Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

            August, 2009

Pitfalls For Staff

It is the staff that keeps the parish functioning and moving forward.  Without the work and ministry of this small cadre of dedicated people, the parish would come to a halt.  Witness one or other of these people going on vacation or being away for sick leave and the value of their contribution and efforts is immediately obvious.  But this dependence has its pitfalls.  Instead of “full and active participation of the laity,” members of the staff can take on too much responsibility.  They do the decision making and implementation of programs while the volunteers they recruit provide support and become gofers for their projects.  Much as staff members want to hand over the leadership to others, they are fearful that people will not do what they said they would do and the project or ministry will fail.  As one staff person told us, “The parishioners have jobs and duties of their own.  We can’t ask them to do what we were paid to handle.  We have the experience, expertise and time to accomplish what has to be done.  Volunteers do not have that luxury.”   Perhaps, but this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy; staff members become over-worked and “in charge” while others help them out but are not part of creating or planning the project or ministry.

Spreading Out the Ownership

When staff members experience burnout because of the extra work they are given, we ask whether they have a partner to share the load or a committee to work with.  One staff member might be responsible for pastoral ministry but that does not mean she has to do the scheduling and arranging of hospital or nursing home visits.  A committee of experienced volunteers could do this instead.  The pastoral minister meets with this group of four to six people on a regular basis to make sure all the bases are covered, sharing both the decision making and scheduling with her co-workers.  A music director chooses the music for the liturgies and makes up a worship aide for each Mass.  Trying out a different model, he might instead work with a small team to choose the music.  He would act as a resource and guide to the team rather than be the only one in charge.  He and the team together would plan the music for each season and then enlist others to print the worship aides, schedule accompanists, file the music or remind musicians about their commitments.  This frees the music director to do what he does best – direct music, explore options, motivate singers and raise the level of congregational singing.

Find A Partner – Form A Team

Rather than staff members seeing their work as “my ministry,” “my project,” “my responsibility,” “my problem,” “my success or failure,” the focus shifts to “our ministry,” “our project,” “our responsibility.  Whatever problems need to be faced, whatever success is to be gained, whatever failure to acknowledge is shared either with one other person as a partner, or by a team of people working together to research, plan, decide and assess what has to be done.  This partnership might include another staff member so that the director of religious education and the school principal are operating as co-leaders, as are the liturgist and music minister, the youth minister and adult formation director, the pastor and administrator.  The partner could also be a seasoned volunteer who might be a head catechist, a talented cantor, a pastoral minister, the head of the finance council or the like.  This other person is an equal partner with the staff member.  The two of them meet regularly to define roles and share the ministry.  They would also form a team or committee to work with the two of them to set goals, make decisions and share ownership of the ministry or program.

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

        March, 2009

A Change of Pastors

This is a critical moment in the life of a parish.  A new pastor means a new culture.  If it is managed well, it can be a graced and joyful experience.  If not, the effects of it can linger for many years.  What follows are key ingredients that need to be included in this transition process if it is to be successful.

Create a Transition Team

Soon after the pastor has made known that he will be moving, a transition team of six to nine people needs to be form to shepherd the parish through this critical shift in leadership.  The makeup of the group should include one staff person (not the pastor), a pastoral council member (not the chair), two or three from parish commissions or other leadership groups, one or two people who experienced the previous transition of pastors, and a few parishioners not involved in the current leadership to provide an objective perspective.  The purpose of the team is to help the pastor put closure to his term, guide the staff, leaders and people through the change, and welcome the new pastor, providing him with insights and feedback when necessary.

Profile of the Parish

One of the first tasks of the Transition Team is to create a description of the parish for the new pastor.  If the prospective pastor has not yet been chosen, then the team would submit this parish profile to the diocesan personnel board as a help in finding the best “fit” for the parish.  This description of the history, make-up, structure and “culture” of the parish is formed from consultations with the staff, council, leaders and people.  It should be brief but informative, including what aspects people feel should be retained, what could be let go of and what new things might be introduced in the near future.

Tasks for the Current Pastor

Some of the questions a pastor needs to ask himself over the last few months of his pastorate are: To whom do I need to say goodbye and when?  What must I let go of and leave behind?  What decisions do I need to make so that the incoming pastor won’t be facing some of the things I had to deal with when first I came?  What break time will I plan for myself during this transition?  The pastor must also attend to the feelings of the staff because they are most at risk when a new pastor is appointed.  Will they still have their jobs?  He will need to work with the transition team and other key groups in planning rituals of leave-taking.

Plan an Interim Period

When the current pastor leaves, arrange for some other priests to preside at the liturgies for a few weeks so that the new pastor does not have to follow on the heels of the one leaving.  This short breathing space of two or three weeks is helpful both to the pastors and to the parishioners.  It gives them time to let go of one before having to welcome the next.

Welcome the New Pastor

Know when the new priest will be arriving so that a ritual of welcoming can be built into the weekend liturgies, as well as the first encounters with the staff, council and commissions.  The transition team has the task of gaining the trust of the new pastor, providing encouragement, insight and feedback about how he is connecting with various segments of the parish.  It usually takes six months until both pastor and people are comfortable with each other.  (For more on this key moment of parish life, see Changing Pastors, Sweetser and McKinney, Sheed and Ward, 1998.)

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

April, 2008

It’s All About Finding The Right People:

On February 28, 2008, a group of pastors and their administrators, twenty-five in all, gathered in Anaheim, CA.  This was no ordinary group of people.  Each one belonged to a parish that had participated in the Parish Assessment and Renewal (PAR) process and were committed to working in partnership with one another.  The purpose of the gathering was to share their experience and to raise common issues and concerns.  One that surfaced was finding people to staff new committees proposed by the commissions.

Staffing the Committees:

Part of the job of a commission, whether Worship, Community Life, Formation, Outreach or Administration, is to construct one, two and three-year goals.  The implementation of these goals, however, belongs not to the commissions but to existing parish committees and ministries.  If these are not equipped to handle the task then new committees need to be formed.  The commissions begin the process of forming committees by constructing a job description of what the committee is expected to accomplish and a timeline for implementation.  It is also up to the commission to locate people to make up the committee, starting with two competent co-chairs to get it started.  Some examples of new committees that might need to be formed include communications, newcomers, volunteer coordination, young adults, inactive parishioners.  But where can the commission find qualified, motivated people who will translate a particular goal into action?

Possible Options For Locating New Committee Members:

• During the “Two-minute Report” period at the end of a Leadership Night, hand out index cards to all the others present.  Explain the type of persons you are looking for and ask them to put down one or two names of likely candidates.  Do the same with the staff at their next meeting.
• When commission members link with their ministry or group each month, ask the contact person to solicit from their ministers or members the names of likely candidates for this new committee.  If a new committee, for instance, is to organize greeters at all the Masses, then the head lector is asked to solicit names for this new Greeters Committee from all the lectors.
• The weekend liturgy is where most people come in contact with the parish.  Use this as a resource.  A young person might make an announcement at the end of Mass that a new Young Adults group is being formed and there is a need for an organizing committee.  The person then refers to a card in the pew that asks for the name of a family member or friend who fits the description of a committee member.  The cards are collected as people leave church.  If they need more time, they are encouraged to take the card home to think it over and call the contact person with the name.
• Newcomers, those completing RCIA, spouses or family members of those already involved are likely groups to tap for names.  The Outreach Commission might be forming a committee for contacting inactive parishioners.  Commission members, with a one-page job description in hand,  make personal visits to the RCIA gathering following Easter, or to the monthly Women’s Club or K of C’s meeting, or the bi-monthly Wine and Cheese Gathering for newcomers.  The commission members would make a brief request for names from among those present.  Once all the names are collected, it is up to the commission to do the contacting, always looking for possible co-chairs to lead the group, as well as other committee members.

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

     January, 2008

Mantras for the Leadership:

Whether pastor, staff, pastoral council or commission member, these are five ways of acting that will bring success and joy to ministry.  These provide balance amid the stress and pressures of parish life.

1. Listening Is an Active Love:

A book with this title came out of the StoryCorps Project of ordinary people telling extraordinary stories about their lives.  This attitude is essential for all parish leaders and ministers.  It includes not only asking for insight and feedback, it also requires giving full attention to what people are saying.  This will keep the leaders grounded in reality and not just the perception of what they think is going on.  Listening to one another is also a key component of good leading, hearing with new ears the reactions, concerns and insights of those with whom they interact, plan and minister.

2. Make the Other Person Look Good :

In working with parishes, we stress the need for partnership on all levels, whether it is someone working with the pastor, staff members pairing up with one another or others with whom they work, or the pastoral council and commissions being led by co-chairs.  Participants take notice when the leaders make the other person look good by bringing out one’s gifts and talents.  As two people lead a project or program, there might be occasional put-downs or sarcastic remarks, but what people remember are the supportive remarks, those efforts at being sensitive and encouraging to the other person’s style and gifts for leading.

3. Speak Truth – Kindly, Clearly, Consistently:

People are reluctant to be straight and honest with others, afraid to hurt their feelings or worried about the reaction it will cause.  But sometimes the greatest gift one leader can give to another is to say it “as it is.”  That does not mean slaughtering the person in the process.  Three guidelines should be considered in speaking truth to someone else:  Is it true?  Is it necessary to say?  Is it spoken with kindness and sensitivity?  It is a great gift to any pastor, staff or leadership group to have those who are willing to speak the truth when necessary, doing so in a way people can hear and accept as benefiting their way of acting and leading.

4. If You Believe It You Will See It:

This saying comes from DeWitt Jones’ video “Celebrate What’s Right in the World.”  The Gospels are full of such faith as people are healed by Jesus.  They believed and so it happened.  There is much to be discouraged about in parish life these days.  But for those who believe good things will happening, they are rewarded with miracles on a regular basis.  “Who will lead this group?”  Just then the right person steps forward.  “Who will pay for this project?”  A donation appears out of nowhere.  “Will anyone show up for this event?”  Extra chairs have to be added as people pour in.  If you believe it, it will happen!

5. What To Do Better Next Time:

This is a given for the end of any meeting, project, liturgy or program.  Too often people give a sigh of relief when the event is concluded without taking time to look at what happened and how to make it better next time.  This is what will keep people coming back, a regular practice of evaluation and assessment.

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

September, 2007

How A Parish Began Having Fun Together:

The following is from our new book, Keeping the Covenant: Taking Parish to the Next Level, pp. 219-220.

           The first-year goal for the Community Life Commission was to provide occasions for the parishioners to come together and enjoy each other’s company.  The commission envisioned a string of parish socials that would attract a variety of people, both old and young, as well as those from various ethnic backgrounds.  Only a few functions now existed and these were fund-raisers that targeted specific audiences, such as school parents, senior citizens or an ethnic group.  The one exception was the annual parish festival that drew the entire parish together.  But it was very labor-intensive and demanded many months of organizing and preparation.  Could other simpler activities be planned that did not require such an outlay of energy but could still pull the whole parish community together?

            What the commission came up with was a task group of ten people representing different ages and ethnic groups that would create a string of events, one for each month, with a break during the summer just before the festival.  The task group was to decide what events to sponsor.  One person from the task group would spearhead each month’s event, assembling a special committee to put it into operation.

            Once the task group was in place it began by laying out possible events for each month of the coming year, beginning in September.  The guidelines for these social events were that they should break even financially but not be fund-raisers, that they appeal to a wide spectrum of the parish population, that they be easy to put on, with no frills or demanding large expenditures of time and energy.  Finally, they must have a built-in assessment process afterwards by which to judge their effectiveness.  The criteria for success would be whether people showed up for the event, that different ages and ethnic groups were in attendance and whether people had fun while they were there.  The list of events the task group came up was as follows:

(A description of each month’s social activity is included in the book.)

            September:      Movie Night and Ice Cream Social

            October:          A Walk in the Woods to enjoy the fall colors

            November:      Advent wreath-making and Christmas card writing activity

            December:       “Strange Gift” Christmas Party

            January:           Super Bowl/Best Commercials viewing and voting

            February:         Valentine’s Day/Anniversary Dance

            March:             Taste of the Parish – St. Patrick/St. Joseph Potluck

            April:               Easter Hat and Card Playing Fest

            May:                Prom Night that pairs the senior citizens with the youth

            June:                Parish Bike Trip and Picnic

(The book is now available either from the PEP office, Crossroads Publishing, bookstores or Amazon.com.)

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

            June 2007

Parish School – Getting the Parents Involved:

As a way of connecting parents with the school and parish from the first day of class, consider this scenario:  When people enroll their child in kindergarten, they are contacted by the pastor and invited in for a chat.  He welcomes them to the school community and assures them that their child will receive a safe, well-rounded, academically sound, spiritually enhanced education over the coming years.  He answers any questions they may have about the parish and school.  Then he asks something from them.  During the time their child attends the parish school, he requests three hours from them every week of the year.  “I won’t be checking up on you,” he says, “but I ask that you commit three hours of every week for the good of your child, yourselves and the life of the parish.”

The First Hour:

The first hour is attendance at one of the weekend liturgies.  It does no good to send a child to the school which includes school Masses, religious instruction and value formation if parents are not reinforcing this learning by their own religious practice, especially attendance at Mass each week as a family.  Children of kindergarten age absorb a great deal from what is happening around them, especially the behavior patterns of their own parents.  Going to church on a weekly basis makes an impression that will last a lifetime.

Hour Number Two:

The second commitment the pastor asks of the parents is to spend the equivalent of one hour a week involved in some activity, program, project or ministry associated with the school or parish.  Some examples include coaching a school or parish team, reading at Mass, being a classroom aide, becoming active in the parent/teacher association, helping out with the yearly parish festival.  This one-hour commitment to service and ministry could be done in clumps, more activity during one part of the year and less at another, but the requirement is the same; giving of one’s limited time to help out in the parish.  It is through this involvement that parents learn about the parish and school, while others become acquainted with them as well.  They also learn more about what is happening with their child’s formation through this direct involvement.

The Final Hour:

This final hour has to do with a financial commitment to the parish as a whole.  Rather than considering the school a private institution of learning to which people pay tuition, the pastor points out that the parish contributes a portion of its own income as a way of maintaining a quality school program.  The parents of this new student are asked to do the same.  “Think of it this way,” the pastor might suggest.  “When you start work on Monday morning, whether in the home or somewhere else, give the first hour of your weekly wage back to God.  It is a way of returning a small portion of one’s income in appreciation for the blessings received throughout the week.  Figure out what you make each hour of your work week and give the first hour of this back to God as a contribution to the parish.  This, then, is what I ask as you begin your association with our school: one hour at church each week, one hour of involvement in some parish ministry or project, one hour of your weekly wage as a financial contribution to the parish.  I can guarantee that you will gain much more than you give through this commitment to the parish and school.”

This is not a fantasy.  Fr. John Enzler, pastor of Blessed Sacrament in Washington, DC, asks this of parents for every kindergarten student each year.  It could work in your school or religious education program as well.

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

            May 2007

Pastor of a Modern Parish – Some Do’s and Don’ts:

            Being a pastor is no picnic.  Tangible rewards are few, the hours are long and the tensions numerous.  In a book by Katarina Schuth called, Priestly Ministry in Multiple Parishes (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2006) there is a list of best practices and biggest mistakes for pastoring multiple parishes (p. 162-3).  Using these as a springboard, we offer the following helps for anyone pastoring one or more parishes.

Do have the council, commissions or key committees meet on the same night.  It keeps the pastor’s meetings to a minimum and furthers communication between groups.  The pastor spends time in each group as needed but doesn’t have to be present at any one for the entire session.

            Don’t make too many decisions behind closed doors with the staff or a small group of leaders.  This fails to use the creative gifts of the larger community and limits the number of options and possibilities.

Do delegate but don’t abdicate.  Being “the one in charge” allows the pastor to create a style of leadership that is shared with many capable people.  Establish a culture of partnership so that those in key positions are linked with one or two others as co-chairs, co-leaders, co-directors, co-planners of a program or project.  The pastor models this by finding someone with whom to be a partner as well.

Don’t fail to communicate with the parish as a whole.  When a decision is made, tell the people what was decided, why this particular choice was made, who was consulted and how it will be implemented.  Use any means possible to get the word out – bulletin, announcements, signs, website, newsletter, conversations.

Do figure out what aspect of pastoring is most enjoyable and energizing; then schedule time to do it on a regular basis, whether it be reading, visiting, teaching, sacraments, doing the school Mass, attending concerts or going on trips with parishioners – whatever gets the juices going and refreshes one’s spirit.

Don’t do tasks that drain energy and sap creativity.  Find other qualified people to do these instead, whether administrative chores, leading meetings, holding people accountable, handling the money.

Do maintain a predictable schedule and set of office hours so that people know when and how to connect with the pastor.  Have a set time for returning phone calls or answering emails rather than responding to each one as it comes in.  These interruptions reduce the pastor’s effectiveness and creates undo stress and strain.

Don’t fail to let the Spirit of God guide and help.  This includes finding a set time for prayer each day, meeting with a mentor or spiritual guide on a regular basis, listening closely to the wisdom of others.

Do seek out and hire the best, most qualified and experienced staff people money can buy.  Advertise widely when a position is open and go through a thorough consultative process before settling on the final choice.  The time, effort and money spent on this selection process will reap a plentiful bounty.

Don’t fall into a “woe is me” attitude when there are not enough priests, staff, leaders, volunteers, money, time or attendance.  Become, instead, the “can do,” motivating, optimistic pastor who calls people beyond themselves and challenges them to do more than they ever dreamed or imagined they could do.

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

March, 2007

Pastor’s Letter Regarding Liturgy:

In October of 2006, Blessed Sacrament Parish in Washington, DC went through the PAR (Parish Assessment and Renewal) process.  The pastor, Msgr. John Enzler, wrote a letter to the parishioners that appeared in the January 21, 2007 issues of the parish bulletin.  We offer it here as an example of how to translate some of the insights and discoveries of PAR into action.

Dear Friends,

As many of you remember, we were involved last fall in a fairly extensive evaluation of parish life at Blessed Sacrament.  The Parish Assessment and Renewal (PAR) process included a random sample survey, input from our most active parishioners, personal interviews, a Town Hall meeting and substantial input from the staff and major advisory groups.

In the area of liturgy, three themes were consistently raised by our parishioners: a welcoming atmosphere, homilies and music.  In all three areas we are trying to make a concerted effort to listen to the parishioners’ concerns and respond accordingly.  Input on all aspects of the liturgy is valued and appreciated.

I am sure you have noticed that we are now trying to begin all weekend liturgies with a one or two minute greeting initiated by the cantors.  We have been making an effort to say “hello” to those sitting close by in the pews and I have heard very positive comments about that effort.  It does not detract from the liturgy and provides people an opportunity to express a brief greeting to “neighbors in the pew” who will share the Eucharist that Sunday.

The priests and deacons have begun meeting twice a month to discuss the scriptures for the coming weeks and to share personal reflections and exegesis on the Sunday Gospels.  We will continue to work together to provide an insightful reflection on the scriptures through our homilies each and every weekend.

Finally, last week we published a “favorite hymn” survey with the hopes that you would pick one up, choose your favorite songs and add a few of your own.  This is an attempt to listen to our parishioners and to discern how we can become even more engaged in the liturgy through our choirs, cantors and choice of music.  Also, please plan on attending the “Hymn-Sing Festival” which will be held in the church on February 7 at 7 pm.*

Keep the ideas coming and we will respond as best we can.

Father John

*The Hymn-Sing Festival is an invitation to all parishioners to gather for an evening of favorite liturgical songs.  One person chooses a favorite and the accompanists play the song while all join in.  Then someone else chooses a song and that one is sung.  At the end of an hour or so of singing, those attending are encouraged to sing out loudly at the weekend liturgies with the promise that their favorites will be included.

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

November, 2005

If You Build A Committee, They Will Come:

            We are presuming a commission structure in which there is not only a pastoral council but five commissions as well, each one coordinating and giving direction to one aspect of the parish, including the areas of worship, community life, formation, outreach and administration.  We are also presuming that members of these commissions are connecting with each ministry, organization or subgroup associated with that area.  Not only are they making contact with the heads of each subgroup but they are also assessing what needs help, assistance or a new focus.  Besides linking with subgroups, assessing needs and setting goals, each commission also funnels tasks to committees or ministries which in turn accomplish what has to be done.  If no committee or ministry exists for implementing a needed task, then new committees must be formed.

A Sample Committee For Each Commission:

It often happens in the parishes we work with that new committees are needed in order to implement the goals created by the commissions.  In Worship, for instance, there might be a need to create a Liturgy Planning Committee.  This is a subgroup of the Worship Commission whose focus is the planning of good liturgies that fit the unique tone and style of each Mass on the weekend.  In Community Life, there is often a need to create a Volunteer Coordinating Committee to handle the recruitment and management of volunteers in the parish.  The Formation or Education Commission often has to form an Adult Enrichment Committee that maps out a year-long plan for adult formation incorporating a variety of offerings and options.  For Outreach it is usually necessary to set up an Inactives Committee which has the task of connecting with those who do not attend Mass regularly.  Finally, in Administration, the commission might set as one of its goals to create a Communications Committee to handle all the publicity and information-sharing in the parish, including bulletin, website, newsletter, signs, brochures, handouts and posters.

A Two Step Process For The Creation Of A Committee:

The first step is to develop a job description that spells out what needs to be accomplished.  It is up to the commission to create this description, at least in a general way, so that those interested in joining the committee know what would be expected of them, what skills or expertise are required and what meeting times and personal commitments will be necessary.  In the formation of a Communications Committee, for instance, the Administration Commission would describe the scope of the job as including the four areas of bulletin assessment, website maintenance, newsletter creation and image-building around the property.  The skills required might include graphic arts, computer expertise, marketing experience and the like.  Once the job is defined and a timeline established for implementation, the second step for the commission is to seek out volunteers who meet these qualifications and could accomplish the task.  To find these people members of the commission would ask the staff, council and other commission members to suggest names, as well as solicit names from other parishioners.  The commission would then make personal contacts with those having the necessary skills and abilities for the job.  A good place to begin is to identify one or two persons to head up the committee and serve as the nucleus of the group.  Others are added to the committee as names begin to surface from the parish-wide search process.  Once the committee is formed, the members are given the job description and a deadline for the first “progress report” to be given to the commission.  With that in hand, it then is up to the committee to accomplish its task in whatever way it thinks best.

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

January, 2005

The Parish Finance Council:

According to Canon Law, every Catholic parish must have a Finance Council.  The question is how it relates to other leadership bodies such as the Pastoral Council and commissions.  The temptation is to operate as an independent unit, setting parish policies and directions by determining what gets funded and what does not.

A good way to connect the Finance Council into the overall structure is to link it to the Administration Commission.  It is this commission that oversees all the administrative aspects of the parish, including communications, buildings and grounds, maintenance, stewardship of treasure, long-range facilities planning and finances.  If there is no Administration Commission, then the Finance Council tends to assume many other duties besides finances, such as purchasing, contracting and planning.  These take it far a field from its primary function of making up the budget, keeping track of parish spending and reporting these to the parishioners.

Budgeting Process:

The first step in the yearly process of creating a budget is to learn from the Pastoral Council –of which the pastor is a member – the priorities or theme for the coming year.  What are the values and commitments that need to receive special emphasis and focus?  Suppose, for instance, that the Pastoral Council wants to concentrate on a single theme, reaching out to young adults, especially the less active ones.  Not only would it call on the commissions to work on making plans for this area, it would also ask the Finance Council to free funds for this initiative.

Going to the Commissions:

The next step is for the Finance Council to find out from each commission – usually these include Worship, Community Life, Formation, Outreach and Administration – what are the budgeting needs they will have for the coming year.  This usually begins in January of each year.  By that time the commissions have a good idea for what is happening in each of their areas of ministry and what new initiatives they are hoping to fund for the future.

Members of the Finance Council would visit each commission during the Common Leadership Night where all meet in one location, although they are working on their own.  Besides salaries and fixed expenses that are negotiated separately, each commission would make requests for funding special projects and programs for the coming year.  In Community Life, for instance, the members might request seed money for a young adults group in the parish.  The Finance Council would pay close attention to this request knowing that it was a high priority for the Pastoral Council.  The same might happen in the Outreach Commission as it asks for money to fund a fresh new approach for connecting with inactive younger adults.

The Finance Council would take all this information and construct a tentative budget for the next fiscal year.  This draft would be sent to the commissions for revisions and then eventually to the Pastoral Council for final approval, making sure that it reflects the priorities of the parish.  The Administration Commission can be of great assistance in keeping communication lines open between the Finance Council and other parish leadership groups because it usually has members from the Finance Council on the commission.  The Administration Commission also has representation on the Pastoral Council.  This entire process, in other words, is an interactive, collaborative model of dialogue and mutual negotiation.

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin  

March, 2002 

           Thank you for your encouraging response to the first issue of the Parish Newsletter.  We are up and running.  Some of you sent in ideas about what could be done to create new energy and vitality in parishes.  We will share some of these in succeeding issues.  For this issue, a creative idea from Marquette University in Milwaukee.

Ministry Fair: 

           Many parishes have a Ministry Fair once a year to display all that is going on in the parish.  This usually takes place before and after the weekend Masses in a place that is easily accessible to the Mass-goers.  One parish had a popcorn machine in the parish hall that was close enough to the church and gathering space that it lured people in for a bag of popcorn and to look at all the booths that displayed parish ministries and organizations.  Another parish, for that one weekend, had all the Masses in the gym so people had to come see what was being offered.  The booths were around the walls and the altar at the far end so people passed by the displays on the way to Mass.  The purpose of a Ministry Fair is to show the parishioners all that is happening in the parish and to encourage them to participate in at least one group or ministry for the coming year.  One week following the Ministry Fair is Commitment Weekend where people make a financial commitment for the coming year and sign up for one or more activity or ministry as well.

           Here’s a new twist for the Ministry Fair.  It was the brainstorm of Stephanie Russell, the head of Mission Awareness at Marquette University.  The theme was “Teach them to fish.”  She gave to each department on campus a large plywood fish, two feet by four feet, and asked them to decorate it to show how they were helping people “learn how to fish.”  The results are displayed on the web at www.marquette.edu/missionweek/fish/.  The idea came from the “cows” that lined Chicago’s Michigan Avenue a few years back.  Los Angeles had angels.          

           A parish could do the same.  Give each ministry and organization a large fish, or some other icon.  Have them decorate it in a way that described their work and how it reflected their purpose and identity in the parish.  Display these as part of the Ministry Fair, or in the gathering space leading into where the Fair will take place.  It worked at Marquette, why not your parish as well. 

           Any other ideas about how to show off what parish ministries are about or ways to help people become more involved in parish functions and events?  Surely there are some great ideas out there.  Let’s hear from you. 

Tom Sweetser, SJ

(pepparish@pepparish.org)

Parish Newsletter

A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

                                                                         February, 2002

           This is the inaugural issue of the new Parish Newsletter.  It is an attempt to provide a dialogue among those involved in Catholic parish ministry, whether priests, staffs, leaders, parishioners or those looking in from the outside.  This is one way people can share their best experiences and practices, as well as ask questions or provide insights about how to do better.   The way it works is that a person subscribes to this newsletter by sending an e-mail to pepparish@pepparish.org.  Once on the list, you will receive the newsletter approximately once a month.  You have the option of making a response by sending a “reply” to this e-mail.  It will come back to the Parish Evaluation Project but to no one else.  The list, in other words, is confidential and will not be used in any other way than for this newsletter, nor will it be forwarded to any other group or individual.  If you wish to withdraw your subscription, just send a reply with the word “Unsubscribe” in the subject line.  There is no charge for this service. 

           We are hoping that people will make a response and tell us about what good things are happening in their parish, or what questions and issues you would like to raise.  The next issue will provide a few of these responses for everyone’s benefit.  Some of the “Best Practices” we hope to list on our website, www.pepparish.org, but only after receiving permission to do so. 

           To get the ball rolling, let us begin by asking what is one of the best things that is happening in your parish at the moment.  If you are not involved in a parish at the moment, what one thing would you like to see happen that might be of interest to you?  One example is the parish we visited last month as part of our Parish Assessment and Renewal process (PAR). 

           St. Gabriel in Charlotte, NC has a monthly “Wednesday Night Dinner.”  There is a cook as a member of the staff who provides the meal every week.  From three to four hundred people attend at a cost of $6.50 a piece.  It is an excellent meal, which is followed by faith enrichment offerings for the adults, and religious education for the children.  It starts at 5:30 pm and the sessions begin at 6:30 or 7:00.  Many come just for the meal because it is so good and the conversation even better.  Could this happen in your parish?  What other things are you doing that could be shared with a wider audience, or new ideas as untried? 

We are only getting started.  If you like what you see, tell your friends, sign up individual staff and council members, spread the word.  We are open to all e-mailers.                                                                                  

Tom Sweetser, SJ