More Letters for Every Occasion: A Pastor's Sourcebook
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About this ebook
Sending a personal note, email, or letter means that you took time to care. It can be a grace-filled symbol of your ministry outreach and an effective way to offer pastoral concern.
The book offers more than 90 carefully written, thoughtful sample letters and emails that can be easily adapted for any particular situation. Contents include letters relating to church leadership; preaching and worship; pastoral care; stewardship and finance; administration; community outreach; membership and visitors. There is also helpful information and etiquette regarding email, Facebook, and Twitter.
James E. Taylor III
James E. Taylor III is pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas. He and his wife, Kassi, have a daughter, Edyn.
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More Letters for Every Occasion - James E. Taylor III
A b i n g d o n P r e s s
N a s h v i l l e
MORE LETTERS FOR EVERY OCCASION
A PASTOR'S SOURCEBOOK
Copyright © 2011 by Abingdon Press
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to Abingdon Press, P.O. Box 801, 201 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37202-0801 or permissions@umpublishing.org.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Taylor, James E., III
More letters for every occasion : a pastor's sourcebook / James E. Taylor, III.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-4267-1007-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Church correspondence. 2. Clergy—Correspondence. 3. Form letters. I. Title.
BV652.9.T39 2011
253.7—dc22
2010047459
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20—10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
INTRODUCTION
I. LETTERS RELATING TO CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Letter That Casts a Vision for the Church
Letter Updating Vision Casting
Letter Covering Year's Accomplishments
Devotional for the Congregation
Letter to a Visiting Leader
Letter to Church about Summer Programming
Letter to Congregation Explaining the Advent Season
Letter to Congregation Explaining Lent
II. LETTERS RELATING TO PREACHING AND WORSHIP
Letter to Person Angry with Sermon
Letter Concerning Worship Complaint
Letter Informing Congregation of Special Days Emphasizing Hospitality
Invitation to Local Teachers to Attend Special Worship Service
Letter to Worship Committee
Letter Concerning Infant Baptism
Letter Concerning Adult Baptism
III. LETTERS RELATING TO MEMBERSHIP AND VISITORS
Letter of Membership Transfer to another Church
Letter to Inactive Member #1
Letter to Inactive Member #2
Letter Welcoming New Member
Letter Inquiring about Membership Interest
Letter Asking Frequent Guest to Consider Membership
Letter to First-Time Visitor
Letter to Second-Time Visitor
Letter to Third-Time Visitor
Letter to Fourth-Time Visitor
Letter to Fifth-Time Visitor
Letter of Welcome from Pastor
IV. LETTERS RELATING TO PASTORAL CARE
Letter to Friend Concerning Disagreement
Letter at Anniversary of Death
Letter of Apology on behalf of the Church
Letter to Parents about Their Child's Death
Note to Parent as Child Leaves Home
Note to Member Whose Spouse Is Ill
Letter to Family Regarding Inappropriate Behavior of Youth
Letter to Couple Experiencing Difficulty in Marriage
Letter of Congratulations after Marriage
Letter to Member Who Is Dying
Note to Child Who Submitted a Prayer Request
Letter to a Parishioner Making a Complaint
Note to a Member Recovering from a Small Accident
Invitation to Pastor's Home for Dinner
Letter of Encouragement for Personal Testimony
Letter Concerning Adoption of Child
Birthday Cards
Letter Celebrating College Graduation
Letter of Congratulations for High School Graduation
Letter of Congratulations for Eagle Scout Award
Letter of Congratulations for First Grandchild
Letter of Congratulations on Retirement
Letter Recognizing Retiring Pastor
Letter of Congratulations to Seminary Graduate
V. LETTERS RELATING TO STEWARDSHIP AND FINANCE
Pastor's 10 Commandments of Church Finance
Letter of Acknowledgment of a Gift
Three Months before a Stewardship Program
One Month before a Stewardship Program
Two Weeks before a Stewardship Program
One Week before a Stewardship Program
Kickoff of a Stewardship Program
One Week into a Stewardship Program
Three Weeks into a Stewardship Program
Four Weeks into a Stewardship Program
Concluding a Stewardship Program
Letter about Church Debt and Giving
Letter Soliciting Assistance for Member in Financial Difficulty
Letter Outlining Expectations of People Receiving Church Funds
Loan Agreement with Family
Letter Acknowledging a Gift to the Memorial Fund
VI. LETTERS RELATING TO ADMINISTRATION
Letter of Appreciation to Former Pastor
Letter to Previous Pastor
Letter about Receiving Bid on Church Work (Decline and Receipt)
Letter of Encouragement for a Staff Member
Letter Welcoming New Staff
Letter of Appreciation for Church Staff and Key Volunteers
Letter to Person Agreeing to Serve on a Church Committee
Letter about Organizing a Child Care Team
Letter to Administrative Council Asking for Feedback
Notification of Committee Meetings
Letter to Hospitality Team Member
Letter of Thanks for Service to Church
Letter to Person Leaving Committee
Letter Surveying Interest in Serving on a Committee
Letter for Networking Team
VII. LETTERS RELATING TO COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Letter Seeking a Charitable Match from a Business
Letter Declining Invitation to Speak at an Engagement
Letter to Welcome New Neighborhood Resident
Letter in Response to Request to Use Building
Letter to Area Homes Informing Them of an Upcoming Youth Function
VIII. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
Facts about Facebook
Texting Rules and Etiquette
Examples of Texting
Examples of Tweets
Acknowledgments
If you are listed below, you deserve your own letter from me as a way to express my sincere thanks for your investment in me as a person, pastor, and friend. Until those letters come, please know how pleased I am to have you in my life.
To my friends: Jesse, Marc, Chris, Aaron, Brenna, Quin, and Joe—thanks for putting up with me. Also, big thanks to the Aprentis Crew: Pat, CJ, Ben, Matt, Andrew, Deidre, and Lyle.
To my professors: James Bryan Smith, Anathea Portier Young, Laceye Warner, and Joe Bessler. I hope you know how grateful I am.
To the Kansas West Conference: Gary Brooks, Cheryl Bell, Dianne Tombaugh, Craig Hauschild, Rick Just, Kevin Hopkins, Andrew Conard, David Smith, and Bishop Jones. You have blessed me in ways that can never be returned.
To my family: Jeff, Terry, Anthony, Melissa, and Mom—I love you guys! Dan and Sarah, Justin and Krysha, Katie and Tyler—thanks for letting me be a part of something so fun. Jeff and Theresa, Vicki and Robert, Mike and Sandra, thanks for being there for Little
Jeff and Jimmy.
Edyn, you are certainly an Echo of Eden.
And Kassi—being a husband to you and a dad to Edyn is the greatest gift I've ever received. (If anyone is reading this and wondering why I didn't say to my wife and baby, You're the greatest gift next to Jesus,
know that Jesus doesn't need the publicity. Jesus knows he is my hero.)
Thanks to Charles Kyker, Bill Quick, and Adam Hamilton for offering your encouragement.
Last, to Skip and Kathy Armistead: Skip,