Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for being a follower of this blog, for your support, and for all that you do to make the Academy what it is today. Thanksgiving reminds me yet again reflect on how grateful I am for all of you.
In celebration of Thanksgiving, I have been thinking about the art of the thank you note!
I truly believe you can’t say thank you enough. Some people tell me they don’t agree. But I go back to what my mom taught me as a little boy. She would say, “When you offer thanks, it is letting people know that YOU care.”
No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks. – St. Ambrose
For church donors, a thank you note is an acknowledgment of generosity of someone’s time, treasure, and talent – and in some cases, their love! People have taken time to give, to offer, and to provide. We should let them know we appreciate what they’ve done. “Oh, no need to thank me.” But it is not about need or reciprocation, it is about an acknowledgement. You care enough to say thank you.
Do everything for the love of God and His glory without looking at the outcome of the undertaking. Work is judged, not by its result, but by its intention.
– Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
Don’t delay
I don’t know about you, but I have procrastinated at times writing thank you notes. Not because I don’t want to write a thank you note, but sometimes, in an effort for the note to be “perfect,” I wait until the perfect time to write. Instead, write the note promptly, get it done, it will be appreciated.
Be heartfelt
Tell a story, let people know how you feel about their gift or donation.
Be authentic
Write what is true for you. I don’t think you can mess up a thank you.
Practice
Like all things, practice makes perfect.
As many of you know, I have a deep love for St. Francis DeSales and his practical wisdom. I love this quote:
You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; and just so you learn to love God and man by loving. Begin as a mere apprentice and the very power of love will lead you on to become a master of the art. – St. Francis De Sales
I’d like to add to the quote, and I think St. Francis would agree wholeheartedly, to give thanks by thanking!
May your Thanksgiving be wonderful!
In gratitude,
Michael Castrilli
Here are some good blog posts about saying thank you to donors:
- 5 Thank You Letters Donors will Love, Joanne Fritz
- Delight Donors and Volunteers With Hand-Written Thank You Notes
- Donor Thank-You Letters: 6 Actionable Tips
I would love to hear from you as to how you thank those who support your church, your work, your ministry! Contact me!
