The Evangelizing Parish Business Card

In August, I put on my Parish Facebook Photographer hat to take pictures at the St. John Bosco 4-day International Festival. I take pictures of all the events, the performers, the vendors as well as guests who give me their permission. I introduce myself, ask if I can take the photo and let them know that they can download it from the parish Facebook page within 24 hours.  

Each year I post my best photos from each day of the festival on Facebook with a description of the day’s activities and a preview of the next day’s program. These posts get many likes and shares.

My hope in speaking to the guests is that they will visit the Facebook Page and see not only their picture, but posts about many other parish activities as well as the many inspiring messages we post and, if they are so inclined, to follow us.

In past years when I would take a photo, I would tell the people the address of the Parish Facebook Page. Occasionally someone would catch up with me later and ask me to repeat the name of the Facebook Page. This got me thinking that I probably should have it written down on slips of paper which I could pass out, but festivals have come and gone and I did not get around to doing that until this year.

The Evangelizing Parish Business Card

This year I was inspired to create an Evangelizing Parish Business card with not only the address of the parish Facebook Page on it, but other helpful information on the front and a direct invitation on the back. Non-parishioners who took the card when I offered it seemed pleased to have it. I only showed them the front of the card pointing out the Facebook Page address, leaving them to discover the message on the back when they got home.

My goals were simple: 1) Engage and welcome visitors to the festival in the name of the parish 2) Promote the parish Facebook Page 3) Extend an invitation to join the parish, become Catholic or return to the sacraments to anyone who might welcome it.

If the recipient of the card is not interested in the invitation, who knows, they may just pass it on to someone they know who is. This card is way of planting outreach seeds.

Uses for the Evangelizing Business Card

Our pastor, Father Lawrence Jurcak, liked the card and asked me to get more printed so that we could make them available throughout the year. Here are some possible uses:

• Pamphlet racks at Church entrances
• Outside the Adoration Chapel (open 24/7)
• At parish events where visitors are expected
• Pastoral Council and all committee members to put in their wallet or purse and pass on to someone who may find the information/invitation helpful when the opportunity presents itself

Parishioners that I spoke to about the idea loved it and were happy to take a card. Time will tell what will happen.

Here is the front of the card:

Here is the back of the card:

FYI: In case you are wondering, I used vistaprint® to create this business card. I am not getting a commission for telling you this–I just thought you would want to know.

What do you think about the Evangelizing Business Card? How would you use it?