My email to local Pastor

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ICXCNIKA

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*Below is the text of an email I sent to a local Pastor. His Church had sent out a mass mailing invitation to visit the Church this weekend. *

Dear Pastor Bond,
I am emailing to thank you for the invitation I received in the mail to visit Summit Christian Church this weekend. Although the promise of “relevant messages, music, fresh coffee, warm relaxed atmosphere” and the varied ministries your Church offers are inviting, I have a far better invitation that I cannot pass up.
In fact, I would like to extend that invitation to you. Perhaps one Sunday in the future you can join us at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church. Although my Church community can’t boast fresh coffee, we do have something that no other Church in town is offering; the very body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Our good Lord and Savior Jesus Christ invites each of us with these words “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:53).

Although I am certain that the atmosphere is warm at your Church and that the messages are relevant and that your Church ministers to many needs, I cannot pass up the promise of eternal life that Jesus offers me in His invitation: “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” (John 6:53-56).

And that invitation is extended to you as well. So please, feel free to stop by my Church for a life changing experience.
 
ICXCNIKA said:
*Below is the text of an email I sent to a local Pastor. His Church had sent out a mass mailing invitation to visit the Church this weekend. *

Dear Pastor Bond,
I am emailing to thank you for the invitation I received in the mail to visit Summit Christian Church this weekend. Although the promise of “relevant messages, music, fresh coffee, warm relaxed atmosphere” and the varied ministries your Church offers are inviting, I have a far better invitation that I cannot pass up.
In fact, I would like to extend that invitation to you. Perhaps one Sunday in the future you can join us at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church. Although my Church community can’t boast fresh coffee, we do have something that no other Church in town is offering; the very body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Our good Lord and Savior Jesus Christ invites each of us with these words “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:53).

Although I am certain that the atmosphere is warm at your Church and that the messages are relevant and that your Church ministers to many needs, I cannot pass up the promise of eternal life that Jesus offers me in His invitation: “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” (John 6:53-56).

And that invitation is extended to you as well. So please, feel free to stop by my Church for a life changing experience.
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I like it!
 
ICXCNIKA,

**What a wonderful idea! I wish I’d thought of it. :clapping: I usually just place those invitations in the recycle box. I would like to borrow your idea for when I receive my next ‘invitation’. Would you mind if I sent a similar letter some time in the future? I would not want to steal such a great thing without first seeking permission. 😉 **

**Pax 😃 **
 
Wow! That’s a great idea and beautiful letter. I usually just pitch the postcards I get from other churches–your idea is much better.
 
Very good. People don’t usually receive their own medicine enthusiastically, however. I doubt if your evangelical efforts will be well received.
 
A reply that was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit within you. If only more Catholics could reply so well to the heresy that Protests His visible body on earth, His Catholic Church.

Well done! :clapping:

JMJ
 
I do not detect an smugness at all in this letter…I think it is greatly thought of and if we all did this maybe we would get more people back into the Church!

Now having said this can we borrow this letter??? 😃
 
ESimmons:
The tone of your letter seems rather smug, to be honest.
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I disagree with that assessment. I think the letter is enthusiastic and evangelical. It proclaims the truth. This pastor is obviously recruiting en mass, indiscriminently in a very capitalistic fashion. He’s sending out mailers like a pizzeria would. I think the OP is merely courteously extending an invitation to the true Eucharistic Banquet. Why shouldn’t Catholics be welcoming as well?
 
The only criticism I have about your letter is that one could get the impression that you are inviting him to recieve the body and blood of Christ. Obviously, he wouldn’t be able to do that…

Otherwise, great letter!
 
I am afraid that I too found the letter a bit smug.

I think my objection was the “my religion is better than your religion” barb implied in
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ICXCNIKA:
Although the promise of “relevant messages, music, fresh coffee, warm relaxed atmosphere” and the varied ministries your Church offers are inviting, I have a far better invitation that I cannot pass up.
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The rest of the letter didn’t feel like an invitation to me. It sounds as if you were irritated by gettting the e-mail and wanted to make a point but escape responsibility for it my pretending to be nice.

Ask yourself this, do you really want this Pastor to show up at your Church? If you don’t, you have your answer.

If you really do want to him to show up do you think THIS LETTER is the best way to accomplish that?

Next weekend why don’t you go to Saturday Vigil Mass at St Albert the Great. Then on Sunday, go to Summit Christian Church , thank Pastor Bond for the invitation and wormly and genuinely invite him to St Albert’s?
 
Below is the email response I received:

Hello ,

I thank God you are enjoying close fellowship with Him! Life with Christ
is awesome, as you clearly can attest. I had the privilege for sharing a
funeral service at Summit with Father Jacob (from St. Thomas Aquinas’
church) this past Monday. He’s a fine man of God!

By the way, we also celebrate Communion every week at Summit. It’s a
wonderful gift the Lord has given us!

Peace.

Steve
 
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BillP:
I am afraid that I too found the letter a bit smug.

I think my objection was the “my religion is better than your religion” barb implied in

The rest of the letter didn’t feel like an invitation to me. It sounds as if you were irritated by gettting the e-mail and wanted to make a point but escape responsibility for it my pretending to be nice.

Ask yourself this, do you really want this Pastor to show up at your Church? If you don’t, you have your answer.

If you really do want to him to show up do you think THIS LETTER is the best way to accomplish that?

Next weekend why don’t you go to Saturday Vigil Mass at St Albert the Great. Then on Sunday, go to Summit Christian Church , thank Pastor Bond for the invitation and wormly and genuinely invite him to St Albert’s?
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Good idea. Thank you.
 
This is excellent. I am going to use it to a very popular church which has started up called recently, that sent out DVDs and basically told everyone that in this church all will be great, they all seem so loving—pity they dont have the fullness of the faith!

but as for the statement that you are inviting him to the Mass at your parish, I would rather say, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is sending out the invitations to his own meal. That will be the only bit I will add in when emailing the “local Pastor”

Rev3:20 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
God bless.
 
ICXCNIKA said:
Below is the email response I received:

Hello ,

I thank God you are enjoying close fellowship with Him! Life with Christ
is awesome, as you clearly can attest. I had the privilege for sharing a
funeral service at Summit with Father Jacob (from St. Thomas Aquinas’
church) this past Monday. He’s a fine man of God!

By the way, we also celebrate Communion every week at Summit. It’s a
wonderful gift the Lord has given us!

Peace.

Steve
Click to expand...

I think the pastor responded well, given the bounds of his faith. Perhaps you planted a seed, perhaps not.

One thing seems clear from this response – I doubt the pastor found your letter to be smug.
 
I think both letters were taken in the spirit that was intended. That is great! Just the fact that he didn’t “Catholic bash” means that he was looking for people that are wanting to join his church, not take away from other churches, seems to me that this guy is a good guy…
 
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