Below are some suggestions on how to transform a parish from "maintenance" to "mission":
1. Form an evangelization team of lay people. Their goal is to act as a catalyst within the parish, praying and bringing ideas to the parish council.
2. Start a 'stewardship' ministry within the parish: helping people become familiar with their Time, Talents and Treasures.
3. Gear the parish bulletin toward evangelism. Have a parish web page, updated weekly. Inserts describe what evangelization is and how to do it.
4. Make use of church bulletin boards at church entrance. List various ministries.
5. Change the mission statement of the parish, emphasizing evangelization as its core mission.
6. Change sacramental prep. programs to reflect the goal of evangelization. Have young adults give personal witness sharings at these program meetings. Include uplifting music, skits, etc.
7. Life Teen Mass and Life Night for teens and young adults.
8. Have trained greeters (in addition to ushers) at the entrance to the church to welcome people, especially newcomers.
9. Have an up-to-date photo directory of the entire parish .. with names. Have a welcome kit for newcomers that includes this directory, history, etc. Could this directory be password encrypted and posted on web?
10. Have monthly pot-luck dinners in parish hall followed by a presentation of some aspect of the parish or our faith.
11. Make the R.C.I.A. run year-round. Newcomers to the church should not have to wait 6 months to join! The catechists should begin the RCIA program by giving their own personal faith journey.
12. Have a bereavement ministry to follow up with families who have experienced a recent loss.
13. Baptisms should occur during Mass and not at a separate ceremony. The reason is to have the opportunity to evangelize the relatives of the baby.
14. Twin the parish with a poor parish in a third world country in a partnership of mission and evangelization. This includes praying each week for that parish, as well as supplying them with their needs.
15. Have an outreach [lay] ministry to the sick and elderly in your parish boundaries. This evangelizes the children of the elderly ones.
16. Have an "Ask the Pastor" night. This would include snacks and a light tone. This really reaches out to those who are misinformed or alienated for one reason or another.
17. Involve the children! For example, children's liturgy, children's choir (monthly), bring up the gifts, Christmas production, etc.
18. Have a strong 'social justice' agenda with a clear profile in the neighbourhood. For example, food bank, St. Vincent de Paul, etc.
19. Have small group sharings. This encourages bonding. e.g.. Bible study, book club, Marriage Encounter, separated/divorced participants.
20. Have Eucharistic Adoration -- perpetual, if possible -- even if for only one day.
21. Have a "State of the Parish" dinner, sharing your hopes and dreams with the parish.
22. Personal invitation: there is no substitute for it! Have an attitude of evangelization.
Got questions, comments, suggestions? Please phone Fr. Brian Jane (519) 736-5418