Parish Communication

  • Many parishes only talk about Stewardship during their annual Stewardship Renewal initiative (usually in September or October).
  • Stewardship should be communicated every month to your parish.
  • Stewardship Renewal is another “season” of the Church (i.e. Lent, Easter, Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Times).
  • The means of communication you use is often the only window people have into their world of faith.
  • 4 C’s of communication: constant, consistent, concrete, and creative.
  • Marketing Rule of 7 – People need to hear something 7 times and 7 different ways before they actually take any action.
  • Website: your parish must have a great one. This is typically the first contact for new parishioners who are “shopping” for a parish:
    • Should invite people to be part of the Church
    • Show joyful, mission-driven articles and pictures
    • Should be “mobile-friendly”
    • Google “mobile-friendly test” to see if your parish website is mobile-friendly
    • Mobile phones are outselling computers. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s almost like not having one.
    • Develop weekly Stewardship column
    • Add Stewardship Reflections
    • Use a drone to shoot video
    • Make sure your Mass time schedule, address, and parish contact information is easy to identify and access. (These are the main reasons people visit your website).
  • Annual Stewardship Report: Your parish should provide this report annually to all parishioners. (Contact Dave Baranowski for in-house support or third party contact to assist with your annual stewardship report).
    • Add personal stories
    • Use parishioner quotes
    • Info-graphics make it easy to scan the report
    • Share accomplishments
    • Avoid data overload
    • Include a call to action – attend Mass, volunteer or donate
  • Monthly Lay Witness Talks: Lay witness stewardship talks are a “best practice” during your parish stewardship renewal initiative. Consider expanding these talks each month and let different ministry representatives give their witness. (Tie in with your monthly Donut Sunday). Or, find other parishioners who are willing to share their stewardship story with your parish.
  • Social Media: Develop a plan on how to use the various social media outlets and incorporate into your overall parish communication plan. Without a plan, your Facebook, Twitter, etc. attempts will be a failure. You should spend the same amount of time every week on your digital presence as you do on your bulletin.
  • MyParishApp.com - Call 1.800.997.8805 to develop a parish phone app. Allow’s for direct communication with parishioners.
  • Advent/Lent postcards – Invite and inform parishioners of upcoming events, include pictures of priests and key parish staff members.
  • Develop a Parish Communication Strategy:
    • Conduct an audit of all the different methods you use to communicate to parishioners.
    • Develop a parish leader “cross-functional” team to uncover all communication methods. (Some are not so obvious).
    • The parish website and bulletin are not the only way people receive communication.
    • Develop procedures for each communication method when sending information.
    • Refer to “Parish Communications Audit” on page 101.
  • Parish Logo Assistance: if your parish needs help redesigning a logo, please contact the Office of Communications and Planning for consultation to determine if your request can be handled in- house or requires third party assistance.
  • Bulletin: Still one of the primary communication tools, but not the only one!
    • Develop weekly stewardship column and spotlight a ministry or parishioner.
    • Add Stewardship Reflections (archstl.org/stewardship).
    • Many parishes just provide a weekly update on offertory received under the heading of “Stewardship.” This has the effect of reinforcing the common myth that stewardship is only about money.
    • Use your parish bulletin to provide a broader scope of your parish stewardship efforts. (See page 99 for an example).
    • Provide weekly updates on Prayer, Participation and Generosity, along with stewardship education information.
  • Bulletin – Ministry Spotlight Form
    • A great way to highlight each parish ministry.
    • Add to weekly bulletin, website or other parish communication.
    • See page 100 for example
  • Covenant Radio Network (EWTN)
    • Located at 4423 Hampton Ave., St. Louis MO, 63109
    • In St. Louis: 1080 AM or 1460 AM
    • Media Missionaries: St. Louis parishes are encouraged to have parish representatives as “media missionaries”:
      • Encourage people to listen to Catholic radio
      • Access to free faith-related resources for your parish
    • Contact Tony Holman (Covenant Radio Network): [email protected] (OR)
    • Contact Christine Schicker (EWTN): [email protected]
  • Local Business Marquees/Signs: Check with local businesses (especially banks) to advertise parish events on their marquees or electronic signs. Many are glad to do it and it’s usually free!
  • Other Ideas: email blasts, robo-calls, trifold parish ministry brochures in cart rolled out after Mass or parish events, weekly stewardship articles in bulletins and on website.

Stewards Corner

Bulletin: Parish Ministry Spotlight

Parish Ministry Name:

 

 

Purpose:

 

 

Ministry Activities:

 

 

 

Meeting Time/Location:

 

 

Contact Information: