Post Celebrate Christmas with Us Messages Now

Christmas is 14 days away! Most likely your parish has completed or is completing the planning of the liturgical and environmental details. The Christmas envelopes with a greeting from the pastor and the Christmas schedule have been mailed to registered parishioners.

Hopefully you are posting your Christmas invitation on your website and your social media platforms as well.

When people visit your website or Facebook Page prior to Christmas, which many people not ordinarily in Church on Sunday will do, they are looking for dates, times and locations of the Christmas Masses. Post that information in as many places as possible—along with the tagline “All are welcome!” Don’t dress it up with a lot of other words. Give them the information they are looking for in a clear and attractive format.

If you have a photo of your nativity scene or sanctuary decorated for Christmas include that in the post. If you are able to create a video with this same information, do it—but also include the information in the text description as well.

Some parishes take out ads in local newspapers and/or on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Please don’t be one of those parishes that says, we already have too many people on Christmas, we don’t need to advertise. (Someone actually told me that.). Think about the parable of the “Lost Sheep” and ask what Jesus wants you to do.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7)

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Let’s be honest, most of our parishes have less than 30% of registered members in attendance every Sunday. Advertising and online posts may only bring a few more back on Christmas (beyond the ones who usually attend), but many others will see the welcome. If there comes a time in their lives when they want to return, they will remember that there was a parish who welcomed them.

How is your parish getting the Celebrate Christmas with Us message out?