[This is a sample Church Newsletter that can be used to publicize the Senior Ministry Inventory project.Items marked in red should be replaced with your congregations name and Senior/sole Pastors name. This Newsletter article can be included in your monthly newsletter the month before the Inventories are first made available.]

NAME OF CHURCH Sponsors Senior Inventory

By NAME OF SENIOR PASTOR,

Beginning Month/day and continuing for three weeks, NAME OF CHURCH will provide an opportunity for all members and guests to participate in our Senior Inventory Project. During this three-week period NAME OF CHURCH will sponsor a 174 question Inventory that will benefit both the individuals who take it, our congregation and our synod. We want to encourage everyone who is 50 years-old or older, member or visitor, to help us by taking this Inventory. As your pastor, I would personally like to see 100% of individuals who are 50 + participate, because the greater the percentage of participation the more accurate picture we will receive of both the individual needs within our congregation and the opportunities for our ministry response. I want our congregation to take the most accurate statistical picture possible. Why? Because, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we want to meet the needs of seniors and care-giving families within our congregation and our community.

Who will benefit from the Senior Inventory and how will they benefit?

First, all individuals who take the Senior Inventory will receive a confidential and personal report. Based on your unique response, your personal report will highlight specific issues and life-decisions to which you should give attention as you grow older.

Second, NAME OF CHURCH will receive an anonymous summary of all Inventories. This summary report will respect the confidentiality of the Inventory and no response will be identified with a specific individual. However, the summary report will assist me, the church council, and our ministry committees in our short and long-range planning by identifying specific eldercare needs within our congregation and community.

Who provides the confidential individual reports and the congregation report?

NAME OF CHURCH has partnered with Church Resources, a non-profit congregation-related ministry, to provide all reports. Church Resources is a national leader in senior ministry research for congregations.

Church Resources manages all stages of data collection and report generating. No third party, including congregations, will ever be provided access to the inventory responses of specific individuals. After the inventories are electronically scanned, and the reports are generated, the inventories are shredded and recycled.

How much will it cost to take the Senior Inventory?

There is a $12 processing fee for each Inventory. The nature of the personal reports requires that couples each complete their own Inventory. I have reviewed the services covered by this processing fee and find it very fair, I even think it is a bargain. The $12 fee will be collected from you when you pick up the inventory. If you plan to pay by check, make your check payable to NAME OF CHURCH. Church Resources has provided Inventory grants to NAME OF CHURCH for any person for whom the $12 processing fee is a financial hardship. We do not want anyone to not take this inventory because of financial reasons. If you cannot take the Inventory because of financial hardship please contact me personally.