Keep Your Parish Offertory Blooming All Summer Long!
As we shake off the winter chill and step into the freshness of spring, it's the perfect moment to rejuvenate not only our gardens but also our parish offertory efforts! Historically, many parishes experience a noticeable dip in offertory collections during the summer months. This decline typically occurs because parishioners travel, spend time away on vacation, or are simply attending Mass less frequently due to their summer schedules.
To illustrate, in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, offertory giving totaled an impressive $22,599,817 during the spring months of March, April, and May of 2024. However, during the subsequent summer months of June, July, and August, giving fell to $20,563,328—a substantial decrease of $2,036,489! This significant slump underscores the critical need for proactive steps to ensure consistent financial support, especially when church attendance naturally fluctuates during summer.
One of the simplest yet most powerful strategies to combat this seasonal drop is encouraging your parishioners to set up recurring online offertory gifts. When parishioners choose recurring donations, they're ensuring their support continues uninterrupted, whether they're present in the pews or away enjoying a summer vacation.
And here's even better news: the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Advancement Department has already prepared everything you need to effectively promote recurring online giving. We've taken the guesswork out and made the process easy, engaging, and even enjoyable!
Our comprehensive toolkit includes customizable bulletin announcements that clearly communicate the benefits of online giving, attention-grabbing social media graphics to engage parishioners digitally, and pre-written, ready-to-send email templates that streamline communication. With these resources at your fingertips, you’ll be well-equipped to inspire your parishioners and effortlessly boost your offertory throughout the year.
Additionally, consider these helpful recommendations:
Post engaging social media content on platforms like Facebook, reminding parishioners of the ease and impact of recurring gifts.
Send a timely email or physical letter in April or May specifically to your regular envelope users, clearly outlining the benefits and simple steps of setting up a recurring online offertory gift. This proactive approach can significantly capture additional recurring gifts, creating a more predictable and stable budget for your parish.
Think of it like having a personal gardener for your offertory efforts—someone who's already tilled the soil, planted the seeds, set up the sprinkler system, and is now standing by, ready to watch your donations bloom beautifully and reliably!
So, why wait? Spring forward today by visiting www.advancingourmission.org/online-giving-promotion. Here, you can quickly access and implement these intuitive tools designed specifically to help your parish thrive, even during the slower summer months.
Let’s leap into spring with renewed generosity, joyful simplicity, and sustained financial strength. Your parishioners will appreciate the ease of giving, your budget will thank you, and you’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing your offertory is flourishing all summer long!
For more information or assistance, please contact Kim Montgomery or Mark Talcott in the Advancement Department:
Kim Montgomery: kim.montgomery@archbalt.org
Mark Talcott: mark.talcott@archbalt.org
