How To Maximize Easter Sunday Giving

Church attendance doubles on Easter Sunday, and Hosanna Church in Minnesota made the most of this opportunity by giving away their Easter offering. The result? The church raised over $200,000 and diverted their offering to four ministries devoted to restoring people from drug addiction in their community and gospel-focused nonprofits based in Haiti.

Giving is more than a financial transaction. It’s a journey of conversion and a deeply spiritual act. It becomes more actionable when the journey is clear, personal, and impactful. With Easter just around the corner, is your parish’s giving journey clearly laid out for every attendee, including first-time givers?

For parish leaders, Easter Sunday presents a unique opportunity to welcome new attendees, inspire generosity, and cultivate a culture of stewardship. It’s a moment ripe for both spiritual and communal growth.

Plan To Talk About Generosity

During your Easter homily, seize the opportunity to share stories of transformative acts of giving. Paint vivid pictures that resonate emotionally and spiritually, illustrating the concrete impact that each donation can make while emphasizing spiritual growth through the act of giving. If necessary, create visual aids to support your homily. A short slideshow of people impacted by your parish’s generosity or a brochure filled with compelling stories demonstrating how your parish has positively impacted lives through financial gifts would help your Easter Mass attendees connect more deeply to the core message of your homily.

And of course, it’s crucial to ensure that everyone knows how to give. Some may prefer the traditional offering basket, while others will appreciate the convenience of a digital option. For your traditional givers joining you for in-person Mass, leave envelopes in the pews. Their information will be essential for follow-up communication in the upcoming week, and give you an opportunity to nurture their faith journey even further. For those who prefer a digital giving option, be sure to display a QR code either on a pew card or on the screen for those tuning into your livestream Mass. By detailing the various ways to contribute, you simplify the giving process and remove any barriers that may hinder generosity.

Understanding Your Audience

In today’s interconnected world, understanding the demographics and motivations of your attendees is crucial. Even on a day like Easter Sunday when the pews are filled and your church becomes standing room only, it’s important to recognize that what engages people’s interests varies, especially between generations.

For example, recent studies show that millennials are likely to attend multiple churches and embrace online and in-person worship. To engage with this tech-savvy crowd, modern parishes can benefit greatly from embracing digital engagement experiences. By providing convenient and accessible digital platforms, like Pushpay’s mobile church app where users can find giving and content in one easily accessible place, parishes can make it convenient for attendees to stay connected with their community beyond Easter Sunday and contribute to their mission.

Gen Z, however, have different interests at heart. 77.7% of non-churchgoing members are looking for churches that help the poor. Many parishes have outreach ministries or funds for the poor, but often, the stories of impact and participation get lost in the busyness of parish life. This Easter, bring those powerful stories to the forefront and invite people to an informational meeting where they can learn how and when they can get involved in helping the less fortunate in their community. Events like these open the door to belonging, community, greater generosity, and spiritual growth.

Follow-Up And Appreciation

But the giving journey doesn’t end with Easter Sunday. It’s important to follow up and express sincere gratitude to all the donors. Take the time to acknowledge their generosity and share stories of how their contributions have been put to work. By doing so, you infuse each donation with real, personal significance, reinforcing the impact of their giving.

Perhaps the most inspiring example of Easter generosity comes from Hosanna Church itself. By dedicating their Easter offering to charity partners, they showed the true power of innovative giving combined with Pushpay’s cutting-edge digital giving technology. Their story serves as a powerful reminder that when a community comes together and embraces the spirit of generosity, lives can be changed, and communities can be transformed.

Making The Most of Easter

Maximizing Easter Sunday Mass giving is about more than just increasing donations. It’s about nurturing a thriving community bound by the shared values of faith and benevolence. By embracing digital tools, crafting messages that resonate, and valuing each contribution, your parish can transform generosity into action.

Need more ideas to engage new attendees this Easter? Download our Welcoming Parish Easter Guide.

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