My favorite case letter of the season.

This letter inspired by the words of our client-the pastor at Saint Francis-but credit for the writing belongs to Harry Colin of the Cunneen team.

Saint Francis of Assisi Parish is blessed in so many ways! We are an active, vibrant parish that accepts with great eagerness Christ's call to evangelization. We center our worship on the Eucharistic Liturgy and from this wellspring all of our ministries flow. It is sometimes instructive for all of us to review just how far and in what directions our outreach extends, so permit me to briefly review just some of the highlights of our parish life and to discuss some exciting plans for our future.

Our celebrations of the liturgy are infused with energy, passion and prayerfulness. Our music ministry is superb and in the words of Saint Augustine, “ one who sings prays twice.” To strengthen this integral component of our parish life we want to appoint a Worship Ministry Coordinator to make our celebrations even more powerful and consistent.

We educate children from Pre-K age all the way through the elementary, middles school and high school years. This process is critical to our future and requires adequate resources to insure our children are properly catechized to go forth into a challenging world. Our RCIA and adult education programs also are important to us.

Effective and Gospel- inspired social action is an important ministry for us here also. Among the most prominent programs are Americares, the Christmas toy collection, our food drive and our ongoing care and outreach to our sick. We also sponsor a number of social gatherings that are important to sustain and buildupon our fellowship here at Saint Francis.

Communication that is far-reaching and effective is required to link all of our people and ministries together. We want to revive the parish newsletter and strengthen our presence on the website to further this aim.

We have now reached an important, exciting yet critical point in our parish life. We must take the opportunity presented to us now to insure these ministries survive and prosper. All of these ministries require resources to operate. Our parish offertory collection is the lifeblood that nourishes the heart from which our actions draw their inspiration. That is why I am asking each one of you to prayerfully consider making a modest increase in your weekly giving.

The members of the parish finance committee and I understand these are challenging times. Such times, however, require more from our parish ministries, not less and a strengthened collection is the only way for this to occur. By making every effort to be a regular and consistent user of your envelopes, and by making the commitment to nudge your weekly gift upward a bit, we can survive and flourish in our parish life.

Please pray over this important request I have presented you and respond as best you can. We are good stewards of what you have given us and we ask that you in turn practice good stewardship with your blessings. As Sacred Scripture tells us, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16) Whatever your decision, I ask for your prayers and assure you of mine on your behalf.

This parish has recorded a 25% increase in weekly giving-the message worked!