Over this summer, we have been sharing some details of the work our parish leadership team has been doing so that we may bring clarity of the purpose and mission of our church to everyone engaged in Holy Family Parish. This work revolved around six key clarity questions:
- Why do we exist?
- How do we behave?
- What do we do?
- How will we succeed?
- What is most important right now?
- Who does what?
We continue this information this week with a look at:
QUESTION 5: WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW?
The answer to this question will change periodically as time goes by, and we grow as a parish community.
For example, in the past, we recognised a real need in our parish to build and deepen our relationships with God, and so the most important thing at that time was to offer bible studies and other faith formation programs to meet that need. After these were implemented, it became clear that the most important thing was to create an atmosphere of welcoming and belonging, so that everyone inside and outside of the parish would feel supported, welcome, and comfortable here. This initiated the development of various initiatives including our hospitality ministry, pastoral support small groups, and more!
Through prayer, collaboration, and by following the Holy Spirit – we can discern our priorities, the path forward, and God’s will for our parish at each point in time. Then we can identify the steps to be taken to move forward on this path, intentionally and with clear goals.
At the time, through the work of our Parish Leadership Team, our Amazing Parish coaching program, and collaboration with our Parish Council and Ministry Leaders – we have discerned that the most important thing right now is to Organise & Communicate Clarity to Begin Creating a True Culture of Discipleship.
The messages like the one you are reading right now are intended to do just that, and with the help of many faithful and dedicated parishioners we will use a variety of different methods to continue, such as:
- A Clarity Workshop for Parish Leaders
- Utilise public communication platforms to reinforce clarity
- Capture & share success stories of “Living our Mission” from within the parish
- Create a message (homily) series around clarity
We are hopeful that this will lead to a parish wide engagement, and a strong clarity of our shared Mission, Vision and Values here at Holy Family Parish. As you discern how God may be calling you to be a part of this journey, in prayer, you can begin to answer the last of our 6 clarity questions – Who does what?
