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May 2022
Summer Planning Time
Summer is coming! We can feel it in the air and in the longer days we are currently reveling in. And summer is a time for our parish teams to pause, breathe and begin planning for September. As you enter into this time of dreaming and planning we want to offer a few suggestions for you and your parish teams. We are very aware that many teams are struggling to adapt to the new Family of Parishes model, particularly as we journey out of the pandemic restrictions, as there are so many new facets we need to work with. It is our goal to continue to support you through this time.
Make Time for Team Health
The first suggestion is to take the time to engage your team in the series of workshops called “That They May be One”. The organizational health of your team is paramount to ensuring you are well equipped to do ministry well.
The scriptural foundation for this process is Jn 17:22, “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one”. If we are to be evangelizers, bringing others to Jesus, we must be united in that effort, we must be one, to invite others to be one. We are also reminded that Jesus took time away with his apostles regularly, as He knew how important it was to gather with them, pray with them and connect with them. Let this be a model for your team.
If you are unable to commit to 6 full days, please contact Claire for some adaptations to make this work for your Family of Parishes. We want this to have a positive impact on your team, even knowing that there may be some challenges in the process, so we are happy to work with you and your team to make it a valuable experience for you.
Evaluate Programs and Processes
The second suggestion is to take some time to evaluate your programs and processes. If you are doing the above series you will likely begin that task in the final two-day planning sessions. However, even if you are not, it is important to evaluate how you have done things in the past and how you will do them moving forward.
What do you need to start, stop and/or keep doing in your efforts of creating missionary disciples? We know that sacramental prep is important, but is the WAY you are doing that prep having the desired outcomes? Is it the best model for our new reality as Families of Parishes? Is there a different option that may be available?
We are once again attaching the discernment tool we created to help you maneuver through some of this planning, but remember that the Pastoral Services team is also at your disposal. We are happy to come out and chat about ways to ease stress on the team and find solutions to help create a missionary mindset in all that you do.
Take Vacation and Rest
While parish activities slow during July and August, it is a great time to step away from the office (and email) and rest. We are privileged to have access to paid vacation days, and we encourage you to use vacation days this summer. You don’t need to travel to benefit from vacation. Even staying at home and taking a break from work is beneficial to your mental health.
Important Dates in June 2022
Click the links for more information about the saint or occasion.
5 - Pentecost Sunday
6 - Mary, Mother of the Church
11 - St. Barnabas
12 - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
13 - St. Anthony of Padua
19 - Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ & Father's Day
23 - Nativity of St. John the Baptist
24 - Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
28 - St Irenaeus
29 - Sts Peter and Paul
As a mission-oriented church forming disciples of Jesus, our diocese wants to continue building a culture of hospitality. The Nurturing Joy Initiative will support Families of Parishes as they boost the sense of welcome and community that parishioners and visitors feel when they are in our churches, our facilities and at our events. This is a need for our Families of Parishes that has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nurturing Joy is a three-phase initiative that will provide ideas and tools for parish teams to embrace families, welcome, form and empower our parishioners, and grow wide as we invite and evangelize the communities we belong to.
It is not our goal to increase the number of events or programs, but to ensure everything we already do is very intentional.
Phase One: Encounter - begins June 12, 2022
Phase Two: Ignite - begins October 9, 2022
Phase Three: Grow - begins February 22, 2023
More information will be added to dol.ca/joy as it is developed and becomes available.
Joe Bezzina - Director of Pastoral Services
Claire Bondy - Director of Ongoing Formation & Lay Ecclesial Ministry
Chrisandra Skipper - Pastoral Services Coordinator
Alexandria Fung - Family and Youth Ministry Specialist
Olwyn Supeene - Administrative Assistant
Outreach Ministries: Refugee Office
Migrant Ministry
Ministry for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Holy Family Retreat House
Diocese of London Pastoral Services:
1070 Waterloo St
London, ON N6A 3Y2
Canada
We'd love to hear from you. Any good news you'd like to share with Pastoral Services? Read a good article lately? Send it our way: pastoralservicesadmin@dol.ca
Good News Notes is now available on a dedicated web page if you would like to access it at a later time or share it with others.
