CALLED TO BE CHURCH

 

     On November 30th, 2006, our Local Planning Group, Holy Trinity, St. Bernard’s, St. Joseph’s, St. Mary’s-Waterford, St. Michael’s,

St. Rita’s/Sacred Heart, gathered in prayer to reflect on the ministry of the Church as identified in our Parish Town Meetings.  The

discussion focused on several of the questions discussed at the town meeting.

 

1.  How has your ministry with others in the Church helped your faith community to grow?

 

            ○  Organizing groups and activities to respond to needs

            ○  Learning to give and to receive

            ○  Recognizing individual gifts

            ○  Making service to each other all inclusive

            ○  Seeing the work of the church as a vocation in itself

            ○  Recognizing that we fulfill the mission of Christ together

 

2.  What do you see as the most essential ministries of the Church today?

          Summarized by one group whose members looked over all the answers given to this question

          by all six parishes and one youth group.

 

          Results:

            ○  Evangelization

            ○  youth ministry and faith formation on every level

            ○  pastoral care of the sick, elderly and homebound, and

            ○  outreach to those who have needs

            ○  all growing out of good liturgical, Sacramental and Spiritual life within the Church.

 

3.  How do you see ministry or service in the Church changing in the future?

 

            ○  Vocation is a calling – we are all called every day to be ministers of the Church in some way in our daily activities

            ○  More work done by lay people

            ○  More lay leadership/Parish Life Directors

            ○  More community service

            ○  Wider vision

            ○  More involvement by youth’

            ○  Combining of resources and activities among parishes working together

            ○  Sense of community/sense of belonging

 

4.  How do ordained and lay ministry complement each other?

 

            ○  Each person uses their gifts/talents to contribute to the whole community

            ○  We are not just a business

            ○  Community building is about relationship – our vested interest is in relationship with God and with each other

            ○  Ordained and lay members partner with each other in the work of the church

            ○  Lay leaders and the laity in general help with the daily running of the parish to free the priest to do the work/ministry

                he was ordained for.

 

5.  What important conclusions can you deduce from this information?

 

            ○  The Church is people and our faith – not buildings.  Bricks and mortar support the people’s work.

            ○  As Church we all have common goals – to serve God and the Church

            ○  We need more youth and lay persons to be involved in Church

            ○  We all need to accept the reality that things are going to change

            ○  The work of the Church is ministry – laity and clergy must collaborate together as team members to do this

                 work – supporting each other in their respective duties

            ○  Essential ministries will need to continue to evolve for the good of everyone

            ○  All must be ready to accept the call to discipleship received at Baptism

            ○  We must be willing to work together with patience, open hearts and open minds

            ○  WE need to trust that the Holy Spirit is moving among us to renew and change the Church so that it can

                 become a better instrument for the building up of God’s Kingdom.

 

 

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