CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS & ST. JOSEPH Parish Forum Saturday 13th March 2010
Introduction The Sign We Give Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, 1995 "We are convinced that the manner and style of relationships in the Church are part of the sign it gives and, for this reason, we must develop patterns of collaborative ministry as a key feature of Church life to come."
The Collaborative Parish A shared vision – of what the Parish can be Involvement in ministries and activities Responsibility for ownFormation A Forum contributing to vision and decisions Consultation with as many people as possible Openness about ideas and decisions Celebration of the Liturgy Sense of sharing & equality in attitudes & relationships
Practical Steps Develop a parish council / forum / pastoral group Develop a parish ministries plan Enable effective consultation Engage with as many people as possible in the parish Look for opportunities to reflect on the culture of the Parish
What are the.................. ..............strengths of the Parish?
Strengths of the Parish Attractive church Young families Active ministries Other...............
What are the.................. ..................areas for development in the Parish?
Areas for Development Liturgy Involvement of young people Space and facilities Other...............
What are the.................. ..............outside opportunities for the Parish?
Outside Opportunities Links to other parishes Diocesan resources for learning Other..............
What are the.................. .................outside challenges for the Parish?
Outside Challenges Growing population Secularisation of society Other.............
Links in the Church Church Diocese Deanery Parish
Links to the community Parish Town Schools Other Churches Organisations Other Churches
What if.................? How would.....................?
Key Issues Parish survey Local development plan Extension Ministries Facilities
Actions Key people / Groups Communication Other..............