Tag Archives: tips

launch

Always Launching!

Administrators, Ideas & Tips, Launch Kit, , , , ,

You’ll often hear our team use the phrase, “Always be launching!” What we mean by that is don’t have one Launch Weekend, and then pack up the Launch Kit and stow it in that room in the rectory basement that no one ever goes in.

The Launch Kit is meant to be used all the time. For instance, your Launch Kit included a banner that is specific to your parish. Keep it up!

It’s a good idea to move the banner from time to time, since people get used to seeing it. You might put it in the narthex for a few weeks, and then move it to your parish hall. You might put it in the school or religious education entrance for awhile. The point is, you’ll always have new people who will see it for the first time, and you might have parishioners who’ll simply notice it for the first time. In any case, keeping that banner front and center is a great way to remind people to use myParish App.

We spent some time talking with Kathryn Mulderink at St. Isidore Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, MI. She shares some great “always launching” tips here:

 

message

Message Me!

Administrators, Ideas & Tips, Message Ideas, , , ,

Craft great messages for the best results.

Sending messages via myParish App is a terrific way to keep your parishioners informed. However, there are a few tips to create great messages, making them more effective.

  • Include most relevant at beginning of message because that’s what shows in a push notification.
  • Send your message now, and then add as an event to remain on calendar.
  • Use messaging and events together to keep information available on the calendar.

Here is an example of a “weak” message:

“We need volunteers! There are many volunteer opportunities here at St. Ann’s. This week, we are cleaning the church. Call the church office if interested. “

This message is really unclear. It doesn’t tell parishioners when they would be needed, and there is no phone or email included so that they can easily contact the office if interested. They would have to hunt around to find the contact information.

Here is an example of a “stronger” message:

“Help clean the church for Christmas! Wednesday, December 21 at noon, volunteers are needed to clean and decorate the church for Christmas. Snacks and drinks provided and all ages welcome. Please call Patty in the church office at 616-555-5555 for more information or to volunteer.”

Then, make sure you put this event on the app calendar.

A few simple tweaks to a message can make a big difference!

think outside the box

myParish App: Think Outside The Box

Administrators, Ideas & Tips, , , , , , , , ,

myParish App isn’t just about the features you see on the screen. If you do a little creative thinking, you can use the app in some unique ways.

small town street

For instance, it’s easy to get stuck thinking about just our own parish. Here is Applandia, at Saint Alphege the Bald Catholic Church, we try and think about the universal church, as well. Here are some things we’ve done:

    • Consider a parish-wide novena using the app. Send the novena prayer as a daily message. (Need ideas for novenas? Check out this page.)
    • How much do you know about your parish’s patron saint? Send a message on the saint’s feast or send a message with a prayer for your patron’s intercession on a regular schedule (weekly, or monthly.)
    • Send a message with the Holy Father’s intentions on the first day of the month, and encourage parishioners to pray the Morning Offering for them. The Morning Offering can be found in the Prayers tab in the app, where prayers are listed alphabetically. (You can find the Holy Father’s monthly intentions here.)

With just a little effort, your parish community can use myParish App to stay connected to the world-wide Catholic community in prayer, and learn some new things as well.