations for Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements (Optional) Number of Households 913 Target $35,344 Calculate Average Gift: $ (Total Pledge $ to Date / Total # of Card to Date) Calculate % of Target Achieved: 81.1 % (Total Pledge $ to Date / Target) Calculate Participation: 12.4 % (Total # of Pledge Cards to Date + Total # Zero Pledge Cards to Date / Total # of Households) 21

22 22 Resources Homily for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time January 18-19, 2014 I A New Pope Dear Friends, much has happened the past year. We have a new Successor of Peter, a new Holy Father for the universal Church. Who would have predicted a year ago that in January, 2014 we would have Pope, named Francis who came from South America, and is a Jesuit? In a very short time, Pope Francis has made, not only a big impression on the Church, but on the entire world. The Holy Father has challenged us by his words, but even more powerfully by his example that we need to be close to the poor and all those in need. II The Church is a Mother Last April, in a homily for a Mass Pope Francis was celebrating for the employees for what is popularly referred to as the Vatican Bank, the Holy Father highlighted one of his favorite themes that the Church is not just another non-governmental organization, but rather a Mother. Pope Francis observed that mothers rightly would object to being called domestic administrators. Domestic administrator sounds cold, impersonal and bureaucratic not adjectives that most of us would use to describe our mothers. While it is true that it is no small task to oversee all that is involved in maintaining a house and even more challenging to attend to the needs of each family member, mothers are so much more than administrators of a home. Mothers are the heart of the family. Mothers are sensitive and attuned to the particular circumstances and challenges of each child. An injured child instinctively runs to Mom for comfort and care. A mother s love is something that we count on throughout life, especially when we are struggling and hurting. III A Love Story Pope Francis said that the Church began in the heart of the Father, who had this idea of love, which resulted in the Father sending His Son into the world. The Pope characterized the Church as a Love Story. Pope Francis said: So this love story began, a story that has gone on for so long, and is not yet ended. We, the women and men of the Church, we are in the middle of a love story; each of us is a link in this chain of love. And if we do not understand this, we have understood nothing of what the Church is. You and I are part of this Love Story that began when Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary and continued with his birth in the humble circumstances of a cave in Bethlehem. This Love Story initially unfolded, as we heard in today s Gospel, with John the Baptist indentifying Jesus as the Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world. The Love Story continued with Our Lord s public ministry in which He preached the good news of God s mercy, healed the sick, and raised the dead. This Love Story culminated on

23 Calvary where Jesus was indeed the Lamb of sacrifice, taking upon Himself all of our sins so that we might know the depth of His Father s love, so that we could receive God s mercy, so that we would share in His life eternal life. It is this greatest of all Love Stories that we touch at each Eucharist. The words of mercy spoken by Jesus on the Cross Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do were not addressed just to his executioners on Calvary, but to all of us who through our sin have rejected and betrayed God s love. The Church was born from the blood and water that flowed from the pierced side of our crucified Lord. Mary, the ever faithful Mother, at the foot of the cross attempting to comfort her Son is an apt image of the Church. Again this year, I appeal to you to support with your prayers and generous gifts the annual Call to Share campaign. Your donations make it possible for the Church, as a loving Mother, to be able to attend to the many needs of her children. Your donation to Call to Share helps: 1) a child to attend one of our Catholic Schools, 2) a refugee family fleeing persecution to make a new home, 3) equips a Catholic school teacher to be a better witness of our Faith to her students, 4) helps to prepare a young couple for Christian marriage, 5) empowers a frightened, pregnant mother to choose life, 6) makes it possible for a teenager to attend Extreme Camp at Prairie Star Ranch, 7) provides a homeless man a safe and warm place to sleep at night, and so much more. Your donation to Call to Share makes you an essential part of the Love Story of the Catholic Church in Northeast Kansas. I encourage you in discerning what you will give to Call to Share this year to first ponder the many ways in which God has blest you. Recall all that the Lord suffered so that you could have life in Him, so that you could receive Him again into your heart in the Eucharist today. I ask you then to make a sacrificial gift to Call to Share that is a fitting expression of your gratitude to Our Lord for His many blessings in your life. Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this appeal. Thank you for being part of the great Love Story that is the Catholic Church. Thank you for being an essential link of the chain of love that stretches back to the Lamb of God giving His life for us on Calvary. Amen. CD and DVD recordings will be mailed to you the week of January 6 Audio and video recordings are available for download in English and Spanish 23

24 Suggested Pastor s Endorsement Letter Sample #1 January 24, 2014 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am very grateful for the generous gifts of prayer, talents and financial support that you share with your parish family throughout the year. We are fortunate that so many of our parishioners respond with such generosity to the needs of our faith community. I am asking you to consider making a gift to the Archbishop s Call to Share. The ministries and agencies whose operational needs are funded by the ACTS each year serve tens of thousands of people throughout northeast Kansas. Our parish benefits directly from ACTSsupported agencies and ministries, with assistance in areas such as youth ministry, education, family life, and Catholic Charities [indicate ministries with the most direct impact at your parish]. Living as Christ s disciples in our parish community, we are inspired to support both our parish and archdiocesan ministries in this critical way. Our parish family has been asked to raise $ (target), and your financial support will assist us in reaching this target. I also join Archbishop Naumann in encouraging your family to consider his 1% challenge and join the Crosier Society. As your pastor I feel that we have an attainable target, and I know that we can do our fair share to reach it. I am confident that each of us will do the best that we can to contribute to this very worthwhile mission of the church. Please give prayerful consideration to what you can contribute to this year s ACTS, and respond by making a pledge of support. May you be abundantly blessed for your commitment to (parish) and our archdiocese. Be assured of my constant prayers. Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Available for download at 24

25 Suggested Pastor s Endorsement Letter Sample #2 Dear Friends in Christ, January 24, 2014 You have already received a letter from Archbishop Naumann asking for your pledge to the Archbishop s Call to Share. I am writing to follow-up on that request. If you have not yet made your pledge, will you take a few minutes to do so after reading this letter? It is true that we have many needs right here at (parish), but somehow God continues to bring us good and generous people, and our needs are consistently met. I ask that you consider a sacrificial commitment to these annual, operational needs of the Archdiocese of the many ministries and services that help us complete our mission as a parish faith community. Our target this year is $ (target). If each one of us were to give a percentage of our income, we would far exceed that goal. Please reflect upon God s goodness to you and make an appropriate gift of thanks. I am grateful to you for all you do for our parish, and ask God s continued blessings on you and your loved ones. Sincerely yours in Christ, Pastor Available for download at 25

26 Suggested Pastor s Second Endorsement Letter Sample #3 March 12, 2014 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am writing personally to ask you to help bring a successful conclusion to the Archbishop s Call to Share that began in January. Since that time you have been receiving information about the many agencies and ministries that are funded by the ACTS and how much your pledge is needed for this year s appeal. At present we have received $ (pledge total to date) in pledges toward our target of $ (target). Your gift will assist us in reaching this request. The ACTS serves many people in ways that we, as an individual parish, could not do. Social service ministries provide counseling and general assistance to more than 75,000 people each year in our archdiocese. The Hispanic Ministry Office works to assist immigrant families in adjusting to their faith life in a new community. Catholics continue learning about their faith at all ages, religious education for both youth and adults provide continuity in our lifelong pursuit of a closer relationship with God. Please consider making a pledge in support of this effort. Your gift is important! Sincerely in Christ, Pastor 26 Available for download at

27 Suggested Prayers of the Faithful (Personalize as indicated) Week 1 January 18/19, 2014 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time That our gifts to the Archbishop s Call to Share will help share the Church s story of love with all in Northeast Kansas, We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer. Week 2 January 25-26, 2014 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time For those who labor throughout our archdiocese in various ministries, that our prayers and generous gifts made to the Archbishop s Call to Share will support them in their courageous proclamation of the Gospel. We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer. Week 3 February 1/2, 2014 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord For the entire (parish) parish community, that we may rejoice in the Lord and share that joy through our prayerful and life-giving response to the Archbishop s Call to Share. We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer. Week 4 February 8/9, 2014 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time For those who hunger and thirst for God s love, that they may be satisfied in part through our generous giving to the Archbishop s Call to Share. We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer. Week 5 February 15/16, 2014 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time That we, as imitators of Christ, may respond to the call to love and serve through our participation in the Archbishop s Call to Share, and so to give glory to God and assistance to our neighbor. We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer. Week 6 February 22/23, 2014 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time That our lives may be richly blessed by the Lord s grace as we respond to the call to reach out to the poor, the sorrowful, the lowly, and those who hunger and thirst, through our participation in the Archbishop s Call to Share. We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer. These Prayers of the Faithful are also available in Spanish Available for download at 27

28 Suggested Bulletin Announcements (Personalize as indicated) 28 These announcements, plus logos and other information are available online at Week 1 January 18/19, 2014 This weekend kicks off the annual Archbishop s Call to Share appeal in the archdiocese. You will receive a letter from the Archbishop this week, asking for your support of the Archbishop s Call to Share, which funds over 40 ministries in the Church of Northeast Kansas. Please read your letter and pray about what you can do this year, and return your completed pledge card in the collection next weekend. Our parish goal is $. Please give generously to support the ministries of the Church in Northeast Kansas! Week 2 January 25/26, 2014 Recently you received a letter from Archbishop Naumann asking for your generous support of the Archbishop s Call to Share. The 2014 ACTS theme of A Store of Love reminds us that the Church is a story of love and we are part of it. Your gift to the Archbishop s Call to Share will help to share that story of love with many more and bring the love of Jesus to every corner of Northeast Kansas. Please give prayerful consideration to how you can respond as Jesus disciple by filling out your pledge card and returning it to the collection next weekend. Our parish goal is $. Please give generously to support the ministries of the Church in Northeast Kansas! Week 3 February 1/2, 2014 The response of our parishioners to this year s Archbishop s Call to Share has been so generous to date. The Archbishop s Call to Share funds over 40 ministries of the Archdiocese, serving parishes and individuals all over Northeast Kansas. Please give prayerful consideration to how you can respond as Jesus disciple by filling out your pledge card and returning it to the collection next weekend. Our parish goal is $. To date, % of our parishioners have made pledges of $ which is % of our goal. Please give generously to support the ministries of the Church in Northeast Kansas!

29 Week 4 February 8/9, 2014 Please be generous to the Archbishop s Call to Share. ACTS unites all 105 parishes of the Archdiocese so that together we can bring the love of Jesus to every corner of Northeast Kansas. Your contribution is one way to serve as Christ s disciple and to participate in the saving work begun by Jesus. Our parish goal is $. To date, % of our parishioners have made pledges of $ which is % of our goal. Thank you for your generous gifts in support of the ministries of the Church in Northeast Kansas! Week 5 February 15/16, 2014 Your pledge is appreciated! As we look at our lives and the many ways God has blessed us, let us give back a proportionate gift to the Archbishop s Call to Share. Our archdiocesan family is truly an extension of our parish life. We are grateful to those who take part in this effort! Our parish goal is $. To date, % of our parishioners have made pledges of $ which is % of our goal. Thank you for your generous gifts in support of the ministries of the Church in Northeast Kansas! Week 6 February 22/23, 2014 As of today, % of our parishioners have faithfully responded to the Archbishop s Call to Share, our annual campaign to fund over 40 ministries in the Church of Northeast Kansas. Please prayerfully consider what you can do to help us reach our parish target of $ (target). To date, we have received pledges of $ which is % of our goal. Thank you for your generous gifts in support of the ministries of the Church in Northeast Kansas! Available for download at 29