Sacred Heart ChurchAustin, Texas

Stewardship Campaign

Implementation PhaseProgram for six weeks

You Can Count on Me!Puedes Contar Conmigo!

Parishvs

Diocese

You Can Count on Me!

Track records at Sacred Heart Parish - Austin

Annual Annual

First Increase Increase

Collections Sacred Heart Diocesan Parishes

2013 vs 2012 17% 6%

2014 vs 2013 13% 4%

2015 vs 2014 10% 2%

2016 vs 2015 15% 4%

2017 vs 2016 5% 0.48%

2018 vs 2017

23 weeks 5% 4%

Five years of growth

2017 was a challenging year…

5% increase2016 vs 2017

Affected by fluctuating

Mass attendance

In 2018 we continue 5%

increase

versus prior year 2017

Mass attendance

Attendancetaken manually by ushers every weekend at all

Masses

Regular review at

Staff meeting every week

Timing is EVERYTHING

• Need 4-6 weeks with no distractions or interruptions

• February is ideal

➢We avoided• Holiday season: November,

December & January

• Holy Week

• Summer months

• September Festival

• October – November : diocesan collections

Weekly Themes

First

Membership and

Registration

Second

Census

Third

Tithing as an

obligation

Fourth

Pledge

You Can Count on Me!

• First Step: Clean the data baseClean

• Very simple: export to excel from Data Base the annual report of donationsExport

• Sort the information by membership status active, inactive, visitorSort

• All memberships with $0 contributions will change the status to “Inactive”Inactive

The importance of being registered as members of

the parish.

First Weekend

The priest will begin preaching at all weekend masses about

“What is a parishioner”

and the importance of being registered as members of a parish.

“You Can Count on Me!”

Bulletin will have related article from Pastor.

Plus posters and Bulletin insert– next slide

For parishioners who don’t receive envelopes by mail,

we provide Generic envelopes

at the church entrances, in

pews, etc.

Census Sunday Second Weekend

The priest will preach about the census and the importance of being registered.

“You Can Count on Me!”

Bulletin article about the

census.

Ushers will pass the

census (yellow page) and

pencils at all masses

(after homily and before

presentation of gifts)

Priest fill his own census in front parishioners at ALL

Masses

UshersWill pick up the census asap be

finished and will put in envelopes marked by Mass time.

Tithe

Our responsibility

Third Weekend

Homily:

“Why Christians Tithe?” ➢ Talk about importance of tithe

according to the Scriptures at ALL Masses

➢ (Time, Talent & Treasure) ➢ Importance of use envelopes

to track the assistance to the church

➢ Remark the importance of everybody participation

➢ “First Fruits”

“You Can Count on Me!”

Bulletin:

“Why Christians tithe”.

Bulletin board posters, bulletin inserts, etc

➢Continue

putting

Census Cards

in Bulletin:

Data will

increase

Census forms and

Census collection at

church entrances if

they have still not

participated.

Pledge

weekend

Fourth Weekend

Priests preach about the

gifts that the Lord gives us

and our responsibility for

stewardship within the

Church.

“You Can Count on Me!”

Bulletin article about

stewardship according to

Scripture.

Usherspass the pledge cards

and pencils at all masses

(After homily, but before 1st collection).

Priest fills his own pledge with parishioners, explaining how to fill

each line at ALL Masses

Ushers

Pick up pledge cards and pencil asap

parishioners finish, and will put in an envelope marked

with the Mass time.

Before first collection

Follow upFifth Weekend

THANKSGIVING!

➢ Priests preach about importance of membership and tithing.

➢ Never is too late to begin with the responsibility as Catholics.

➢ Invite those who have not made their pledge; there are pledge cards and boxes available at the church entrances.

TRANSPARENCY!Priest give an actualization about Census, Pledge cards and Financial Reports.

Bulletin article about parish financial statements.

TRANSPARENCY

is ESENTIAL for STEWARDSHIP

Latest parish financial statements

inserted in the bulletin

Wrap-upThank you!

Thank you!

Thank you!

Sixth Weekend

➢Priests thank parishioners who listen the call to stewardship.

➢Invite again to all parishioners who have not made their pledge card to do it.

➢Continuous Update information on pledge cards received to date in the bulletin.

Bulletín will have:➢ Pledge cards➢ Attendance➢ Amount pledged by Mass

time ➢ And real average collection

SHARE INFORMATION

Follow up.

Remind parishioners about their commitments made with their pledge to their parish (Announcements, as part of the homily, bulletin articles, bulletin board).

Make available at the church entrances blank pledge cards for those who decide fill it out later or newcomers.

Invite to all parishioners to use parish envelopes, or the generic envelopes for their “Firs Fruits” with their information.

Critical to All to keep their pledge.

“You Can Count on Me!”

Remind to keep their promises

DATA FROM ANOTHER PARISH

* St. Joseph in Killeen, Texas

* Multi-cultural Parish near large Military Base* UP 14% vs. Prior Year

* “You Can Count on Me” works with any type of population, not just Hispanic

* Program strengthens our commitment to our Church with the Scriptures

CENSUS: Not necessary in subsequent years

OBSERVATIONS

Parishvs

Diocese

You Can Count on Me!

Track records at Sacred Heart Parish - Austin

Annual Annual

First Increase Increase

Collections Sacred Heart Diocesan Parishes

2013 vs 2012 17% 6%

2014 vs 2013 13% 4%

2015 vs 2014 10% 2%

2016 vs 2015 15% 4%

2017 vs 2016 5% 0.48%

2018 vs 2017

23 weeks 5% 4%

Sacred Heart Parish – Austin, Texashttps://www.sacredheartchurchaustin.org

Parish Stewardship and Financial Statementshttps://www.sacredheartchurchaustin.org/stewardship

HANDOUT: “You Can Count On Me”/Elizabeth’s Planhttps://www.sacredheartchurchaustin.org/documents/2018/6/You%20Can%20Count%20On%20Me%20MASTER.pdf

VIDEO and Homilies :http://www.fathermarkhamlet.com/tag/stewardship/

LINKS