The Called to Witness Parish Planning 2015 is underway. The Core Team has met several times and will be conducting interviews and listening sessions. If you would like to participate, please contact mshank@smshp.com.
The Core Team ended their last meeting with members sharing how St. Mary is at its best...
What: Called to Witness is a parish-wide planning process to affirm both who we are as a Catholic parish and what we are called to be. The plan that will be developed will reflect everyone’s best and most reasoned efforts in building consensus about where the parish is heading, and how it should best achieve its mission along the way.
Why: The best time for a parish to tackle planning is when there is no urgent need to resolve a crisis. St. Mary Church is blessed to find itself in ‘a good place’ and we will use Called to Witness as a means of identifying what has changed since the 2011 Long Range Plan, and develop our shared vision and goals for the future of St. Mary Parish.
How: Called to Witness planning is accomplished by engaging all parishioners and building on the work and wisdom of prior planning initiatives. "Listening" sessions will be held with parishioners and Called to Witness team leaders. All parishioners are invited and encouraged to participate. We want to hear from you!
Contact Margaret Shank at 321-1207 ext.5521 or mshank@smshp.com to get involved.
When:
- September-October 2015, the Called to Witness Core Team will meet with individual parishioners and groups of parishioners to ask questions about your St. Mary Parish experience and LISTEN to your feedback.
- November 2015-March 2016, all the feedback will be analyzed and developed into our Called to Witness Plan with the help of Starboard Strategy, a Catholic Parish consulting firm.
The symbol for Called to Witness incorporates a triangle, circle and heart to signify the virtues of faith, hope, and love. At the center of these is the St. Mary rose, an icon used to brand all parish communications. This symbol declares that in undertaking strategic planning, each parishioner is ‘called to witness’ the parish’s strengths, its values, its ideals and its challenges in serving Christ and in serving its members. This witnessing will help the parish determine ‘where it shall be’ and ‘what it must be’ to become the best version of itself.