Pastor Letter – Offertory Commitment Cards – Emailed October 5, 2020

Dear Parishioners,

Your Sunday Offertory COMMITMENT CARDS are coming in, via online, mail, and collection basket. You are responsible and amazing, but we are not yet at 100% participation.

We have three more full weeks to go to receive them. May I ask for 100% response and participation? Please fill them out EVEN IF YOU CANNOT GIVE ANYTHING or want to remain at the same level of giving. We need to know that information.

These are difficult times and I realize you are experiencing hardship, confusion, unexpected situations and it may be difficult to forecast what you can offer, but, please try.

When these three more weeks are up, I need to be able to financially forecast, as best as I can, what to expect in the weekly IHM offertory. Having the information from all of your cards then helps me and the members of the finance council determine our weekly income which directly affects expenditures. That is the BIG THING I am worried about. I do not want to spend if we cannot afford to spend.

If, perhaps our weekly IHM collection “lowers”, then so be it, but, if that is the case, then I will need to be ready to define where IHM needs expenses cut.

Thus, that is why I ask for the 100% participation from everyone and for all of you to honestly return your filled out commitment cards. I am sure you understand this. Like many of you, IHM lives from “paycheck to paycheck”, if you will, and you know as well as I that it is important for anyone to spend within your means. As of Friday, October 1st we only have a 16% response rate.

I am happy to serve you, but, this weekly offertory program is vital for us, especially during this time of pandemic, and I do not want to stress out “wondering” what our weekly collection will be! Returning the cards gives better assurance.

Please take time to find and return your card, click on our online commitment card or simply contact Julie at the Rectory (330) 929-8361 or jbowling@ihmcfo.org and she can, with confidentiality and sensitivity, take your information and fill out a card for you.

Many blessings,
Father Jim

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