Parish Growth Partners | Our Services

Being open to help from others.

In his recent address to the priests of the Austin, TX diocese, Bishop Gregory Aymond identified the three primary roles of the priesthood: to be preacher and teacher of the Word…to be the presider of the sacraments…and to act as the shepherd, the one who provides pastoral care.

Few would argue with these priorities. And yet Bishop Aymond also recognized that priests are often pulled away from these priorities by the day to day requirements of running a parish. But he cautioned that these administrative duties “should not be the purpose of our lives, and they should not take up most of our time.”

To help reconcile these competing priorities, Bishop Aymond had this advice:

“If we are to be good stewards of the gifts given to us as priests, the key is to call other people to do the things that they can do so that we can do the things that we have been specifically ordained to do.”

In building a culture of stewardship, the pastor is the only one who can provide spiritual and theological leadership. But given unrelenting time constraints, pastors should look to the parish community and to professionals outside the parish to help structure and implement stewardship programs.

Indeed, in their Tenth Anniversary Pastoral Letter on Stewardship, the U.S. Conference of Bishops states, “Parishes are urged to seek the assistance of qualified communications professionals to develop communications plans that will make the best possible use of available resources.”

Parish Growth Partners can help you leverage your time and talents by creating and implementing stewardship communications programs and processes that are customized to reflect the tone of your voice, and look and feel of your parish. Our wide range of services include communications programs to update parishioners on finances and ministries and invite greater involvement to advanced leadership donor services that enable you to bring high potential donors in closer alignment with the parish mission.

The long history of charitable giving has consistently shown that “high potential” or leadership donors need to be communicated with in a special way. PGP has over 10 years experience in developing the most effective relationship building strategies to help you connect with leadership donors. We use that knowledge to help you craft messages that will be anticipated and welcomed by this discerning audience. Communications that are personal, poignant and interactive. Words that touch the heart as well as open the mind. Your leadership donors will receive regularly-scheduled updates on parish life, finances, ministries, as well as specific goals and activities. As a result, you can expect to see a “return with increase” on the part of your leadership donors.

In his ground-breaking book, “Why Catholics Don’t Give…And What Can Be Done About It”, Dr. Charles Zech says that when parishioners have a voice in the financial decisions of their parishes and understand how contributed funds are used, they behave differently as donors and volunteers. Inclusion and accountability, supported by frequent and open communication, results in increased stewardship. PGP provides you with the communications tools and strategies that help make stewardship a way of life for parishioners.