In the past, Saint Vincent de Paul (SVDP) Society has held an annual Walk for the Poor. It helps to raise funds and awareness for SVDP and those who use it. To give a bit of background SVDP is a society in which volunteers help to feed, clothe, and help those who may not be financially stable. Some societies only have a food pantry, while others have financial options. All do amazing work for their community.
National Wildlife Day
It is September 4th which means it is National Wildlife Day! This day is supposed to bring attention to different species in your area, and the rest of the world. So, I thought in honor of National Wildlife Day some of us from the Parish Giving team would tell our readers about our favorite wild species and why! Hope you enjoy!
Catching Foxes
A Podcast Review
When I first became interested in podcasts I listened to The Nerdist, now known as ID10T with Chris Hardwick, religiously. He and his friends would casually interview celebrities who are closely associated with nerd culture (think scientists, superhero film stars and anyone in between). It was a podcast for those who were not fans of mainstream culture and were not embarrassed by it. That is what Catching Foxes is to the world of Catholic podcasts – they are who they are and not afraid if they are not seen as conventional which is probably why I found it so enjoyable!
Do Something Beautiful
During the pandemic I started to listen to podcasts for background noise while working. It was a nice escape from listening to the same repetitive songs on the radio and mix stations. The question is what topic do I feel like listening to today? That led me to the podcast Do Something Beautiful. It was real, it was authentic, and it was just what I needed at the time. Here is my review on Do Something Beautiful! Enjoy!
RE: The Year We Have
It has been a whirlwind five months. So many questions that are unanswered: how are we educating our children? Are hybrid classes the best choice? Are our children safe in the classroom? Is my child able to learn online? There is much uncertainty in children’s education that most do not know the correct choice for Religious Education either. Parish Giving is here to support whatever decision you have made and would like to share what some parishes have come up with.
Community Band Aid 2
We had no idea when we first started the Community Band Aid blog that there would be any additional ideas! Well it turns out we were wrong! A couple of new stories came into us and we thought that we just had to share them with our followers! It is great to see how people in the community are reaching out to one another during this difficult time and making lemonade from the lemons!
Community Band Aid
Time is a funny thing. We have been working from home for the past four months. It seems much longer than that, but if I were on sabbatical for four months it would have gone by in the blink of an eye. But why is that? Perhaps it is because I felt needed and useful if I was able to help out. Being tucked in safe at home I do not feel as useful to my community. But then I realized I am able to help out my community during this time. Here are some ideas on how you can put some of your community energy:
Common Cents
Now is the time for Online Giving.
For close to twenty years, parishes have found online giving to be a useful tool to supplement their Offertory Collection. Forward thinking parishes employed this tool to safeguard against the disruption to the weekly collection due to illness, vacations, and inclement weather. Today we see the value of using online giving because of Covid-19.
The New Normal in Giving
This month is the first time since mid-March that many parishioners are able to attend mass. There are many new rules and regulations to follow, but we try to see the positive in the situation – intimate mass is better than no mass. With all of the new changes, we wanted to remind you of one thing that has not changed – using Parish Giving. Whether you are a longtime user, or one of our new additions, we are still here for you. Here are some reasons why Parish Giving should still be part of your new normal:
New Normal
This is an interesting time we live in. Our worlds have been turned upside down. Since mid-March we have transitioned our homes into classrooms, offices, restaurants and so much more. One change that many parishes were not expecting was how to transition from worshiping at church to worshiping at home and keeping parishioners engaged. One thing is for certain – Parish Giving was ready to assist with each parish needs and are welcoming new churches too. If you are not thrilled with how your e-giving company is working with your parish, consider this as the perfect time to change. What do you have to lose?
Week 4: How To Keep Occupied
So, I just realized that this is currently my third week working at home. I’ve have missed some events that I look forward to every year such as Singer Songwriter down in Cape May and Tartan Week in New York City. It just doesn’t seem as though there is much to look forward to this year. Instead we need to focus on keep ourselves busy. I’ve come up with a plan to follow that allows us to do something besides wait for new shows on Netflix and Prime.
Self-Care
I’m sitting at home right now catching up on emails and my to do list for tomorrow. I check my email quickly and notice the subject line on the email reads: Need some self-care? We got you. Yes Ulta, I could use some self-care. Perhaps not the kind that you can provide me with right now because let’s face it, the last thing I care about is how this lipstick is more early spring than late spring. Instead I’m looking for the self-care that makes me feel good during this pandemic we are currently going through. I thought I’d assemble a couple of quick ideas that can make us all feel human again.