STEWARDSHIP PRACTICUM: MINISTRY FAIR PLANNING

PREPARED BY: CHRIS SERGER

SACRED HEART OF JESUS, WADSWORTH

Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland 2

The Christian life is about living to the glory of God. It is not a driven, frenetic, sweated, interminable quest for saving souls. It is doing for his glory what God has given us to do. As with the Olympic runner in the film "Chariots of Fire," it is giving God pleasure in what we do well. Souls are saved by saved souls who live

out their salvation by thinking and living differently, with a martyr's resolve, in a world marked by falsehood, baseness,

injustice, impurity, ugliness, and mediocrity.

-Death on a Friday Afternoon

by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus

Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

ROADMAP: WHERE ARE WE?

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Conduct

Ministry

Fair

WHAT

Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

A MINISTRY FAIR IS A FORUM TO…

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Be a visible demonstration of the parish stewardship process.

Present and represent parish ministries, programs, and services.

Help parishioners understand the impact that their gifts of time, talent, and treasure have on the lives of others.

Invite parishioners to volunteer their gifts.

Experience the depth of Christian ministry within the Parish.

HOW

Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

FORM A COMMITTEE (TODAY!)

• Stewardship Committee can oversee and planning and implementation

• Appoint a chairperson (at minimum) o Build agendas and run meetings

o Establish goals and due dates

o Keep people on task

o Build consensus among committee members

o Network around the parish

• Recruit Others: o Member suggestions from Pastor or Parochial Vicar

o Advertise (bulletin, website, etc.) to invite non-Stewardship people to join Ministry Fair committee

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Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

GET A BUDGET

• Determine event size & scope

• Estimate outside advertising; refreshments,

decorating, exhibit boards, rental of

equipment, banners

• Consider parish donations to defray costs

• Consider updating Parish Ministry booklet

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Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

PICK A DATE & TIME

Date Time

• End of Stewardship

Practicum o Fall or Winter

o Two-week Event: Fair &

Commitment Sunday

o Avoid the holidays due

to scheduling, weather &

required follow-up

• After all Masses

• After last Mass

• Separate weekend

event

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Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

LOGISTICS

• Choose & Reserve the Venue o Ease of access (i.e. parking)

o Ability to serve food

o Availability of tables/chairs

• Theme o Choose something “flexible”

o Spring: Planting Seeds; Nurturing Stewards

o Fall: Thanksgiving; Harvesting of Gifts

o Misc.: Fishers of Men/Women; Pathway to Heaven;

Building God’s Kingdom

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Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

ENLIST SUPPORT

• Compile a list of ALL Ministry Leaders o Phone, Address, Email

o Determine most effective communication form

• Begin promoting the Fair to them o Host a meeting to introduce the Stewardship Committee,

its goals, and the main event: the Fair

o Have Ministry Fair board samples

o Take Q&A

• Each Ministry needs a

Fair point-person

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Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

GATHER THE PEOPLE

• Bulletin o 4-weeks

• Envelope mailings

• Website / Email

• Homilies o Guides provided to clergy

• Lay witnesses

• Local newspaper

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Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

THE BIG DAY

• Logistics in the announcements o Volunteers can assist older adults needing help

o Parking

• Theme of homily

• Information booth at Fair o Guide / Program

o Name tags

• Stewardship Committee members greet serve as hosts

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Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

TIMELINE

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Today

•Form Fair Committee

•Create Ministry Leaders database

•Begin planning

4-5 Months Out

•Inform Ministry Leaders about Fair

•Invite to Info Session

•Confirm attendees

2-3 Months Out

•Hold Info Session

•Distribute boards

1-2 Months Out

•Fair promotion

•Setup & Clean-up Plan

LEARN FROM OTHERS

Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

THINGS YOU’LL NEED

• Decorations

• Food & Drinks (lots!)

• Entertainment

• Photographer

• Raffle Prizes

• Science fair/exhibit

boards

• Fair guide/program

• Name tags

• Table cloths

• Tables & chairs

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Stewardship Practicum: Ministry Fair Diocese of Cleveland

RANDOM THOUGHTS

• Make it an EVENT!

• Don’t plan too close to holidays

• Setup and Clean-up Plan o Setup will take longer than you think

o Make clean-up a stewardship activity (i.e. enlist the attendees)

• Explain Commitment Sunday

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Chris Serger ● chrisserger@gmail.com ● Get my slides: www.slideshare.net/sergerca