Help! Losing Sponsor Couples

[keith2002]

Our parish for about 15 years held a marriage preparation weekend twice a year instead of the standard sponsor/mentoring couples. With a decrease in the number of weddings and only a few people doing most of the work, our group agreed to move to the sponsor couple setup.

Well, low and behold, many of the people who were so gung ho about this idea are suddenly “too busy” to help now. (Tell me about busy…two jobs, PhD program, Five kids).

My goal here is not to lament the loss of these couples, I think our Lord might be doing a little bit of pruning of the tree.

But, we need help. Now we only have three couples in the program and we need more. I am interested in what others have successfullly done to recruit/convince others to take part in this ministry.

Helllllppppp!

Thanks

Keith

 

[KCT]

I don’t know because we’re a couple that has slowly gotten less and less active w/ sponsor couple. First we took a break to help w/ Confirmation when our older kids went through the program. Then dh was travelling alot. Now dh is on parish council and I’m tutoring plus writing a Catholic supplement to the homeschool curriculum we use. Sometimes people just readjust their priorities. Our parish also has more engaged couples than we have sponsor couples to help them. —KCT

 

[otm]

Have you tried being direct and blunt? Or are you hinting around, acting wishy washy? Have you been specific about what you need, when you need it, for how long you need it, why you need it, why you are asking this specific couple to participate, and what they might gain from it?

Have you expanded your search, or are you only concentrating on a few individuals? Is there a reason for that, if your search has been narrow? Are you being judgemental about others response before asking (giving yourself all the reasons they might not)? Are you asking at a time when there is an oppornity to discuss it, or are you creating a “quick option out” by your approach?

Are you enthsiastic and upbeat in your approach, or are you already defeated?

Do you take “no” for an answer? This is sales ( you are selling them on the idea of being a sponsor), and many sales do not occur until the 5th time you specifically ask.

Are you praying about this? Consistently, or just one now and then?