Drive-through Parish Festivals and/or Feast Day Celebrations

Idea: (via St. Joseph in Shelbyville, October Fest) St. Joseph designated three lanes for cars to drive through to purchase premade meals.  The three lanes were lined with pumpkins that were also available for people to buy.  Pre-made dinners and hot chocolate were prepared by the “God Squad” of volunteers.  A DJ played music throughout the day and evening.  Over 500 meals were served. 

Platform: Advertised through Flocknotes, webpage, social media, local community outlets

Contact: St. Joseph, Shelbyville. Gaye McKenney at gayemck@comcast.net

Google Maps/ Neighborhood Captains

Idea: No parishioner left behind. The parish boundaries are mapped out via Google Maps.  Parish member locations are identified on the map.  The map is then partitioned into sections where a parish Neighborhood Captain is identified.  The goal is to check in with each other, particularly the elderly and homebound of the parish, so that no one is forgotten as people adjust to their new COVID world. 

Platform: Webpage, social media, small groups

Contact: St. Bartholomew.  Kathy Davis-Shanks, Pastoral Associate: kdavis-shanks@stbparish.net

Flowers for Shut-ins

Idea: For parishioners who are homebound, elderly, or in nursing homes, they are presented with a small vase of flowers and a note card that includes pictures of the parish with a personalized message from the pastor.  Suggestions for keeping the cost low:  buy small vases at the dollar store.  Two to three flowers can be placed in each vase.  Note cards can be mass produced, but the personalized messages on the notecard is priceless. 

Platform:  Volunteers for delivery

Contact: St. Joseph, Shelbyville. Gaye McKenney at gayemck@comcast.net

Parish Phone Check-in Calls

Idea: Organize a parish phone chain to “check-in” on our elderly and homebound neighbors.  Suggestions: To help establish a relationship, the individuals on the call list should be assigned to the same person calling each time.  Isolation due to COVID has been over 9 months for many people.  Callers may hear responses such as “I am happy you called, but I don’t know what to say anymore.”  To aid in conversation starters, visit TimeSlips.org. There are other helpful resources there for engagement with our elderly family and friends.

Platform: Phone conversations

Contact: Catholic Charities Indianapolis.  Monica Woodsworth, RSPV Director, mwoodsworth@archindy.org

Parish Face Masks

Idea: To help create community, create parish face masks.  The parish logo and parish name could be included.  They could be specialized for liturgical seasons or holidays.  Ex. Thanksgiving, include parish name and the word “Blessed”.  For Christmas, include the parish name with a picture of the Star of Bethlehem.  Offer it as a fundraiser for the parish. $5.00 per mask.

Contact: St. Joseph, Shelbyville. Gaye McKenney at gayemck@comcast.net

(St. Joseph, Shelbyville uses the following vendor for their masks https://www.sharptrophiesbymack.com/)

Welcome Back Video

Idea: Create short personal testimony “Parish Welcome Back” videos.  The videos could focus on the “why” a person or family returned to attending in-person mass during the ongoing COVID pandemic and a Church Dispensation.  

Platform: webpage, social media, YouTube

Contact: St. Matthew Catholic Church.  www.saintmatt.org or 317-257-4297

Other Ideas

• Send out weekly family activity or recipe ideas via Flocknotes, email, or social media.  Provide an opportunity for people to share pictures of themselves participating in the activities or completed meals.

• Host a Living Rosary.  (St. Joseph School Children pic attached to email)

• Create cooking demos presented by the pastor, parish staff, teachers, and/or parishioners.  The meals could be tied into the liturgical year, holiday or feast days.

• Provide hybrid (in-person and virtual) workshops on a specific topic.  Ex. Racism, Senior Isolation, Mental and Spiritual Health, Family Spiritual Health, etc.

• Network with area health care providers and host a drive through flu shot event at your church.