Training for Parish Visiting

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Training for Parish Visiting
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Parish Visiting

• What is Giving in Grace?
• Why are we visiting?
• Why have I been asked to visit?
• Refreshments discussion
• What happens on a visit?
• What to do and not to do!
• Dealing with issues that are raised
• The challenge, and blessings, to the visitor

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What is Giving in Grace?

• A programme of teaching to
• encourage the knowledge and practice
• of Christian giving
• as an act of worship
• and thanksgiving
• The soldiers doughnuts

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Whats at the heart of Giving in Grace?

• Differentiation!
• Meets people where they are
• The core
• The congregation
• The fringe
• Differentiation
• Discussion paper on differentiation

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Giving in Grace - what is it?

• When will the programme be run?
• Launch date.
• Closing thanksgiving service.
• Why it is important for our church
• the case statement
• The elements of the programme
• Preaching- the word
• Communication
• Prayer
• Leadership
• InteractionYOU!

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Why is visiting so important?

• We are a family of God
• We need to help each other along the way
• People need the opportunity to ask questions and
  talk things through
• Why visiting matters

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Not people with silver tongues

• What we are looking for
• People of faith
• People who are good listeners
• People who understand and practice Christian
  giving
• What we are not doing
• Visiting complete strangers
• Asking people to give a donation

But people with hearts of gold
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What must I do?

• Make the visits in a certain period
• Agree to visit 4-5 people
• Arrange a convenient time to visit.
• Drop off the literature prior to the visit
• Allow up to an hour per visit
• Be prepared to call back if so requested
• Assist in completing forms if requested
• Collecting responses - usually only from those
  who are unable to get to church

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Before the Visit

• Make your own response pledge!
• Arrange the date and time, making sure the person
  is aware how long the visit will be.
• Give sufficient time for people to read the
  literature between delivering it and visiting
• Read through the visitor pack so you can answer
  questions
• Pray, decide and respond yourself!
• Be prepared to talk about how you arrived at your
  own response to Giving in Grace and why you think
  its so important
• Pray for them- think how they feel?

Agenda for a training evening
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Opening the Conversation

• Introductions
• Ask what they think about the brochure and the
  issues the church is trying to address
• Listen attentively, try to respond to any issues
  and explain any misconceptions. If you dont know
  the answer, make a note and ask someone who does!
• Tell your personal story about why Giving in
  Grace matters to you
• Ask if they have thought about..

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The visitor pack

• The Visitor details form
• Name and contact details of person to be visited
• Which grouping they are in core, congregation or
  fringe
• Brochure
• Letter the right letter for the person
• Response forms the right one

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Issues what is the money for?

• What are the main issues for the local church
  identified in the brochure?
• Why is Giving in Grace important to the church
• What ministry and mission plans do you have?

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Issues the envelope scheme

• It is a way of planning your giving
• It helps you to ensure you dont forget for the
  weeks you are away
• It reinforces your place as a member of the
  church of God here in this place
• It enables you to gift aid - if you pay tax

Handling Requests for Information
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Issues Standing orders

• Are easy and much better for the church
• Are confidential
• Are biblical- as you receive from God you give to
  Him as a first priority
• Can be replaced by a small weekly pledge card on
  the plate if required
• Enable you to gift aid if you pay tax

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Issues Gift Aid

• For tax payers who pay sufficient tax to cover
  the tax bill on their annual donations
• E.g. 10 per week needs an annual tax bill of
  146
• A gift aid form has to be signed
• If you stop paying tax tell the gift aid
  secretary who is
• It is easy and confidential
• Higher or lower rate tax payers can also gift
  aid.

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Issues pastoral concerns

• Ensure you listen carefully
• Seek permission to pass the issue onto the
  appropriate person- usually the vicar
• Offer to pray about it

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Some dos and donts

• Do plan an appropriate venue for visits if home
  isnt one.
• Dont make too many appointments for the one
  evening
• Dont get involved in argument
• Do not accept monetary donations
• Dont tell them what you think they ought to do
• Do not pretend to know the answers to questions
  when you dont - say youll find out and get back
  to them - and do

Visitor Handout sheet
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Giving in Grace

• Jesus sent them out.
• Will you respond to this call?
• Remember not silver tongues but hearts of gold,
  willing to give time graciously to help others to
  give in grace

Commissioning service for visitors