Spring, 2010 Time and Talent. Renewal Packet. Stewardship A Way of Life. Office of Parish Stewardship Diocese of Rockville Centre

Transcription

1 Spring, 2010 Time and Talent Renewal Packet Stewardship A Way of Life Office of Parish Stewardship Diocese of Rockville Centre 1

2 Office of Parish Stewardship Diocese of Rockville Centre To Contact Us: By Phone: (516) x3 By Fax: (516) By On the Web: Our Address: 200 West Centennial Avenue, Suite 202 Roosevelt, NY Laurie Whitfield OUR OFFICE STAFF: Director Georgena McCandless Program Services Coordinator 2

3 Table of Contents A Snap-Shot of the Four Weekends of Renewal 4 Make a Plan! 4 Your Parish Plan 5 Materials Templates that You Print 5 Materials and Resources that We Provide 6 Other Renewal Components and Considerations 7 Parish Mailings 8 First Parish Mailing 8 Second Parish Mailing 8 The Thank You Letter/Card 9 The Follow-Up Letter 9 Letter to Ministry Leaders Announcing the Gifts Celebration 10 Letter to Invite Potential Witness Speaker 10 Lay Witness Talks 11 General Information 11 So, You ve Been Asked (handout) 12 4 Steps to a Witness Talk (handout) 13 Sample Ministry Description 14 Sample Page from Ministry Directory 15 Sample Time and Talent Commitment Form 16 Calendar and Action Plan 17 Renewal Calendar At a Glance 17 Renewal Timeline Calendar of Future Stewardship Renewals 21 Gifts Celebration Resources 22 Time and Talent Renewal Workshops 23 Additional Materials Available on the Web 24 3

4 A SNAP-SHOT OF THE FOUR WEEKENDS OF THE TIME AND TALENT RENEWAL PROCESS Awareness Weekend A heads-up that stewardship renewal time is coming. It s time to reflect, pray and plan for the sharing of Time and Talent in all aspects of life this year. Supported by bulletin inserts, bulletin and pulpit announcements, general intercessions, targeted homilies, lay witness and more! First Parish Mailing with Spiritual Brochure reinforces what was heard and read at Mass and invites people into further reflection. Commitment Weekend A time to take action! Parishioners make or renew commitments to sharing their gifts of time and talent. Presenting commitments can be an integral part of the liturgy. Supported by in-pew completion, bulletin inserts, bulletin and pulpit announcements, general intercessions, targeted homilies, lay witness and more! Gifts Celebration Weekend Celebrates and makes known to all parishioners how gifts are shared in the parish community! Publicly thanks people for sharing their gifts as well as shows gratitude for the many gifts God has given us. Connects our giftedness with Sunday Liturgy and inspires others to recognize, use and share their gifts throughout their daily lives. Supported by bulletin inserts, bulletin and pulpit announcements, general intercessions, targeted homilies, lay witness and more! Celebration followed by a parish mailing inviting people to commit to sharing their gifts of time and talent. Follow-Up Weekend A mini-repeat of Commitment Weekend. Especially for those who were not ready to commit last weekend. Communicate thanks to those who have already committed. Begin follow-up, data management, orientation, placement, training, mentoring and so on! MAKE A PLAN! First and foremost, YOU NEED A PLAN! Work with your stewardship committee, parish staff, and others to ensure that you have a clear, sensible plan. Do what you can with what you have. Consult with our Office as a resource ( x3). Make choices! There are multiple choices and options available to you, especially regarding the parishioner materials. Know the options, make decisions! Make sure to collaborate with others and communicate your plan to all parish leadership who are involved in any part of the process (liturgy people, clergy, music directors, parish council, ministry leaders, and anyone else who may be affected or concerned). It is important to keep the necessary pieces of the renewal intact (stewardship homilies and theme materials, lay witness talks, a celebration of gifts, public commitments and an updated ministry directory). However, if you are amending any part of the plan that we have provided for you, it is vital that you amend all related components, aspects, and parts accordingly. Cohesiveness is a key component of the renewal process. The renewal needs to feel like what it is meant to be: a movement or journey. 4

5 Your Parish Plan The following is a brief description and availability of each component of the Time and Talent Renewal Process. For further information, explanation, rationale, or ideas for using the resource, please call our Office at x3. Materials Templates that You Print: Spiritual Brochure: The Spiritual Brochure provides a renewed reflection and understanding of Christian stewardship in light of the theme chosen by your parish (see your Time and Talent Renewal Catalog). Included in the First Parish Mailing, it is designed to challenge people and invite them to move further along the journey of faith. The Spiritual Brochure template is available in the fully customizable MS Publisher format, camera ready Adobe.pdf format and available in English and Spanish. Three Separate Bulletin Inserts: Bulletin Inserts directly support the flow and movement of the renewal process. The respective bulletin inserts should be utilized each week of the renewal. Insert templates are available in the fully customizable MS Publisher format, camera ready Adobe.pdf format, both in English and Spanish text. Ministry Directory: An updated Ministry Directory informs parishioners of the ministries and activities in the parish through which they can share their gifts. The directory includes brief descriptions of each ministry position and pertinent contact information. A sample is included in this packet for you to spark some ideas. A customizable template (in MS Publisher) is available on the Time and Talent Materials CD. The Ministry Directory should also include the Commitment Card for Commitment Weekend. Commitment Card: The Commitment Card is a tool for action to help people design a plan of response to God s generosity in their lives, especially as it relates to the sharing of time and talent. The Commitment Card is unique to each parish, primarily based upon the ministries that the parish provides. Part of the Ministry Directory and included in the Second Parish Mailing it s also used during the in-pew walk-through as a stand alone piece. A sample is included in this packet for you to spark some ideas. A customizable template (in MS Publisher) is available on the Time and Talent Materials CD. Thank You Cards: Thanking people who have come forth to share their gifts of any kind is a must! Use these cards in lieu of a mail merged letter or pre-printed card to express gratitude to any person/family who has responded to this year s invitation to make or renew commitment. Cards should be hand-signed by the Pastor if at all possible. You may wish to include the stewardship prayer card, a holy card, or some other small gift with this mailing. Everyone who submitted a Commitment Card must receive a written Thank You within two weeks of submitting the Commitment. 5

6 Materials and Resources that We Provide : Theme Posters Theme posters are designed to reflect your parish s chosen theme and are available in English only and Spanish only. They are colorful with lively pictures of people being church. They express the joy associated with good Christian stewardship. Order enough posters to be displayed in all the rooms in your parish center, your church vestibule and entrances, parish school building, faith formation meeting rooms, gathering areas and general meeting rooms. Stewardship Prayer Cards Now in three popular versions ( A or B or C ), these cards contain a stewardship prayer that explicitly uses some of the language of stewardship spirituality. Order enough cards from us to insert in all the music books or missals in Church, to have for all parish meetings, for any parish formational gathering (catechetical, adult faith formation, etc.), for use with the sick and homebound, parish mailings and to distribute in your parish s welcome kit. Also available is the popular prayer of St. Teresa of Avila. All prayer cards are available in English and in Spanish. Thank You Cards Thanking people who have come forth to share their gifts of any kind is a must! Use these cards (available in English and Spanish) in lieu of a mail merged letter or card you may print to express gratitude to any person/family who has responded to this year s invitation to make or renew commitment. Cards should be hand-signed by the Pastor if at all possible. You may wish to include the stewardship prayer card, a holy card, or some other small gift with this mailing. Everyone who submitted a Commitment Card must receive a written Thank You within two weeks of submitting the Commitment. Stewardship Graphics Graphics help communicate our annual theme, stewardship message and provide visual recognition so that the language and the practice of stewardship becomes a recognizable part of Christian life. These graphics should be included in all your parish communications. You may order a complete set of Stewardship graphics on CD from our office or for a limited selection, you may download theme graphics by visiting 6

7 Other Renewal Components and Considerations: Liturgical Music In order for parishioners to experience the fullness of renewal, all of the components must flow to create a cohesive process. This also pertains to liturgical music. It is important to work with the Music Minister and/or parish liturgy committee so that the people involved in music ministry are aware of the renewal and will select appropriate songs. Songs about discipleship, stewardship, commitment, renewal, ministry, conversion and gifts are most appropriate. Songs that reflect the parish s chosen theme are also very appropriate. In-Pew Commitments It has been proven that in-pew commitments generate the best response from people. We do not provide a script for this purpose for Time and Talent Renewal because each parish s Commitment Card is different. When commitments are discussed by the presider or other minister, it is important that those who are already involved in parish ministry are specifically asked to participate in the renewal of their commitments by completing a Commitment Card. Gifts Celebrations The celebration of the gifts of the community is an important part of the process of Time and Talent Renewal. We should celebrate at each Mass on Pentecost Weekend ALL of God s gifts in the lives of the people, including but not limited to gifts shared at the parish. Brainstorm creative and different ways your parish can celebrate the gifts of the community. For some great ideas and further explanation, visit for a helpful Power Point Presentation. General Intercessions/Bulletin Announcements/ Pulpit Announcements These liturgical resources, provided on the CD ordered from our Office, foster a complete and holistic approach to stewardship renewals that includes the necessary liturgical connections. The formats we use may differ from that which is used in your parish. Simply adapt the content of each to your parish s own standard. It is also important to know your parish s schedule for submitting this information in order for it to appear during the appropriate weekend. There is one of each liturgical resource for use before the four weekends of renewal and another set to use after the four weekends of renewal for a total of six of each resource. Letters for Parishioners All letters, provided on the CD ordered from our Office, are in MS Word format and available in English and Spanish, ready to be customized, duplicated or used as a mail merge document. Some parishes have combined the first and second parish mailings for cost considerations. This requires an adaptation of the renewal plan described as well as care and attention so that the process and movement of the renewal is not diminished. Plan so that the renewal will still achieve the desired results that include at least these three steps that will be clearly recognized by the people: Awareness, Celebration, and Commitment. The process is important. 7

8 First Parish Mailing Purpose: To invite all registered parish families to (once again) become aware that our annual Time and Talent stewardship renewal is upon us. The included spiritual brochure provides a way to help form parishioners in the spiritual and theological principles of stewardship in a practical way. Notes: This letter should be signed by the pastor and the stewardship leader. The mailing includes the new spiritual brochure that you have printed. The mailing is to be received by the people during the week of May 17, Feel free to modify the letter to better accommodate your/your pastor s writing style. Be mindful to keep the important points that reference the renewal, theme and spiritual brochure. The letter is available on CD which can be ordered online at lead.html or call our Office at X3. Second Parish Mailing Purpose: To invite people to enter more deeply into the spirit of this year s annual Time and Talent stewardship renewal. To send all registered parish families a Commitment Card so that all may have a tool to help reflect upon the ways they will share their God-given gifts, particularly their time and talent, with the parish through parish ministries/activities in the coming year. Notes: This letter should be signed by the pastor and the stewardship leader. This mailing includes the Commitment Card of your choice that you have printed and may include the parish s revised Ministry Directory. This mailing is to be received by the people during the week of May 24, Feel free to modify the letter to better accommodate your/your pastor s writing style. Be mindful to keep the important points that reference the renewal, theme, and the Commitment Card. You may include this letter (with modifications) as the first page of the revised Ministry Directory including Time and Talent Commitment form. The letter is available on CD which can be ordered online at lead.html or call our Office at X3. 8

9 Thank You Letters or Cards Purpose: To express gratitude to any person/family in a parish who has responded to this year s invitation to make or renew commitments to sharing gifts of time and talent. Notes: This letter/card should be signed by the pastor alone; hand-signed if at all possible. Some parishes choose to include the stewardship prayer card, prayer of St. Teresa card, a holy card, a bookmark, or another small gift with this mailing. This mailing is to be done in a timely fashion, within two weeks of receiving the Commitment Card from the person/family. Everyone who submitted a Commitment Card must receive a written Thank You. Feel free to modify the letter or the card templates to better accommodate your/your pastor s writing style. Be mindful to reference the renewal and this year s theme. There are options for saying, Thank You to those who completed Commitment Cards. 1. You can send personalized letters produced in MS Word and mail merged (we provide the MS Word file to you). 2. You can send cards you print using one of the two templates we have for you. (We ve produced those templates in MS Publisher format and Adobe.PDF file. Both require sufficient cardstock, such as Avery 5315 note cards or even plain cardstock can be cut in half after they are printed.) 3. You can send standard Thank You Cards we print for you (order them from us at no cost to the parish). The letter is available on CD which can be ordered online at lead.html or call our Office at X3. Follow-Up Letter Purpose: To follow-up with those in the parish who have not completed a Commitment Card this year (and may have in the past). Also, can be revised to follow-up with anyone who is currently involved in a parish ministry but has yet to complete a Commitment Card this year. Notes: This letter should be from the pastor alone. It should include another Commitment Card. This letter should go out during the weeks of June 7 and June 14, The letter is available on CD which can be ordered online at lead.html or call our Office at X3. 9

10 Letter to Ministry Leaders Announcing the Gifts Celebration Purpose: The purpose of this letter is to announce this year s plans for your parish s Gifts Celebration to the ministry leaders. Many parishes choose to have a parish ministry leaders meeting where the plan is presented and everyone is clear about his/her responsibilities for a successful Gifts Celebration. Notes: This letter should be from the pastor alone. The letter should go out early enough so that people can have ample time to do whatever they need to do for the Gifts Celebration. In this year s timeline, the Gifts Celebration takes place on the weekend of May 22/23. Included with this letter should be the description for the particular ministries that are headed by this leader. The leader is then asked to revise the description so that proper updates can be made to the parish s ministry directory. The letter is available on CD which can be ordered online at or call our Office at X3. Lay Witness Talks (Invitation to Potential Speakers) Purpose: This letter is used as an invitation from the Pastor to someone who is a potential lay witness speaker for this year s annual renewal. Notes: Some parishes use a similar letter, not as an invitation from the Pastor, but as a nomination from someone who is known well by the nominee. If the letter is an invitation, it should be from the Pastor. If it is a nomination, it could be from someone the person knows who has nominated him/her. Sometimes, a parish has difficulty securing adult witness speakers. Some have found it to be quite exciting and fresh to have young people (teenagers and young adults) give the witness talks during stewardship renewals. There is an accompanying sheet entitled, So, you ve been asked to present a lay witness talk at the Parish and another, 4 Steps to a Witness Talk that many parishes have found helpful. They are reproduced for you on the following pages and are also available on our website at 10

11 Lay Witness Talks (General Information) Purpose: Key to the renewal process are witness talks from members of the parish who have struggled to respond to God s call in their lives, accepted the challenge, and entered into the ongoing conversion process of living as Christians. Notes: Lay Witness talks are never requests for money or for volunteers. Those are different kinds of talks on different occasions and are inappropriate during stewardship renewals. Some parishes, because of the notable effectiveness of Witness Talks and the belief of parish leadership in their essential value, schedule the talks for more than one weekend during the renewal. Whatever your parish decides, make sure to include Lay Witness Talks before the in-pew Commitment process takes place (usually the second or third weekend of the renewal). Lay witness talks are to take place at Mass within established liturgical norms. Lay witness training and/or preparation is important. If you need ideas for this, call us. The following are important to note when utilizing Witness Talks in the parish for stewardship renewal periods: Inviting Potential Speakers: People who have had some level of conversion regarding Stewardship. People who consistently share their Time and Talent through parish ministries and activities. People who give effective witness to their use of financial resources. Overview of Purpose and Nature of Talk: Includes reference to this year s theme (Chosen by the parish). To tell personal stories of how the Witness Speaker responds to Jesus call by returning gifts to the Lord. To consider a reflection on a major theme of the readings for the particular Sunday the talk will be made. Follow the Big Four Questions: I first heard about stewardship when My reaction to Stewardship was What changed my mind was Stewardship has benefited my life by Training (preferably as a Group): Familiarity with principles of the U.S. Bishops Pastoral on Stewardship. Familiarity with the designated Sunday s scripture. Use of Fr. Bill Hanson s Witness Training Guide and Video (available from our Office). Reflection on: Baptismal Call. Stewardship as a way of life. Sharing Time and Talent. Practice Presentations (and friendly Group Critique): Preferably, in the space where the talk will be given. Using the actual audio equipment that will be available. Duration of talk should be no longer than five minutes. 11

12 So, You ve Been Asked to Present A Lay Witness Talk at the Parish It s because the Pastor recognizes something in you that is a tremendous gift - your willingness to try and live out the commitment you have to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Faith! It s also because you are someone whose life has been a witness to what Christian stewardship and discipleship are all about! You express a gratitude to God for the great gifts you have received, and you are willing to share your gifts with others! You have made a decision to be a giver! In a word, you are someone who tries to live the faith on a daily basis in concrete ways! What is a Lay Witness Talk, Anyway? It s a story of commitment...a story of conversion shared with other people that helps them relate to the message of Jesus. It s an ordinary story. It s very much like what the early Christians did to help evangelize others. It s a story BY real people living regular lives FOR real people living regular lives. The Lay Witness Talks take place during one or two of the weekends during our Stewardship Renewal. Your talk would be at one of our weekend Masses at that time. Well...What Would You Have To Do? First and foremost, think and pray about how God may be calling you to this task. Then, read and reflect upon the questions on the reverse side of this sheet. The next step would be to attend the information meeting we have scheduled for this purpose as outlined in the invitation. And Then...We ll Take It From There! 12

13 4 Steps to a Witness Talk 1. I first heard about stewardship when This recalls the background and situation of a person which leads them up to the next step of conversion. 2. My reaction was By describing a negative reaction, the listeners can relate to their own weak spots, and focus on the place where a breakthrough is needed. 3. What changed my mind was By describing the story details surrounding his or her own breakthrough, the listener can get as close as possible to feeling and being moved by the power of transformation in the speaker s life story. 4. It has benefited my life by By describing the positive results, though mysteriously arrived at, the listener gets a glimpse of life on the other side of the breakthrough. This brings hope, as well as the thrill of a change. Special thanks to Fr. Bill Hanson for the above outline explanation. A Witness Talk is NOT... A plea for people to give more money. A plea for people to get more involved. A Witness Talk IS... A story of real life faith by real life people! An opportunity to evangelize! 13

14 Sample Ministry Description Stewardship Committee Member Position Description NAME: POSITION: Stewardship Committee Member To foster Stewardship as a Way of Life throughout our parish. RESPONSIBILITIES: Spend a little time learning about stewardship at every meeting (this includes prayer and reflection). Attend Stewardship Training Days provided by the Office of Parish Stewardship both in the Fall and in the Spring. Promote the U.S. Bishops' Pastoral Letter on Stewardship and Summary Brochure. Oversee the annual renewal processes of the 4-weekend presentation and renewal process of Time & Talent commitments each Spring and the 4-weekend presentation and renewal of Financial Stewardship commitments each Fall. Promote Stewardship for Children and Youth. Collaborative efforts to promote Stewardship that permeate all aspects of parish life. Model Stewardship as a way of life in the home, the parish, the workplace and the community. GIFTS/QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS NEEDED: Committed to prayer and the spiritual life. Giver of time, talent, and treasure both within and outside the Parish. Communicator, both written and verbal. Visionary has a sense of the direction of the Parish and the Church. Comfortable talking about Time, Talent, and Treasure in relation to our faith. Willing to implement accountability reporting. Collaborates with and works well with others while respecting the role and the responsibility of the Stewardship Chairperson. AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED: Approximately four hours a month for meetings and related activities. Time will increase during the two seasonal renewal periods for preparation, renewal and follow-up. WHEN MINISTRY IS PERFORMED: Monthly meetings are scheduled for the first Wednesday of every month. Meetings will increase to twice a month during renewal periods. LENGTH OF COMMITMENT: Each member of the Stewardship committee has a three year term. TRAINING PROVIDED: Two opportunities to attend each season a 4 hour Diocesan-Wide Parish Stewardship Training Days in the Spring and Fall. Parish Stewardship Manuals & many resources provided by the Diocesan Parish Stewardship Office. Training provided upon request by the Diocesan Office of Parish Stewardship. Pastoral Formation Institute Stewardship Leadership Track. RESPONSIBLE TO: Stewardship Chairperson Other members of the Stewardship Committee SUPPORT PROVIDED: Support and encouragement from Pastor, Stewardship Staff Coordinator, the Stewardship Committee Chairperson and other staff opportunities for celebration with other members of the committee. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Office of Parish Stewardship Staff of the Diocese of Rockville Centre Stewardship Support Gatherings CONTACT PERSON(S): Fred & Joan Rogers EFFECTIVE DATE: August, 2009 REVIEWED: March,

15 Sample Ministry Directory Entries Ministry Directory Entries FAITH FORMATION RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM Catechist A catechist is one who assists in the faith formation of children in a particular grade in our religious education program. Our catechists are people who are gifted with a lively faith and the ability to share that faith creatively with children. The catechist is responsible for preparing age-appropriate lessons and activities and is guided by a grade-level coordinator who provides resources, ideas, suggestions, and support. Quarterly catechist meetings for each grade level assist in sharing ideas and developing skills. Catechists commit one hour a week of actual classroom time from September to May in our after-school program on Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Contact: Mary Smith, Director of Religious Education ( ). WORSHIP EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS A Eucharistic Minister is one who helps distribute the Eucharist to the People of God. Our Eucharistic Ministers use their gifts of reverence, faith, and presence to distribute Holy Communion either at Mass, in nursing homes, to the homebound, or in hospitals. Eucharistic Ministers are appointed by the Pastor and attend a full-day training session offered by the Diocese. Eucharistic Ministers make a one year commitment to one, two, or three hours per week in ministry. EM s meet once every three months to pray and discuss the ministry. Eucharistic Minister for Weekend Liturgies These ministers assist the priests and deacons in distributing Holy Communion at our Weekend Eucharistic Celebrations. Contact: Joanna Martini, Coordinator ( ). Eucharistic Minister for the Nursing Home These Eucharistic Ministers bring the Eucharist to and spend some time with those in St. Elizabeth s Nursing Home each Sunday morning. Contact Miguel Santos, Coordinator ( ). ADMINISTRATION COMMUNICATIONS Desktop Publishing Creativity, computing skills, and lots of ideas are the gifts that people in this ministry have! The Desktop Publishing ministry serves every other ministry in the parish by helping design and create flyers, brochures, and newsletters. The ministry meets once a month on Tuesday evenings to plan out the following month s schedule. Most work is done on home PC s. Training is provided. The commitment required is approximately two hours per week, plus the monthly meetings. Contact: George Smith, Coordinator ( ). 15

16 Sample Time and Talent Commitment Form 16

17 CALENDAR and ACTION PLAN The Plan for Spring, 2010 These pages contain The Plan for this Spring s Time and Talent renewal. PLEASE READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE PLAN BEFORE YOU START THE RENEWAL PROCESS TO GET AN OVERVIEW OF HOW EACH PIECE FITS. Saturday/Sunday, May 15/16: Stewardship Awareness Weekend (Bulletin Insert 1) Monday, May 17: First Parish Mailing (Spiritual Brochure and Letter) Saturday/Sunday, May 22/23: (Pentecost): Gifts Celebration Weekend (Bulletin Insert 2, distribution of Ministry Directory, possible Lay Witness Talk) Monday, May 24: Second Parish Mailing (Letter, Commitment Card, and, if possible, Ministry Directory) Saturday/Sunday, May 29/30: (Memorial Day) Commitment Weekend (Bulletin Insert 3, In-Pew Time and Talent Commitments, Lay Witness Talk recommended) Saturday/Sunday, June 5/6: Follow-Up Weekend (Repeat, on smaller scale, Commitment Weekend. Includes Time and Talent Commitment Cards) Monday, June 7 and Afterwards: Acknowledgements and Follow-Up (Thank you cards, continued communications, gift discernment, interviewing, matching gifts, orientation and training, etc.) You may need to make adjustments to the Detailed Action Plan that is provided on the following pages because of variations and modifications unique to your parish. Five key pieces however, need to remain. They are: Stewardship Homilies Lay Witness Talks Public Commitments A Celebration of Gifts at every Mass An Updated Ministry Directory 17

18 Calendar Spring, 2010 Time and Talent Renewal DATE DAY DESCRIPTION 4/4 Sunday EASTER April 1. Gather/Revise data on Parish Ministries. 2. Assemble contents/revisions for Ministry Directory. 3. Prepare camera-ready copy for your printer of Ministry Directory and Commitment Cards. Mini-Retreats Dates:TBA! 4. Set up regular Stewardship Committee meetings for the Renewal effort. 5. Schedule Lay Witness Training session. 6. Pastor sends letters of invitation to Lay Witnesses. 7. Meet with heads of Ministries to finalize plans for Gifts Celebration Weekend. 8. Parishes will be mailed material order forms to order Posters, Prayer Cards, and if necessary, Thank You Cards. 4/16 By Friday 1. Send copy to printer (Ministry Directory and Commitment Cards). 2. Follow-Up to Lay Witness letters. 3. Plan on who will conduct Lay Witness Training. 4. Decisions need to be made as to how and which of the options for parishioner materials (brochures, bulletin inserts, Commitment Forms, etc.) will be used. 5. Materials templates the parish should print/get printed for parishioners are available on CD ordered from our Office. 6. Make up your parishioner material printing schedule (consult with whomever is printing your materials for you). 4/19 Monday and Forward 1. Conduct Lay Witness Training this week. 2. Prepare Litany of Ministries (if used). 3. Begin to prepare Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements for the six weekends (four Renewal, one Preliminary, one Post Renewal). 4. Prepare cover letters for the two parish mailings. 5. Prepare special General Intercessions for six weekends (including Preliminary and Post Renewal Weekends). 6. Check status of Ministry Directory and Commitment Cards at your printer. 7. Work with music minister/liturgy committee to plan/select appropriate songs for the four weekends and the method of having parishioners return Commitment Cards (ritualize, if possible). 8. Design Gifts Celebration Flyer, if necessary. 5/3 Monday 1. Check that materials from the Stewardship Office have been received (if things go as planned, they should have been shipped prior to April 26). 2. Regularly check the weekly leadership faxes and web site from the Office for last minute updates and information. 5/4 Tuesday 1. Place Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements and General Intercessions for Preliminary Weekend. 5/8-5/9 Preliminary Weekend 1. Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements and General Intercessions in place. 18

19 Renewal Calendar (cont d) DATE DAY DESCRIPTION 5/10 Monday 1. Place Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements and General Intercessions for Awareness Weekend. 2. Finalize who the presenters will be for all four weekends (Lay Witnesses, clergy-preachers, etc.) 5/14 Friday 1. Stuff Bulletin Insert #1, if applicable. 2. Check parish stock of pens/pencils. Order more if necessary (for May 29/30 and June 5/6). 5/15-5/16 Awareness Weekend 1. Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements in place. 2. Bulletin Insert #1 in place. 3. Recitation of Stewardship Prayer. 4. Homily based upon today s Scripture with Stewardship reference. 5. Lay Witness Talk (if desired). 6. Stewardship General Intercession. 7. Appropriate Liturgical Music. 5/17 Monday 1. Produce and mail the First Parish Mailing that includes: a. Letter from the Pastor and Stewardship Leader. b. Reference Gifts Celebration; Invitation to Gifts Celebration or Ministry Celebration. c. New Time and Talent Spiritual Brochure. 2. Place Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements for Gifts Celebration Weekend. 3. Place General Intercession for Gift Celebration Weekend. 5/21 Friday 1. Stuff Bulletin Insert #2, if applicable. 5/22-5/23 Gifts Celebration Weekend (Pentecost) 1. Bulletin and Pulpit announcements in place. 2. Bulletin Insert #2 in place. 3. Recitation of Stewardship Prayer. 4. Homily based upon today s Scripture with Stewardship references. 5. Lay Witness talk (a perfect time for it!). 6. Stewardship General Intercession. 7. Appropriate Liturgical Music. 8. Gifts Celebration (such as Litany of Ministries, Ministry Fair, or other appropriate celebration of gifts). 5/24 Monday 1. Produce and mail the Second Parish Mailing that includes: a. Letter from the Pastor and Stewardship Leader. b. Ministry Brochure/Directory (if possible). c. Time and Talent Commitment Card. 2. Place Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements for Commitment Weekend. 3. Place General Intercession for Commitment Weekend. 4. Line-up people to straighten-out and re-supply pews after each Mass next weekend. 5/28 Friday 1. Stuff Bulletin Insert #3, if applicable. 19

20 DATE DAY DESCRIPTION 5/29-5/30 Commitment Weekend Renewal Calendar (cont d) (Memorial Day) BEFORE each Mass, in the pews, place: 1. Pencils/pens. 2. A generous supply of Time and Talent Commitment Cards. 3. A generous supply of Ministry Directories. 4. Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements in place. 5. Bulletin Insert #3 in place. 6. Recitation of Stewardship Prayer. 7. Homily based upon today s Scripture with Stewardship references. 8. Lay Witness talk (if desired). 9. Stewardship General Intercession. 10. Appropriate Liturgical Music. 11. Walk-though completion of Commitment Card. 12. Formal Presentation of Commitment Cards. 13. Straighten-out and re-supply the pews after each Mass. 6/1 Tuesday 1. Place Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements for Follow-Up Weekend. 2. Place General Intercessions for Follow-Up Weekend. 3. Arrange to have people available to straighten-out and resupply the pews after each Mass for Follow-Up Weekend. 6/5-6/6 Follow-Up Weekend (Corpus Christi) 6/7 Monday and forward 6/12-6/13 Post Renewal Weekend 6/30 (End of June) And Quarterly BEFORE each Mass, in the pews, place: 1. Pencils/pens. 2. A generous supply of Time and Talent Commitment Cards. 3. A generous supply of Ministry Directories. 4. Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements in place. 5. Recitation of the Stewardship Prayer. 6. Homily based upon today s Scripture with Stewardship references. 7. Stewardship General Intercession. 8. Appropriate Liturgical Music. 9. Brief walk-though completion of Commitment Card. 10. Presentation of Commitment Cards. 11. Straighten-out and re-supply the pews after each Mass. 1. Place Bulletin and Pulpit announcements and General Intercessions for Post Renewal Weekend. 2. Enter data in computer. 3. Print personalized Thank You letters or send Thank You cards personalized by Pastor. 4. Prepare a statistical report on your Time and Talent data. 5. Follow-up EVERY Commitment Card. This is absolutely essential! 6. Have appropriate staff/ministry leaders conduct orientation/ training sessions for new ministers. 1. Bulletin and Pulpit Announcements and General Intercessions in place. 2. Produce and mail the Follow-Up mailing to those who have not completed a Commitment Form. 1. Continue with quarterly report to parishioners. These reports are recommended for all during the year and comprise a part of the accountability aspect of stewardship. For more information, contact us at x3. 20

21 Calendar of Future Stewardship Renewals (These are the dates we have scheduled for upcoming renewals. There is a possibility that there may be changes due to unforeseen circumstances. Any changes will be publicized well in advance in our newsletter and bi-weekly fax.) FALL, 2010 (Financial Renewal): (TBA): Sat./Sun., Oct. 23/24: Mon., Oct. 25: Sat./Sun., Oct. 30/31: Mon., Nov. 1: Sat./Sun., Nov. 6/7: Sat./Sun., Nov. 13/14: Fall Stewardship Day Stewardship Awareness Weekend First Parish Mailing Accountability Weekend Second Parish Mailing Commitment Weekend Follow-Up Weekend SPRING, 2011 (Time and Talent Renewal): Spring (TBA): Sat./Sun., June 4/5: Monday, June 6: Sat./Sun., June 11/12: Mon., June 13: Sat./Sun., June 18/19: Sat./Sun., June 25/26 Stewardship Mini-Retreats Stewardship Awareness Weekend First Parish Mailing Gifts Celebration Weekend (Pentecost) Second Parish Mailing Commitment Weekend (Father s Day Weekend) Follow-Up Weekend (Corpus Christi) 21

22 Time and Talent Gifts Celebrations! Both of the Stewardship Renewal processes (Financial and Time and Talent) contain four very deliberate and essential weekends. These weekends include additional components which are all geared toward creating a process/journey for your parishioners. A journey, if you will, to create a favorable space for God s grace to be embraced and conversion to the action of the Spirit to happen. At this time, we prepare to enter into our process for Time and Talent Renewal. An integral part of this process is weekend number two - Gifts Celebration Weekend. Based on parish requests and liturgical connections, each year this celebration is recommended to take place on the feast of Pentecost. Depending on specific happenings, parishes may choose to modify this schedule, however it is important to maintain the integrity of the process. Regardless of when and how, it is key to renewal that we celebrate in thanksgiving the goodness and generosity of our loving God! Ways to Celebrate! Litany of Ministries Processional Banners Video or Slide Shows Picture Displays Special Blessing Ministry Fair A Take-Home Remembrance Special Hospitality Parish Picnic/Dance/Event Parishioner Created Displays When planning* a Gifts Celebration, keep these guidelines in mind. A Gifts Celebration should: Show gratitude to God for the many gifts we have been given. Help parishioners know how God s gifts are being shared in the parish community. Make connections between giftedness and the Sunday Liturgy. Publicly thank people for all the ways they share their gifts with others. Inspire others to recognize, use and share their gifts with the parish community and elsewhere. Be a part of the Annual Renewal Process for Time and Talent. A Gifts Celebration should NOT: Be exclusive. Be used as a means for recruitment. Replace annual commitments. Be unplanned! Be limited to a Time and Talent Fair. *Some Resources to Help You Plan! It s never too late to celebrate God s generosity! Even if this is the first time you have thought about your celebration for this Pentecost 2010, (please say it s not!) we have planning tools to help you have a wonderful celebration! Visit and click on Time and Talent Resources. You will find many helpful planning sheets, handouts and materials including: with you over the phone or even join your next stewardship committee meeting to brainstorm and share some of the experiences of the parishes in our diocese and elsewhere! x3 And remember... A Customizable Litany of Ministries! A Time and Talent PowerPoint! A Starter Template for a Ministry Directory! And more Or give us a call. We would be delighted to chat Volume 8, Issue 1 February, 2008 Page Page

23 Spring, 2010 Time and Talent Renewal Workshops In preparation for this Spring s Renewal, we are offering three practical workshops geared specifically for Time and Talent! 1. Time and Talent Renewal Process (Georgena McCandless) This workshop will guide participants through the nuts and bolts of the programmatic elements of time and talent renewal using the model provided by the Diocese. An overview of the four weekend process that includes parish mailings, bulletin and pulpit announcements, ministry directories, and commitments. A perfect workshop covering the basics for new (and not-so-new ) stewardship parishes. 2. Let s Plan a Gifts Celebration! (Laurie Whitfield) A collection of planning ideas for your gifts/ministry celebration from parishes around the Diocese. In addition to receiving practical planning tools, you ll walk away with good ideas for themes, environmental supports, marketing strategies, and generating overall excitement about your celebration. 3. Customizing Stewardship Support Materials (Laurie Whitfield) Many of the new parishioner materials for this Spring s Time and Talent renewal are customizable from the text to the layout to the pictures! Find out some quick and easy ways using MS Publisher to customize your materials to best reflect the spirit of your parish. If you are new to Time and Talent Renewal or if you just need to review, come join us! Tuesday, April 13, 2010 Office of Parish Stewardship, Roosevelt 2nd Floor 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon If the above date is inconvenient, please call our office to arrange for an onsite workshop at your parish. Register online at: -or give us a call! (516) x3 (We will also travel to your parish!) 23

24 RESOURCES AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE Follow this link to find all the following resources (and more!) for your Spring, 2010 Time and Talent Stewardship Renewal: Time and Talent Renewal Time and Talent Renewal Power Point Show focusing specifically on Gifts Celebrations Lay Witness Talks So, You ve Been Asked to Present a Lay Witness Talk at the Parish (What Do I Have to Do?) Four Steps to a Witness Talk A Parish Model for Lay Witness Talks for Annual Stewardship Renewals Samples of Time and Talent Witness Talks from Our Parishes Gifts Celebrations A Parish Gifts Celebration (Info Sheet) Ministry Fairs (Info Sheet) Sample of Litany of Ministries Other Helpful Leadership Planning Tools Ministry Position Description Form Guidelines for Developing Ministry Descriptions Sample Completed Description Form Effective Tools for Time and Talent Renewal Workbook containing details and samples about Position Descriptions, Ministry Directory Entries and Commitment Forms Customizing this Spring s Materials using MS Publisher booklet containing quick and helpful tips on how to customize materials to reflect your own parish identity Time and Talent Renewal Pointers Things to Consider when Printing Your Own Materials Time and Talent Planning Sheet Time and Talent Statistics Report The Language of Stewardship Leadership Responsibility Worksheet Tasks Sheet for All Year Long Stewardship Implementation Other Stewardship Planning Sheets (Goals, Objectives, Tasks, Persons Responsible) All of these resources are also available in print from our Office. Please give us a call at x3. 24 Stewardship A Way of Life