General Intercessions RESOURCES FOR LITURGY To foster a complete and holistic approach to stewardship renewals that includes the necessary liturgical connections. The special general intercessions we provide follow a format that may differ from that which is used in your parish. Simply adapt the content of each to your parish s own standard. Find out how, in your parish system, one goes about placing general intercessions for each weekend liturgy (e.g. through the liturgy committee, the pastor, the rectory secretary, etc.). Then request these to be placed enough in advance for the respective weekends. There is one special general intercession before the four weekends of renewal and another for after the four weekends of renewal. This makes a total of six special intercessions. Some parishes choose to include, in addition to the special renewal general intercessions, the regular general intercession for stewardship that appears in each week s fax from our Office. It is possible that your parish has adapted our model for time and talent stewardship renewal, which would make some of the verbiage in our general intercessions incorrect. Rework each intercession to reflect what is actually going on in your parish for the renewal. Bulletin Announcements To reinforce all that is going on in other printed materials, the liturgy, and the homilies during this Spring s Time and Talent stewardship renewal. Each of the special bulletin announcements should include the stewardship logo and/or one of this year s theme graphics: Stewards of God s Gifts. Check the back cover of this Update and download your selections at www.stewardshipli.org/lead/renew.html Find out how, in your parish system, one goes about placing items for the bulletin. There are time constraints that differ from parish to parish. Typically, all matters for the bulletin are due into the parish office at least one week before the scheduled bulletin insertion date. It is possible that your parish has adapted our model for stewardship renewal, which would make some of the verbiage in our special bulletin announcements incorrect. Rework each announcement to reflect what is actually going on in your parish for the renewal. There is one special bulletin announcement before the four weekends of renewal and another to use after the four weekends of renewal. This makes a total of six bulletin announcements. These special bulletin announcements are not meant to replace the bulletin reflections that we send out in our weekly fax. (Those are special reflections on the Sunday readings.) Parishes distribute bulletins differently. For instance, if your parish distributes the bulletin at the end of Mass, you will need to change the verbiage for the announcements, so that the language and tenses match the experience of the people. 22
Pulpit Announcements To reinforce all that is going on in other printed materials, the liturgy, and the homilies during this Spring s Time and Talent stewardship renewal. Find out how, in your parish system, one goes about placing pulpit announcements. There are time constraints that differ from parish to parish. It is possible that your parish has adapted our model for Time and Talent stewardship renewal, which would make some of the verbiage in our special pulpit announcements incorrect. Rework each announcement to reflect what is actually going on in your parish for the renewal. There is one special pulpit announcement before the four weekends of renewal and another to use after the four weekends of renewal. This makes a total of six pulpit announcements. The location of pulpit announcements in weekend liturgies varies from parish to parish, with most parishes doing the pulpit announcements after the Prayer After Communion. The announcements we provide are written with that placement in mind. You may need to change the verbiage in these pulpit announcements depending upon where your parish has placed the pulpit announcements, or other items included in the renewal, such as the completion of in-pew Commitments and Lay Witness Talks. Interesting Note: The repetition that exists in the bulletin/pulpit announcements and, to a lesser degree, in the general intercessions is by design. They used to say it takes people seven times to integrate a single message into their minds. Now, it is said it takes eleven or more times, because of the fast rate of information exchange in our society! Samples for this Spring s Time and Talent Renewal Preliminary Weekend April 30/May 1 Although the actual four weekends of Renewal do not formally begin until next week, use the following preparatory materials for this weekend: That as stewards of God s many gifts, we may prepare ourselves for our upcoming stewardship renewal with joy and thanksgiving, we pray to the Lord STEWARDSHIP RENEWAL IS ON ITS WAY! Next weekend, we will celebrate God s generosity in our lives. We ll begin our annual stewardship renewal of Time and Talent. Let us pray for each other as we reflect together on the many gifts God has given us and how we are Stewards of God s Gifts. 23
Awareness Weekend (Mother s Day) May 7/8 That everyone in our parish community may reflect upon what it means to be gifted by God as we begin this Spring s stewardship renewal, we pray to the Lord TIME AND TALENT RENEWAL IS HERE! God has given us so many gifts, and, yes, we are called to be Stewards of God s Gifts. Please read the insert in today s bulletin to help you prepare for our annual renewal of Time and Talent. And, look for a special mailing this week from our pastor designed to help you reflect on God s generosity and what it means to be a steward of God's gifts. Next week (after all Masses) (during all Masses), we will (briefly describe your Gifts Celebration). As stewards of God's gifts, we share in the building God's Kingdom! Please join in praying for all in our parish as we enter this period of Time and Talent renewal. Gifts Celebration Weekend (Pentecost) May 14/15 That we celebrate all that God has given us with joy and in love and service, we pray to the Lord WE CELEBRATE OUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS! How blessed are we to be gifted by God so that we may develop, use and share our gifts with others to help build God s Kingdom! We are very grateful to all in our parish who respond to the call to good stewardship at home, in the workplace, in the community, and right here in our parish. How great it is to be Stewards of God s Gifts! This week you will receive a letter in the mail from our pastor along with a Commitment Card that will assist you as you reflect upon the ways you may wish to make or renew a commitment to sharing your gifts of Time and Talent with others, including our parish community. Please look for it in the mail, and bring it with you to Mass next weekend. (And if applicable, briefly invite all to attend your Gifts Celebration after Mass.) 24
Commitment Weekend May 21/22 That as Christian stewards, we will respond to the challenge of making a commitment to sharing our God-given gifts, we pray to the Lord SHARING OUR GIFTS IN LOVE AND SERVICE Stewardship is a way of life. It s a wonderful way that we who follow Jesus can share what God has given us. This week, everyone will be invited to consider making or renewing a commitment to sharing God s gifts right here in our parish. Thank you to all those who respond(ed) to this call to stewardship, and thank you to all who live in gratitude for what God provides. If you didn t get a chance to bring or complete a Commitment Card this weekend at Mass, there s still time to do it next weekend. Yes, we are called to be Stewards of God s Gifts as we strive to live as a community of faith centered on the mission of Jesus Christ. Follow-Up Weekend (Memorial Day Weekend) May 28/29 That as stewards of God's gifts, we may have the perseverance to follow Jesus and his teachings in all aspects of our lives, we pray to the Lord STEWARDS OF GOD S GIFTS Stewardship is a way of life. God has gifted each and every one of us. Thank you to all of you who responded to God s generosity in your life by sharing your gifts of Time and Talent with our parish family. And, thank you to everyone who is faithful to participating in the mission of Jesus in the many of facets of life at home, in the workplace, in the community, and right here in our parish. As stewards of God's gifts we: Receive the gifts of God with gratitude; Cultivate them responsibly; Share them lovingly in justice with others, and; Stand before the Lord in a spirit of accountability. 25
Weekend After the Renewal June 4/5 That we Christian stewards may continue to grow in gratitude to God for all that we have received, we pray to the Lord THANKS BE TO GOD! Thank you for entering into the spirit of stewardship renewal these past few weeks! You know, everything we have is gift from God. And, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to be stewards of all God s gifts! And, thank you for making or renewing your commitment to share your gifts at home, in the workplace, in the community, and right here in our parish! If you haven t yet made this year s Commitment, please do so today. You can always access our web pages through the Diocese of Rockville Centre s website: www.drvc.org (Select Diocesan Offices and then click on Parish Stewardship then click on Enter Parish Stewardship Website ) Visit the Diocesan site for all other activities of the Diocese of Rockville Centre as well! 26