“But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ.” (I John 2:1)
One of the six attributes of a fully developed governing parish council is advocacy, which is defined as “the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal.” So advocacy for our purpose is visible support of the mission of the parish.
Here are examples of ways to advocate for the parish to fellow parishioners:
Avoid conflicts of interest including the very appearance of a conflict of interest
Be able to recite the parish’s mission, values, vision and programs with confidence
Volunteer for service within the parish, making it an integral part of your stewardship(giving of time, talent and treasure)
Serve on the parish council with diligence
Provide the parish with connections to potential donors
Invite friends, relatives and neighbors to parish events
Call the priest, ask how you can be of service – make his day
Call the parish council chairperson, ask how you can be of service – make her day also
If you have a special talent, place it at the service of the Lord in the parish
Identify visitors, welcome them, get their contact information, invite them to coffee hour
Here are ways to advocate for the parish before the larger community:
Ensure the parish is financially well managed – a financial scandal that gets covered in the newspaper tarnishes the reputation of the parish
Volunteer with nonprofits in your community whose mission is consistent with the gospel – identify yourself as a member of your parish and that your parish encourages members to volunteer
Personally regard every person you meet or work with as representing Jesus and as someone precious in the eyes of God, a person for whom He gave His life
Take advantage of turning points, current events and media trends to draw attention to the parish
Seek opportunities for press releases and newspaper articles that demonstrate parish service to the larger community
Sponsor community activities and ministries beyond the parish such as health fairs, providing 12-Step organization meeting space, a food bank, voting location, etc.
When divine providence places a former parishioner or uninvolved Orthodox Christian or a seeker of truth within your sphere of influence, do not hesitate to invite them for coffee or invite them to church, give them a book to read or suggest a program that is sponsored by the parish that may be of interest to them, put them together with the priest