Making the Most of…

 

Advent and Christmas

• Pray
• 80% of Americans say their primary source of pain is loneliness.
• 80% of Americans say if invited to church they would attend.
• Have on your parish website all of your Advent and Christmas events.
• Make postcards, business cards, and email invitation to give to friends, co-workers, family, and those around you to invite them to your church.
• Encourage all church members to give out 3-5 cards a week leading up to Christmas – grocery store, coffee shops, friends, neighbors.
• When you serve the poor, invite your non-Christian friends.
• Get some church friends together and have a Christmas gathering in your home. Invite them to church.
• Share “Why Christmas” booklets with others. alphausa.org
• Be radical inviters. Radical hospitality.
• carrieheadington.comShare the Christmas video and Christmas letter “From God to You.”
• Go door to door and invite neighbors to church. Ask if you can pray for anything for them. Offer them homemade Christmas cookies.
• At Christmas services have cards, invitations for New Year’s parish offerings. Have something for seekers.
• Give a Christmas booklet on the meaning of Christmas, times of  Christmas services or a letter “From God to You” which you can print from www.carrieheadington.com. 

New Year

• Have parish offerings for seekers to connect with God – ALPHA, Seeker Bible Studies (Rebecca Manley Pippert). Go to where they are – home, coffee shops, local hang-outs.Pray and Invite people.
• Epiphany – God reaching the Gentiles with the Good News. Offer evangelism equipping resources, classes, sermons to help your people grasp their call and JOY to share the faith.