"Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope." - 1 Peter 3:15

Most of the time, we talk about how to market your church to get people to come to you.

But a few times a year, you likely have the opportunity to bring your church to people.

Ecumenical prayer services. Community days and parades.

And of course, the Corpus Christi procession.

The day where you literally bring Jesus to the people in a very public way.

Of course, that's likely to bring up some questions — and great openings for evangelistic conversations.

Obviously the main point of the procession is to adore and honor Jesus! But we shouldn't ignore the unique opportunity this kind of procession offers us to share Him with others too.

So, here are some quick tips for evangelizing and promoting your church during a Corpus Christi procession:

(With some slight modifications, these would work for other community gatherings where a priest is present or you have a table/booth!)

Obviously for something like a Corpus Christi procession, you want 99% of the participants to be participating in the prayers and worship.

So designate one person or team to be the evangelization point people. These people know (and hopefully are trained in evangelization!) that they might not get the full experience because they are volunteering to accompany anyone who might have questions.

Ideally, this person should have a visual designation of some kind: A t-shirt that reads something like "Ask me what's going on" or holding a similar sign.

That way, onlookers who want to know more know who to ask.

If you'll be processing in an area where there is more vehicle traffic than on-foot pedestrians, consider having a sign that is more directly evangelistic, something like, "This is Jesus, and He loves you. He'd love you to visit Him at CHURCH NAME."

Or "Looking for the Truth? Here He is! John 14:6"

If you aren't processing right outside your church, having church branding on signs or shirts is also important so people know where you are from.

And remember, seeing happy, friendly people like them associated with your church can do wonders for those looking for a church community. They might not reach our right away, but they'll remember the positive impression.

That goes for everyone you encounter! Perhaps the entire evangelistic goal of the procession is simply to cause one person to think, "Hm, maybe those Catholics aren't all bad."

For those who do stop you with questions, have print communications on hand to support the point person! You'll obviously want any quick guides on the Eucharist, but you never know what kinds of things may come up, so having info on hand for sacraments, OCIA/seeker programs, prayer requests, general church info, etc. as well is always a good idea.

And of course, we want them to take whatever the next step would be for them in your church.

Think about what that would be for a curious, casual onlooker; they're probably not at the place where a Mass invitation would be right.

The first invite needs to be soft: Maybe an invitation to pray (with information on the hours when your church or Adoration chapel are open), a link to a YouTube video/podcast that can answer some of their questions about the Eucharist or who Jesus is, or a sheet with some simple prayer prompts.

Bonus: Even better if you can get them to YOUR church website for this and ideally, getting their contact information so you can send the resource to them (so you can have someone follow up with them as well to check in).

Bonus bonus: Have something seeker-focused at the conclusion of the procession that you could invite an onlooker to right there — a talk on the Eucharist, Adoration, confessions, opportunities to speak to a priest, etc.

The evangelization doesn't have to end once the Eucharist is back in the tabernacle.

A large group of people publicly processing with a monstrance witnessing to their faith is a spectacle — use it to continue the evangelistic effects!

Prior to the procession, contact your local media outlets (newspapers, TV, radio, etc.) to invite someone to come and cover it. All press is good press, as they say, and any time we can get secular media to talk about Jesus is a win.

(Plus, even if no one reads the story...the reporter will be there to cover it, and there will be at least one other person to edit and lay out the piece...and who knows, maybe THOSE are the souls God needs you to reach!)

You can do your own media coverage too. During the procession, make sure you have someone taking pictures.

Post them to your parish social media accounts after with something like "Did you see us out on ROAD today? We were having a Corpus Christi procession to honor Jesus in the Eucharist! Yes — we believe that Jesus Himself is present in the Eucharist! Learn more about what Catholics believe about the Eucharist at LINK."

Then, encourage your parishioners to share the photos so that those who were driving by can go "Oh, that's what was going on!" and maybe even take the next step in their faith journey as a result of the witness.

And of course, pray! As you process, pray for every single soul who will meet our Lord, especially those who wouldn't normally see Him.

I'll be joining you in those prayers that everyone — from the graphic designer at the newspaper laying out the article to the construction worker to the person stopped at the red light — who encounters your procession has openness, hearts that burn within them, and the curiosity and courage to take the next step.

Because who knows? Maybe they'll be processing with you next year.

For His greater glory,

Emily

How Your Parishioners are Uniquely Called to Help You I came across this free guide from Many Parts Ministries and loved how it paired each person's charisms with practical suggestions with how they can help their church. Such a great resource to share with parishioners who might be looking for ways to help but aren't sure how! Free Charism Ebook

Free Charism Assessment for Pastors In going through that ebook, I also discovered Many Parts Ministries also offers their Charism Assessment free for pastors! Be sure to pass this along to your pastor! Free Charism Assessment