Making the Most of…

Advent and Christmas 

• Pray specifically for people God has placed around you to come to know Jesus in a new and deeper way.

 

• 80% of American say their primary source of pain is loneliness. Take time to talk with people. Give people time. Listen to people. Invite them to your home.

 

• 80% of American say if invited to church they would attend. Make business cards/flyers/postcards (print and electronic) containing your parish Advent, Christmas, and New Year’s worship and events. Encourage parishioners to share the invitation with others. Pray specifically for 1-3 people to invite. INVITE PEOPLE.  

 

• Encourage all church members to give out 3-5 Christmas worship invitation cards a week leading up to Christmas . (Share wit friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and people in places where you frequent like grocery stores, school, gym, coffee shops etc.

 

• REFRESH YOUR WEBSITE with upcoming events, emphasizing that ALL are welcome.

 

• When you serve the poor, invite your non-Christian friends to join in the work. Invite those you are caring for to your church.

 

• Get some church friends together and have a Christmas gathering in your home. Invite the people who do not have a church home to church.

 

• First generation immigrants in America get invited into an American home once every 15 years. God has brought the nations to us. Invite them.

 

• Go to carrieheadington.com to e-mail the Christmas video to others. Share the Christmas Letter “From God to You” with Friends and Family.

 

• Go door to door and invite neighbors to church. Ask if you can pray for anything for them.     

 

• At Christmas services have communication cards that will allow people to share prayer requests and contact information for follow up. Have invitations available for 2018 parish offerings. Have something for seekers like an Alpha course, a seeker Bible Study, or an Explore God. Contact Canon Carrie Headington for ideas to reach seekers in the New Year.

New Year 

• Have parish offerings for seekers to explore questions about God. Advertise these during Advent and Christmas – ex. “Start Off Your New Year Right By Making the Most of Every Day of Your Life” “New Year’s Resolution to get in Shape? Don’t forget your spiritual health too. Come join us for 6 weeks to look at life’s most significant questions.” “Start off the New Year By Living Each Day with Purpose.” Offer a course for seekers to explore the faith by offering ALPHA, a Seeker Bible Study (Rebecca Manley Pippert), Explore God, Transforming Questions.   

• Epiphany –Offer evangelism equipping resources, classes, sermons to help your congregation grasp their missional call to be ambassadors for Christ and to experience the JOY of sharing their faith.