Weekend Checklist 

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Bishops Letter and Insert

• Sample letter and insert

Announcement Weekend
By the time Commitment Weekend arrives, the following should be in place:

• A pre-appeal letter (sent out with the preliminary goal) may be an option to consider.

• From the beginning express the importance of 100% participation

• Poster hung in common areas
   

Education Weekend
By the time Commitment Weekend arrives, the following should be in place:

• Posters displayed in Common Areas

• Bulletin announcement

• Initial parish letters sent to top donors

• Church announcements

• General Intercessions

• Bishop’s audio message

Points of insight for Education Weekend:

• The homily and CFSA audiotape are the main focus
  Homily Thoughts

• Develop an idea how you will approach your rural community—Often farm families will wait for the harvest.  In light of this, often the stewardship approach will be the best tool. Asking a family to respond out of gratitude instead of obligation is often the best tool.

• Enthusiasm and motivation will set the tone

• Public awareness that they will receive a letter from the diocese and pledge card

• Instructions on returning their pledge cards on Commitment Sunday February 21-22, 2009

• Overview of the ministries funded through CFSA
  (people want to know where their dollars are going)

• Try to localize these ministries into your area and show benefits

• Overview of the parish goal

• Indicate that monies over goal will stay in parish and used for (parish cause)

• Emphasize that “100% Participation” is the true goal – Please turn in a pledge card even if you are not able to contribute! 

• Utilize a lay witness presentation

Commitment Weekend    
 By the time Commitment Weekend arrives, the following should be in place:

• Posters displayed in Common Area

• Bulletin announcement

• Bishop’s letter and pledge card received in-house

• Initial parish letters sent to top donors

• Church announcements organized

• General Intercessions

• Initial education as to CFSA and ministries funded

• Ushers instructed on offertory

Bishop’s Letter and Insert

The CFSA Bishops letter will be sent in the mail on February 16, 2009.  The letter will arrive in an envelope with the green diocesan logo, which is reserved for the bishop.  Within each envelope with the letter and pledge card attached will be a return envelope and prayer card . 

Below is an example of the insert. 

Announcement Weekend - February 7-8, 2009

The following material is a weekend-by-weekend timeline to help your appeal process run smoothly. You will find within each section: goal of the weekend, points of interest, pulpit announcements, intercessional prayers and bulletin announcements. 

Prior to Education Weekend February 14-15, announcing the upcoming appeal will help prepare individuals for the future process.

Pulpit Announcement:                                                        

Next weekend begins Catholic Family Sharing Appeal.  This is our opportunity to enable the mission and ministry of the Church of Eastern South Dakota.  Please take time to prayerfully consider your gift for this year and pray for the success of CFSA.  Remember any money that we raise over our goal stays within our parish. Our efforts here will enable all members of our diocesan Church to join in glorifying our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Intercession prayers:                                                                      

That we may reflect prayerfully with an open heart – our connection to the one family invited by Christ, through His example, to be generous with our time, talent and treasure to serve the Church and others…We Pray to the Lord. 

That at the beginning of this year’s Catholic Family Sharing Appeal we may be generous in sharing our blessings… We Pray to the Lord. 

That each one of us will be open to God’s call and seriously consider how we can join in reaching out to the needs of others through our support of the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal… We Pray to the Lord.

Bulletin Announcement:                                                       

Next week we begin Catholic Family Sharing Appeal.  Your gift will help 30 diocesan ministries reach out to thousands, including training our future priests, proclaiming Christ’s message through the media, providing counsel to the hurt and reaching out to the youth.  

Please prayerfully consider a gift to this year’s appeal.  We will learn more about this appeal and the programs it supports next week.  Thank you and I look forward to your participation.

(More samples at the Liturgy Aids page Click here)

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Education Weekend   February 14-15, 2009

Education Weekend is one of the key opportunities to inform and make your parish family aware of the upcoming CFSA.  It is the springboard that will set the tone for the entire appeal

Pulpit Announcements:                                                                 

This week we begin Catholic Family Sharing Appeal. Your gift helps 30 diocesan ministries reach out to thousands, including training our future priests, giving a voice to the unborn through the Respect Life Office, education in our faith to our religious education teachers and ministry to the homebound.

This week you will receive a letter from the diocese asking for your support to this year’s CFSA.  Please prayerfully consider a gift to this year’s appeal, fill out your pledge card and bring it to church next weekend.  If you do not receive a letter, let the parish office know.

Our parish goals for the year 2009 are 100% participation and raising our financial goal of $_______ .  We hope that everyone will prayerfully consider the opportunity to offer a gift to this appeal. If you feel that a gift is not possible at this time please turn you card in anyway we are looking for 100% participation.   Remember, any dollar amount raised above our goal stays in this parish.  Thank you for being a part of CFSA – 2009.

Bishop Paul Swain   -   CFSA Audio Message

Homily Thoughts

  Education Weekend

•  Audio message
   

• You will receive a letter from the diocese later in the week along with a pledge card for CFSA 2009.
   

• We are called by our Lord to reach out beyond the limits of our parish community and through CFSA we are able to do just that. Many of the ministries sponsored by CFSA especially Catholic Family Services, The Bishop's Bulletin, Adoptions Services, Retrouville, Marriage Tribunal work to reach out to those who have little hope or who are hurting.
   

• The gospel message is also a message of Christian responsibility.  How are we doing in being responsible with the gifts that have been given to us?  Are we building a strong faith community locally and regionally?  Ministries sponsored by CFSA are always working to build a stronger diocesan community through religious education programming, vocations work and communications.
   

• Take time to prayerfully consider your gift in light of today’s gospel.
   

• Those of you who have been involved in the past know what you gave last year.  Add to it if possible, or consider increasing your gift to help make this goal.  Those who are involved for the first time, what should you give?  Some can give $50, some $100, some $500, and some $1,000 and not even touch their excess.
   

• We will be collecting pledge cards during the offertory next Saturday and Sunday.
   

• Let’s make this a great year for CFSA and join our diocesan church in helping the people of our diocese.
   

• I want to thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity.
  
   

Commitment Weekend  - February 21-22, 2009

The Commitment Weekend is where a large percentage of your pledges will be collected. It is important at this time to attract those who have not donated before and encourage those who have not returned the cards to do so at their earliest convenience. 

Pulpit Announcements:                                                                    

Today we collect the pledge cards for the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal.  Thank you all who have already given so generously.  Every gift, regardless of the size, is important to the success of CFSA and the many ministries that it supports.  

If you did not bring your pledge card in this week, please fill it out and return it as soon as possible.  We need participation from everyone to support the many works of our diocesan church.  If you cannot participate financially please consider filling out your card and offer a prayer for the success of CFSA.  Our goal is 100% participation offered through our time, talent or treasure.  Again, any amount raised above the goal will stay in the parish.

Follow the timeline and be prepared to add follow-up prayer petitions and  bulletin announcements

(Telephone Follow-up - Click Here)
(Clip Art - Click Here)
(Liturgical Aids - Click Here)
 

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