How can churches celebrate Holy Week while being physically distant? That was the main topic of the Steier Group’s Stewardship, Development and Fundraising Live Forum on March 31.
During the current COVID-19 crisis, the Steier Group will be hosting these live forums to discuss issues pertinent to our partners during this critical time.
We’ve also created a Holy Week from Home Resource Guide that can be shared with parishioners to enrich their celebration at home.
If you have topics or questions you would like to see discussed during a live forum, please contact Sean McMahon at [email protected].
Guide to share with your community.
Below is a recap of our second live forum, Holy Week from Home:
In a time when gathering for worship is not an option, participants suggested that a little creativity may be required to bring people together to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
The suggestions ranged from still dressing up in your Sunday best to celebrate Easter — even though it may occur at home — to placing palms on your doorstep on Palm Sunday to welcome the coming of the Lord.
The key is not to focus on what is being left out in our observance of Holy Week, but to focus on what will be: A time to come together with family to celebrate in our homes — reminiscent of the Church in earlier times before places of worship became the norm.
The focus of the live forum turned, for a time, to offertory. Parishes and churches may feel a financial hardship through declining offertory during a time when public worship is not allowed. Requests for support should be based on existing relationships with parishioners. Explain the need and people will respond.
One example shared with participants was a parish conducting a drive-through offertory. Parishioners, while remaining in their vehicles, place their offerings to their Lord in a basket held by curbside ushers.
For more information about stewardship, fundraising and development during the coronavirus crisis, visit our COVID-19 toolkit.
