What a week!

This week at the ICSC annual conference, we learned so much! There were almost 1,300 people there representing six of the seven continents.

Sunday morning before the conference began, I had breakfast with three of my OSV associates - (standing from left to right) Diane Brumbaugh, Jill Adamson, and Lori Neumann. Joining us were Chris Ehler and Michael Byrne (on the right) from Brisbane, Australia, and Jim Kelley with the Diocese of Charlotte (in the middle above Minnie). Since the conference was at one of the Disney properties, the restaurant wa filled with families and young children getting their picture taken with some of the Disney characters. We didn't want to be left out! Michael's grandchildren in Australia were most impressed to get his email with Minnie's picture.

The conference was far from a fantasy, however. In fact, this was the very point of the homily given by Archbishop Richard Smith from the Archdiocese of Edmonton at Mass on Tuesday afternoon. How ironic that we are so close geographically to Disney's theme parks and imaginary characters, yet we focus on the real presence of Christ, and the great importance of spreading His kingdom rather than a "Magic" one.

Our days were filled with prayer, friendship, meetings, music, food, workshops, laughter, conversation, creativity, making new friends, planning, reconnecting, listening, amazing Liturgies, and so on...the list is endless. This conference was one of the best yet. Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting notes from what I learned these past few days, including some great links and examples of parish stewardship in action. I invite you to post your ICSC conference experiences as well. Every conversation matters.

For now, back to the vineyard. Why don't you, go too?

Stewardship and Web Sites: OK is not Enough!

There are many wonderful examples of engaging and useful parish websites across the United States. Oh the other hand there are also many sites that are poorly organized, and rarely updated. If we are not using our websites as an integral part of our parish communication plan, we are poor stewards of this resource. In addition we are missing a key component for education and communication.

In researching his book “ Best Practices in Parish Stewardship”, Chuck Zech determined that a newsletter is the most effective way to communicate with parishioners, and web sites were the second most effective.

Why then do we leave the web site to fend for itself?

Key challenges include staff time, and technical knowledge. Parish leadership must also recognize the web site as one of the key tools for the parish and apply the appropriate priority and planning for the web site.

St. Anne parish in Columbus, GA is one of the exceptions. They converted their web site to a system they are able to maintain and update. And they have created a site that incorporates both important standard information PLUS a section devoted to stewardship topics and how to get engaged at the parish. They have been good stewards of the website itself while also using it to enhance their overall stewardship efforts with parishioners.

The Archdiocese of Boston Secretariat for Media team researched all the parish web sites to assess the quality and effectiveness of web sites across the Archdiocese. Based on their research there and other work to evaluate web sites they developed recommendations for what makes a great parish website and subsequent designs and guidelines for web site templates.

At ICSC today, an attendee who is part of his parish stewardship board put it accurately: “Our web site is OK. We saved some money on it but we have a very difficult time updating it and it could be better. If we focused more on making it better and a little less on saving money, think how many lives we might touch…”

What do you think?

Best Practices in Parish Stewardship

I'm a member of the International Catholic Stewardship Council's (ICSC) committee for Parish Stewardship Education and Services. One of the purposes of the committee is to develop practical stewardship resources our member parishes can use in their efforts to teach this way of life. In 2007, the ICSC received a grant from Our Sunday Visitor Institute, the charitable arm of our not-for-profit organization. This grant provided funding for a survey to statistically prove what techniques and processes are best employed by parishes to teach stewardship. Dr. Charles Zech, Executive Director of the Villanova University Center for the Study of Church Management, was selected as the researcher and analyst for this project.

A subcommittee of the ICSC Parish Stewardship Education and Services group was asked to assist with the composition of survey questions, initial analysis of data, and to conduct focus groups in order to prove the survey results. That was really a fascinating project to be part of! The data was published in 2008 by Our Sunday Visitor, with Dr. Zech as the author, in a book called Best Practices in Parish Stewardship. It is a book I keep on top of my desk, and my copy contains quite a bit of underlining and my scribbles as well as sticky note flags throughout.

On November 2, 2011, Dr. Zech will present a 90-minute, interactive, webinar (part of a 12-webinar series to earn a Certificate in Church Management from Villanova), called Stewardship Best Practices at 2:00 pm Eastern, and again at 7:00 pm Eastern. Anyone can attend this webinar to learn more about these best practices and hear Dr. Zech's insights. There is a $99 registration fee per computer connection, so you can gather your entire stewardship committee to view it and even ask questions to Dr. Zech, all without leaving the parish office or incurring travel expenses! The link for more information on the webinar, including how to register, is: http://www.osvoffertory.com/CustomerResources/Calendar/tabid/230/ModuleID/821/ItemID/214/mctl/EventDetails/Default.aspx

If you haven't attended a webinar before, it's a great way to learn without traveling, and you participate over the internet from any computer at work or at home. Many companies now provide webinars, or use the web-presentation method for on-the-job training, organizational updates and so on.

I hope you'll join us on November 2! We'd love to have you "in class" with us. We'll, back to the vineyard. Why don't you go, too? Until next time...

A Wall of Vocations

While visiting St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Centennial, CO this past August, Mila Glodava, parish Director of Communications and Stewardship was giving me a tour of their newly remodeled facilities, pointing out various features and areas that had been added since I was there last. I have always admired this parish and the things they continue to do throughout the world, but I found the church enhancements thoughtful, seeming to have the good of the parishioner's souls in mind. One example: Do you know how most parishes have an area where parishioners can light a devotional candle for a special person or prayer intention heavy on their hearts? Well, St. Thomas More has a devotion room full of candles, kneelers and a few saintly figures. It's warm, inviting and private, smells wonderfully soft like warm candle wax, and feels very intimate. I could envision myself spending a lot of time here had I lived anywhere near Centennial.

I was speechless, however, when Mila showed me what she is most proud of at St. Thomas More. They have a wall of vocations. No kidding. And, it's a BIG wall! And, the great news is they're running out of room on that wall. They've hung pictures of all the men and women from the parish who have entered into a priestly or religious vocation since they began teaching stewardship 21 years ago. The numbers are impressive - 16 priests, 10 deacons, 9 seminarians/novices, 3 sisters, 1 brother, and 1 in diaconate formation. Wow! That surely is something to be proud of and a true measurement of success and testimony to their efforts.

The best part? This is no accident. You see, St. Thomas More, under the leadership of their Pastor, Father Andrew Kemberling, uses an annual six-phase stewardship focus, and one of the six areas they emphasize is Stewardship of Vocations. Our Sunday Visitor published a book called Making Stewardship A Way of Life about their highly successful approach, if you want to learn more. You can find the book on our website at https://catalog.osv.com/catalog.aspx?SimpleDisplay=true&ProductCode=X861, but certainly no one can argue those numbers or say that stewardship at St. Thomas More is "just about money".

Better get back to that vineyard. You go, too, my Friend. While we're working, let's pray together for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Can't hear him enough...

There aren't too many speakers that I would purposefully and repeatedly attend their sessions. I try to glean at least one nugget from each presenter and move on. I'm sure Lou Holtz will be entertaining and enlightening at the upcoming ICSC Conference in Orlando, but the speaker I most look forward to hearing is Bishop Robert Morneau, for about the twenty-fifth time. I can't listen to him enough, and find his humble, self-deprecatory, humorous and poignant communication style irresistible and inspirational.

As Auxiliary Bishop of Green Bay and Pastor of a large parish, Bishop Morneau can no longer present as much as he used to giving stewardship talks everywhere. However, we recently shared a flight from Minneapolis to Boise as we were both going to speak at the same regional stewardship conference. We updated each other on what had been going on in our lives, told stories, and joked as our flight was delayed. Over the next few days, we had the opportunity to be in the same group of people laughing, learning, sharing and enjoying Idaho hospitality. Bishop Morneau even gave me an autographed copy of his book of poetry on my birthday (which occurred while we were in Boise), although the time together is the gift I'll hold close to my heart the most.

Bp Bob (how he signs his books and notes) is a sports-lover, poet, avid reader, jokester, and obedient servant of God. You can't help but love him! I am uplifted and feel myself drawn closer to Christ by listening to his words. Fans idolize athletes. They want to be just like them, buy the same car, eat at the same restaurants, and just BE in their presence. Well, Bp Bob is someone to follow, to emulate. Even though I can't see myself becoming a Packers follower anytime soon, Bp Bob is one of my heroes.

If you are not coming to the ICSC conference in Orlando this month, through the miracle of technology, you too can hear his thoughts. I was thrilled to learn that his parish posts audio of his homilies online within their parish website. Here is the link...enjoy! http://www.gbres.org/about/pastors-page/

OK, back to the vineyard. You go, too, after you listen to Bp Bob of course...