Church of Saint Boniface

"A Catholic Community of Witness and Faith Since 1874"

Disciples in Mission 2010

Sign up Form

(For all Member of your household 14 years of age or older)

Objectives 

1.         To help all Catholics feel comfortable about sharing their faith.

2.         To foster in our parish community a commitment to the ministry of evangelization.

3.         To invite people to our faith community to share in our parish worship and activities.

4.         To welcome back those who have left the church..

Questions for Reflection 

1. What is it about your Catholic Faith experience at St. Boniface that you would like to share with others?

Feeling at home with one another.  Good liturgies.   Fr. Dale invites everyone including, college kids.  Comfort zone here.  Get good things here.   Want to share with kids.  Lots of new twists.  Friendliness.  Humble priest.  Happiness.  Family, unity.  Atmosphere of joy, holy buzz!  Welcoming and open to young people.  Priest is sincere and genuine.  Music and healing.  Generosity of the people and caring.  Faith of the people, disciples.  Everybody is always welcome – even babies!  Everyone sings and hugs.  Comfortable.  Community, real parish family.  We ask newcomers to become part of our parish family, accepting, like when kids make their donations at Mass. 

2. Review the goal and its objectives.  Decide as a group which two objectives you would like to see our parish family work on in the coming year.

Four groups picked Objective #1.

Objective #1:  To   help all Catholics feel comfortable about sharing their faith.

Continue the Disciples in Mission program and expand more than 6 weeks.  Start real-time internet faith sharing at a specific time period.   Two-minute teaching with Fr. Dale and guest speakers.   Faith formation opportunities for young people and parents.  Invitation to participate in lay ministry, bringing up the gifts, etc.  Have a “Look for the Opportunity” campaign.  Encourage people to find an opportunity to evangelize.

Once per month, have group participants (like Disciples in Mission) and share their experiences at Mass.  Highlight the “Question of the Week” in the bulletin.  Scripture sharing/Bible studies – focus groups including women, men and teen studies.

No group picked Objective #2.

Five groups picked Objective #3

Objective #3:  To invite people to our faith community to share in our parish worship and activities.

 Invitations to food pantry recipients and Food for Faith – outreach.  Welcome invite.

Create a marketing plan or commission – radio, TV – Bay TV 3, Bulletin, website.

Ecumenical services with other faiths and advertise church events in other church’s bulletins, including non-catholic churches – all faiths.  4^th of July outreach – have a stand with free popcorn and provide information on what’s happening here at St. Boniface such as Mass times, special events, etc.

Welcome the community to our parish to experience our faith community in ways other than Sunday liturgy and parish relevant programs.  Have an ice cream social for neighborhood (8-10) block radius.  Sponsor mission speaker, community concerts and choir of passion according to John.  Extend invitations to others. Including C & E or believers.  Start within our parish faith community.  Greet others with smile, touch, kind words, listening ear and sit in a different spot each Sunday – change seats.  Food and services.  Outreach to kids away at college – send notes and emails and tell them they are always welcome here.  Present a “God box” for newly baptized and their families to be delivered 4 – 6 weeks after baptism to keep the connection going.  Develop activities to keep the connection going.  Open doors for those entering – greeters could do this.  Coffee and treats before each Mass.  Bring pre-teens and high school kids back to St. Boniface for fun, catholic-oriented activities/fellowship/game night/sports/Christian concerts and make sure all their friends are welcome too.

Six groups picked Objective #4

Objective #4:   To welcome back those that have left the Church.

Update parish database - who are active members and who need outreach and an invitation.  Improve greeting people in church.  Welcome back Sundays (quarterly)

Outreach program to contact people and invite them back – could include phone calls, emails, post cards, etc.  Repeat the pamphlet “Why do we have to go to Mass” to use at Christmastime.  Create an invitation with clarification and include popular misconceptions.  Set up programs specifically for divorce, and women’s role in the church.

Welcome back those that have left the church.  Identify those that have left the church or are not attending regularly, and invite them to “come home”.  Education programs, special events and faith sharing.  Small groups for bereavement, 12-step, and youth groups and put on website and include in the bulletin.  Invite someone you know that had left the church.  Create a booklet to include personal stories from converts, divorced, and college kids about returning to church.    Rise above obstacles – scandals within the church, etc. sickness, bishop, etc.  Fellowship for divorced.  Address parish as a whole to share with friends/family of “lost” Catholics.  Advertise on website.