TOGETHER IN MISSION 2015 Campaign Manual

Transcription

1 TOGETHER IN MISSION 2015 Campaign Manual

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3 Letter from Archbishop José H. Gomez My friends, I am amazed every day to see how much our Catholic Church is part of the fabric of ordinary life in neighborhoods across the Archdiocese. Day to day, the Church can be found wherever people are suffering, wherever people are vulnerable and hurting. It is beautiful to see all the good works that we are doing, all the people we are helping, all the lives we are changing. Jesus was clear that we must express our love for God through our love for our neighbors. And love is an action word. It means we have to do something. Our Christian love must be expressed in concrete works of service to our brothers and sisters. Love means feeding the hungry, and giving clothes to the naked. Love heals the sick and comforts the dying. Together in Mission is Christian love in action. It is a beautiful expression of our Catholic responsibility to love. For more than two decades, your generous contributions to Together in Mission have given hope to thousands of children and families in our poorest parishes and schools. So I pray that this year, too, we will give generously to Together in Mission. Through our contributions we proclaim that God s love is real and his compassion is alive among us. Through our love, we show that we are brothers and sisters and that no one is outside of God s loving care. I entrust you and your family to our Blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Angels. May she help all of us to keep working together to make this truly a city of the Angels where every human life is valued and welcomed; and where the poor and vulnerable, the elderly and sick, are protected and served with compassion. May God grant you peace and joy, Most Reverend José H. Gomez Archbishop of Los Angeles

4 Advisory Board Most Reverend José H. Gomez Reverend Monsignor Joseph V. Brennan Mr. Ferdinand De Jan Ms. Kathleen Delgado Ms. Debra Duncan Mr. Ray Elder Deacon David Estrada Sr. Mary Elizabeth Galt, B.V.M. Reverend Monsignor Joseph F. Hernandez Deacon Frank Kolbash Reverend Monsignor James J. Loughnane Sister Marsha Moon, R.S.C. Reverend Monsignor David O Connell Most Reverend Alexander Salazar Mr. Anthony T Sciacca Mr. David E. Scott Reverend Joseph P. Shea, V.F. Mr. Randy E. Steiner Mr. Richard Welch Ms. Gerri Spray

5 CONTENTS THEME AND READINGS 1 IMPACT 2 UNIQUE IN OUR APPROACH 3 WHAT S NEW FOR CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES 5 OBJECTIVES OF APPEAL 6 IMPORTANCE OF IN-PEW PROCESS 7 SAMPLE BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENTS 8 HOMILY IDEAS (ANNOUNCEMENTS) 9 SAMPLE SCRIPTS 10 NEXT STEPS 11 GENERAL INFORMATION AND FAQS 12 CONTACT INFORMATION 13

6 Theme and Readings Be imitators of me... 1 Corinthians 11 Theme & Readings This year s theme, Be imitators of me (1 Cor. 11), is taken from the second ( 2nd ) reading on Commitment Sunday, February 15th. And yes, it is a pretty bold and courageous challenge. A tall order for us as it was for St. Paul. A simple, yet powerful theme for this year s campaign. We have tried to incorporate many things from the readings throughout the three (3) Sundays that make up the launch of the appeal. We hope to invite your parishioners to Live the Mission this year, and not make this campaign or appeal an endeavor based upon goals or monies. The measurement should be our participation in the stewardship of our Archdiocese. A recognition of our practicing our faith. We have also incorporated messages taken from the responsorial psalm from Announcement Sunday (February 8): He tells the number of the stars ; he calls each by name, and made it a part of the bulletin announcements. Called by Name is an emphasis on donors, and how each and every one of us can make a difference in this campaign and in the lives of our fellow Catholic families. As one community, together we can provide the essential resources to serve all of our brothers and sisters throughout the Archdiocese desiring to live the Gospel of Jesus with us, by offering them the ministries that enrich life, strengthen families and both inspire and educate future generations of our shared faith. This annual appeal is about the stewardship of our Archdiocese, and our responsibility to share our gifts with those around us. 1

7 Together in Mission 2015 IMPACT Since 1993, Together in Mission has provided $300M in much needed funds to parishes and schools in the poorest areas of our Archdiocese. These are the parishes and schools that would have had to close their doors to the members of their communities Statistics $15.4 million dollar goal for * parish communities participated 12,190 The total enrollment for all Together in Mission supported schools $16.6 million dollars pledged across Archdiocese 93,500 people made a gift in parishes received funding in 2014 from Together in Mission $15.3 million collected from donors $1.2 million dollars in rebates given 63 schools received funding in 2014 from Together in Mission *Every parish community participates in the campaign. Raised by region San Pedro $3,908, San Gabriel San Fernando Our Lady of the Angels Santa Barbara $3,463, $3,138, $2,556, $2,137, For a complete listing of recipient parishes and schools, please visit OurMissionLA.org 2

8 Unique in Our Approach Since 1993, Together in Mission has been a testament to the generosity, faith and resolve of our local Church. This annual Catholic appeal was instituted to establish the stewardship of our local Catholic Church among all parishes to promote the mission of the Church. Ours is the only Diocese in the United States that dedicates its entire Annual Appeal to assist parishes and schools that cannot survive without outside financial support. As a result, we can proudly boast that ours is one of the only dioceses in the country, especially within any of the major metropolises, that has not made mass closures of either parishes or schools. Unlike many of our counterparts, we have only consolidated a handful of schools and parishes in the past decade. Every parish community participates, including TIM recipient parishes. Parishioners in all of our parishes including those subsidized, are asked to make a financial commitment to Together in Mission. Contributions are received from individuals in ALL 293 parish communities. Together in Mission is governed by an Advisory Board made up of clergy members, laity, school personnel and Archdiocesan Leadership. From this group, there is a standing subcommittee, or Task Force, specifically for the allocation of funds. All funds collected through Together in Mission are donor-restricted for use as subsidies in Archdiocesan parishes and schools requiring financial assistance. Each year, our Regional Bishops and the Department of Catholic Schools evaluate all parishes and schools. Particular emphasis is placed on parishes and schools unable to meet their financial needs. These parties then propose the amount of subsidy each parish or school should receive. Our objective should be met through a simple integrated method; educating our parishioners about Together in Mission, and inviting them to participate. The power and the potential our Archdiocese can make is in the size of our local Church, and so we encourage participation from everyone. In fact, if each household contributed (pledged) $25 for the year, we could meet our goal. 3

9 Together in Mission 2015 What s New for 2015 New Database We have upgraded our database to Raiser s Edge by Blackbaud. We have also partnered with Illuminate to facilitate our online giving, with a brand new portal. No Labels This year, we will NOT be sending you labels for your parish unless you request them. You will no longer be expected to peel & stick the labels upon the envelopes collected in pew! Submitting Batches No longer will you be expected to separate your pledges + donations by the six (6) different types. Transmittals There will be one (1) universal transmittal sheet for you to use this year. Electronic Submitting Beginning this year, All of our forms will be available electronically, so that you can download them at your convenience. They will be fillable PDFs. Hotlines We have established phone numbers for you to call for specific needs, and have dedicated specific staff members for each of these items created a one-stop shopping experience. On-Site Support We have made teams of TIM staff available to visit parishes needing our assistance to process collections following the Announcement & Commitments Weekends + DM returns. Campaign Materials Shipping ONLY what each parish needs and/or requests. Nothing more, nothing less. This year we have also made available the brochures in Korean & Tagalog. Bulletin Inserts Intended to fit within your weekly bulletin + available electronically in PDF format for your own printing usage & website posting. Posters In the sizes you requested make the most sense for your properties. Message from Archbishop Gomez Available in three (3) different formats in both English & Spanish for ALL parishes. Parish Detail Reports Provided the 1st and 15th of each month through ACES. 4

10 Calendar of Activities January 27th-30th February 7th & 8th February 14th & 15th February 21st & 22nd Week of March 2nd Week of March 29th Succeeding Weeks Beginning April 7th April 27th June 1st July 1st Summer By September 1st November 1st December 15th Materials arrive for Appeal Announcement Weekend Commitment Weekend Follow-Up Weekend First weekly return of verified pledges + payments First pledge reminders mailed All returned mail of previous donors of $100 or more will be corrected Publish Bulletin Announcements regarding parish results a) The goal b) Total amount pledged c) Total payments of pledges Report in TIDINGS / VIDA NUEVA Skipper Mailing (those who pledged in 14 but not yet pledged in 2015) Heads-up mailing to Parishes Personal parish announcements Establish follow-up plans to reach goals Parish Rebate checks mailed Acknowledgment Letters to all donors 5

11 Together in Mission 2015 Objectives of Appeal The leadership challenge of this campaign is not just about reaching a parish goal; it is also about effectively inviting and encouraging parishioners to participate. As the largest Archdiocese in the United States, we have the ability to make an unprecedented impact in our local Church through the Together in Mission Appeal. It is essential that the members of your parish clearly understand what Together in Mission is. Many people who have contributed generously in the past simply do not understand the purpose of this program, or the profound impact it has. Share the story! Do as much as possible to inform parishioners about the campaign, its purpose, and the part your parish plays in helping achieve the Appeal s overall goal. The amount of the individual gift from each parishioner is not the important factor; the important factor is that they are participating! Pastors are asked to: Preach enthusiastically about the campaign on Announcement Weekend, with emphasis on the importance of the campaign, the reason for it, and our responsibility as a Catholic Church: providing a theological basis for participation. Share the message on behalf of Archbishop Gomez on Commitment Weekend. Lead the full in-pew process at each Mass on Commitment Weekend. Assure the in-pew process is led by the Presider at all Masses on Follow-up Sunday. Use both the Prayers of the Faithful and Altar Announcements provided in this handbook. Parish Staff / Volunteers: Assure that the Parish has sufficient Appeal materials. in-pew commitment envelopes / brochures posters for display inserts for bulletins to be used on Announcement Weekend pencils for Commitment Sunday Display the campaign s materials prominently. Use both of the Bulletin and Altar announcements. Assure there are enough volunteers to assist in collecting the pledges on both Commitment & Follow-up Weekends. Assist the Pastor in communicating the results of the campaign to the Parish and in encouraging the ongoing payment of pledges. Update the Together in Mission Office regularly as to any changes, additions, or deletions to their parishioners pledges or mailing status during the course of the Annual Appeal. 6

12 Importance of In-Pew Process Our primary goal is to increase the number of Catholics responding to the needs of their local Church, and to be active in the stewardship of their Archdiocese. Why is the in-pew process so important? Because it is a personal invitation to participate and to give. After twenty-two years, this has proven to be the most effective method in the solicitation of gifts, and secures the most pledges to Together in Mission. When properly implemented, the in-pew process has proven its ability to gain widespread support from those who attend Mass. People are not forced to give, they are only asked to participate as members of our one holy, apostolic Church. To limit the number of people that skip making a pledge. The in-pew process assures that everyone understands he/she is being invited to participate. The process is not an announcement. It is not a request for them to take materials home. Rather, it is a request that each household considers a gift by completing a commitment form during Mass. Annually, as many as 35% of the preceding year s contributors do not make a pledge during the initial mailing phases of the campaign. This seems to have little to do with an unwillingness to give, but rather, a lack of opportunity to give. It is important therefore to do the full in-pew process on two (2) weekends. On any given weekend, many parishioners will not attend Mass at their home parish. These parishioners, and any others that were not at your Masses on Commitment Weekend, deserve the opportunity to be asked to participate. Conducting the full in-pew process again on Follow-up Weekend is essential. Assure that each pew has a sufficient number of brochures and pencils before each Mass on both Commitment & Follow-up Weekends. Particular attention should be paid to assuring the in-pew process is accomplished in a thorough and efficient manner. 7

13 Together in Mission 2015 Sample Bulletin Announcements February 1st Initial Announcement Our Holy Father Pope Francis has enlivened the Church to renew our spirit of evangelization. Through their ministries and education supported by funds provided by Together in Mission, recipient parishes and schools are doing just that, reaching out to their communities and making the message of God s love known to those around them. The funds we collect will directly benefit more than 250,000 of our Catholic brethren, and ensure our parishes and schools remain centers of faith and hope for their surrounding communities. Archbishop Gomez will soon be sending letters to those that have generously given to Together in Mission in the past. If you receive this letter, we ask you renew your support. May God bless you for your generous support of this year s appeal. February 7th & 8th Announcement Sunday In today s readings, we are told, He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name. Though we are many, we are one Church. God calls each of us by name to offer our time, talents, and treasure to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Everything we have is a gift from God, which we are called upon to share. When we give generously, our life is most like His. You are the one who can provide parishes and schools with the resources they need. Your gift can be the one that allows a priest to serve communities in need. It can help a school make essential repairs for the safety of their students. It can enable parishioners to have a place to celebrate Mass. The strength of the Church is not in numbers, but in love. Your contribution, large or small, is the one that matters. During all Masses next weekend, we will conduct the in-pew process for the collection of gifts & pledges to this year s appeal. God bless you for your generous response and support to those in need. 8

14 Homily Ideas (Announcements) During a Children s Mass on Sunday the sermon began with the priest trying to look as stern and mean as he could possibly be. This really shocked everyone in the pews because they all knew that the priest was actually a very kind and gentle person. What s more, he began to tell the children in a gruff voice, almost screaming, I don t care how you feel! I mean it. I don t want you to feel good, I want you to be good! Well, after the parents clearly began to react to this strange and scary message the priest broke into the most beautiful smile, explained that he was kidding and told the children in his normal, kind voice, Of course I care about how you feel but I really do want you to be good. Being good is something that was taught to us from the time we were very little. And we all like to feel good, right? Poor Job - in the first reading today - was not feeling well, to put it mildly. He wasn t just having a bad day, it seems he was having a bad life! Listen, again to some of the words that almost jump off the page from that first reading: Is not man s life on earth a drudgery? I have been assigned months of misery. The night drags on. I shall not see happiness again. Most of us have been there and done that. Like Job, there are times in our lives when we find ourselves in the midst of loss and pain, difficulty and distress that overwhelm us and shake our faith beyond belief. But there is a solution. And what might that be? PREACHING! Yes, preaching. Sounds strange, doesn t it? But that s not my job, well, at least not my job alone. It s your job too. Preaching doesn t just take place on Sundays and most of the preaching that goes on in the world is not done by the Pope or by priests. It is done by you! St. Paul talks about preaching the Gospel in the second reading today. He says it is something he simply has to do. In fact, if he doesn t do it, he would be in a world of spiritual hurt. So would we. We too preach the Gospel and we do it with our life, with our works of charity, mercy and generosity; often without words. Today is Announcement Sunday for Together in Mission. Next week, Commitment Sunday, will give us the opportunity to preach with our life. We all know that Jesus preached a lot of sermons during his pubic ministry and used a lot of words but in the Gospel today he preached the way we normally do and the way we do best, with his actions. He took Peter s mother-in-law by the hand and cured her. He laid hands all evening long on everyone who was sick in that town and he healed them. His healing touch can be our healing touch. We can touch people s lives and make a huge difference in their lives by what we do next week. Our parish goal this year for Together In Mission is. Now that s a lot for our parish but think of the benefits: We will be helping poor parishes and schools, we will extend a healing touch to some of the most needy in the Archdiocese and we will fulfill the call, that is, the MANDATE OF THE GOSPEL. This is the week to think about what response you can make to Together in Mission. Take some of the materials about this home with you today and be prepared to preach when you come to church next weekend. Besides, won t that be a lot more fun than listening to me? 9

15 Together in Mission 2015 Sample Scripts Prayer of the Faithful That we learn to be generous with the gifts that God has given us. And may we open our hearts to serve our Catholic brothers and sisters in need through our contributions to this year s Together in Mission appeal. IN-PEW COMMITMENT WEEKEND February 14th-15th It seems to me that you would have to be pretty bold, courageous, or maybe even foolish to say something like, Be imitators of me. Asking someone to follow our example would, in most cases, take a lot of guts or just a lot of nerve. After all, most of us would probably fall into the don t do as I do but do as I say category. We would also be opening ourselves up to the rightful criticism of our gigantic ego and the question, Who do you think you are? But Be imitators of me is precisely what St. Paul just told us a few minutes ago today and it happens to be the theme for this year s Together In Mission. How appropriate that this tiny but powerful phrase of Scripture happens to be on COMMITMENT SUNDAY for this year s campaign. Actually, the complete phrase at the end of the second reading goes like this, Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. That was a tall order for St. Paul - as it is for us - and, like us, St. Paul had to struggle with his own weakness and demons in his not always so successful attempts to be another Christ in this world and to do what Jesus would do. We see a Jesus in the Gospel today who literally reaches out to touch the untouchable, to remember the forgotten and to bring back into community those who were told they did not belong and that nobody cared; the lepers of his day. Today we are being given a special opportunity to reach out and also touch the lives of literally thousands of people here in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles through our participation in the Together In Mission campaign. You may have responded already and for that I am grateful but most of us have not yet made a pledge or a donation to the program just yet. To all of you I say in advance, A million thanks! And I say that on behalf of all of the folks in our most needy parishes and schools who will benefit from your generosity today. At this time I would like my volunteers to come forward and make sure that everyone has a pledge envelope and a pencil. Those of you who were here last week might remember that I told you that all of you were going to preach today. Here s your chance! We re going to preach as Jesus did in the Gospel today; with our actions and compassionate touch (NOTE: Here the process for filling out the pledge forms could be inserted) 10

16 Next Steps By January 30th, you should have received all of your in-church materials for this year s Appeal. Included with your materials are this year s newly designed brochures & commitment envelopes in one. These brochure /commitment envelopes are for use with the in-pew solicitation process on Commitment Weekend, by parishioners who either did not receive the direct mailing, or forgot to bring their pre-printed materials with them. As soon as you receive the shipment of supplies, open the boxes and check to make sure that you have received sufficient quantities of all items. The direct mail portion of the Appeal will take place during the two (2) days preceding Announcement Weekend. It will consist of a letter being sent from the Archbishop to parishioners who have given in the past three years. Enclosed with the letter will be a pre-printed pledge form. We have pre-printed your parish s return address on these pledge forms as well as the donor s name, address and bar coded ID number. This will cause all direct mail contributions from your parishioners to be returned directly to your parish. All contributions returned with these pre-printed materials are referred to as Direct Mail (DM) contributions. During the week prior to the in-pew process, each Presider should be briefed on the in-pew process. The Pastor should lead the in-pew process at every Mass. In the event that the Pastor is not the Presider, the Presider should introduce the Pastor immediately after the reading of the Gospel. Presiders should be notified early in the week that they will not need to prepare their regular homily for Commitment Weekend. Preparing for the In Pew process: Recruit and train those who will distribute and collect in-pew pledge brochures and pencils at each Mass. If the brochures are not going to be hand distributed, assure that each pew has enough pledge brochures and a sufficient number of pencils during the week before Commitment Weekend. Remember many things affect the outcome of an in-pew process. Among them is the availability of supplies, as well as the personal touch of the people distributing them. 11

17 Together in Mission 2015 General Information Goal for 2015: $15.7M When sending a parish check replacing any cash removed, please place all pledge forms pertaining to this parish check in the envelope with the batch. DO NOT HOLD PARISH CHECKS. This is particularly important with regard to payments on existing pledges made at the parish level. Donors tend to be upset when their payments are not reflected in their pledge balance reminders! It is extremely important that pledges & payments are batched and sent to the Together in Mission office on a weekly basis. When parishes hold pledges and/or payments, the donor is not receiving billing notices or pledge reminders in either a timely or accurate manner. Please look over handwritten pledge forms to verify the information is readable. It is most likely that if you cannot read it, neither can TIM staff members. Please do not staple checks or payments to pledge forms. Please do not use tape on checks and/or pledge forms. Please remember that most payments submitted at the Parish level are done so towards an existing pledge. These should not be submitted with new pledge forms completed. Can donors continue paying past December? What does a 5-month campaign mean? FAQ Does the campaign end upon Follow-up Weekend, when the in-pew process has been completed? What if parishioners mail or drop off pledge payments at the parish? What if our parish does not reach our goal in pledges after Follow-up Weekend? How can I access my parish s detail reports? What is a sufficient amount of pledges? What can we do about parishioners late in making pledge payments? How do we number our batches? Who will notify parishioners of outstanding pledge balances? 12

18 Contact Information The goal of the Together in Mission staff is to assure the greatest level of accuracy and accountability in all areas of the Annual Appeal. Outstanding service and support should be expected of all of our staff, and we look forward to helping you conduct this year s program. For questions regarding your: Parish supplies & materials: Frances Broderick: (213) FBroderick@la-archdiocese.org Individual Donor Pledges & Gifts: Nancy Renoj: (213) NRenoj@la-archdiocese.org Parish Goals & Reports: Louie Alday: (213) LAlday@la-archdioces.org Batch Processing /Checks Clearing: Dina Tatuan: (213) Credit Card Pledges & Payments: Flor Caridad: (213) Guest Speakers: Anthony Sciacca: (213) ATSciacca@la-archdiocese.org General Websites OurMissionLA.org Together in Mission 3424 Wilshire Blvd. 2nd Fl. Los Angeles, CA

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