THE PARISH AN EVANGELISING COMMUNITY

EVANGELISATION From the Greek for Announcing Good News From the Greek for Announcing Good News Is to experience, live, celebrate and share the Good News that we are loved unconditionally by God Is to experience, live, celebrate and share the Good News that we are loved unconditionally by God

EVANGELISATION Ultimately the Good News is a person Ultimately the Good News is a person Whose name is Jesus, the Christ the Anointed One of God Whose name is Jesus, the Christ the Anointed One of God At the heart of evangelisation is the sharing of our experience of encounter with Christ At the heart of evangelisation is the sharing of our experience of encounter with Christ Nothing less Nothing less

EVANGELISATION We cannot give or share what we never had We cannot give or share what we never had ‘Those who have come into genuine contact with Christ cannot keep him to themselves, they must proclaim him.’ ‘Those who have come into genuine contact with Christ cannot keep him to themselves, they must proclaim him.’ John Paul II

EVANGELISATION The desire in us to communicate Christ comes from the compelling power of God’s love within us The desire in us to communicate Christ comes from the compelling power of God’s love within us Jesus asks his disciples: Who do you say I am? Peter replies: You are the Christ Jesus asks his disciples: Who do you say I am? Peter replies: You are the Christ Each disciple needs to be able to speak this answer of the Tradition not as something to be parroted but from their own experience of encounter with God in prayer Each disciple needs to be able to speak this answer of the Tradition not as something to be parroted but from their own experience of encounter with God in prayer

EVANGELISATION We need to be touched by the holiness of God We need to be touched by the holiness of God In the holiness of God’s people the Church In the holiness of God’s people the Church We are immersed through baptism into the life of the thrice holy God in the family of the Church We are immersed through baptism into the life of the thrice holy God in the family of the Church

EVANGELISATION This community/family we call Church does now what God does in and through Jesus This community/family we call Church does now what God does in and through Jesus God loved the world so much that He sent his only Son God loved the world so much that He sent his only Son I have come that you may have life, life to the full Jn 10:10 I have come that you may have life, life to the full Jn 10:10 This is the Good News he brings to the poor This is the Good News he brings to the poor

EVANGELISATION The work of evangelisation is at the heart of the Churches life The work of evangelisation is at the heart of the Churches life ‘She is linked to evangelisation in her most intimate being.’ EN15 ‘She is linked to evangelisation in her most intimate being.’ EN15 ‘it is the essential mission of the Church.’ EN14 ‘it is the essential mission of the Church.’ EN14 Evangelisation is not something extra but the ‘pulse’ of the Church’s life and ministry Evangelisation is not something extra but the ‘pulse’ of the Church’s life and ministry

FOUR CORE MINISTRIES of PARISH LIFE Koinonia Koinonia Demanding that we be a community of living witness to Christian faith Demanding that we be a community of living witness to Christian faith

FOUR CORE MINISTRIES of PARISH LIFE Leitourgia Leitourgia Requiring the public work to worship God together Requiring the public work to worship God together

FOUR CORE MINISTRIES of PARISH LIFE Diakonia Diakonia Filled by care for people’s physical and spiritual welfare Filled by care for people’s physical and spiritual welfare

FOUR CORE MINISTRIES of PARISH LIFE Kerygma Kerygma That requires evangelising, preaching and sharing God’s word that comes from Tradition and Scripture That requires evangelising, preaching and sharing God’s word that comes from Tradition and Scripture

FOUR CORE MINISTRIES of PARISH LIFE Tom Groome describes these four core ministries as Tom Groome describes these four core ministries as Witness Witness Worship Worship Welfare Welfare Word Word

FOUR CORE MINISTRIES of PARISH LIFE When we look at these four core ministries as we find them in the life of our parish We need to view them through an evangelising lens

WITNESS ‘Modern men and women listen more willingly to witnesses than teachers and if they listen to teachers it is because they are witnesses….. It is primarily by the conduct of her life that the Church will evangelise the world.’ EN41

WITNESS Modern people thirst for authenticity It is only the witness of our lives that will enable the ring of truth to be heard in what we say Witness is offered at personal and institutional level

WITNESS PERSONAL PERSONAL When we makes choices which serve the well being of the vulnerable/powerless, go counter culture and in tune with the Gospel When we form alliances with other agencies that promote the common good and challenges conventional wisdom of powerful groups that serve only the interests of their members

WITNESS In arenas of influence in business or political life to act in accord with gospel truth INSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONAL Engaging with others in a process of dialogue, discernment and action in the interest of the common good

WORSHIP Lord teach us to pray In every parish setting providing opportunities for people to come to an initial and deeper awareness of the stirring of the divine in our lives and in our world

WORSHIP To experience the God who delights in us as he delights in his son Jesus Christ To recognise the image of God in every human being To live with a grateful heart To grow in confidence in sharing their own particular experience of the divine at work in their lives Encouraging each other to engage in faith-filled conversations

PUBLIC WORSHIP-LITURGY Is it open and welcoming? How does it express full conscious and active participation by all the people? Is what is to be heard audible, intelligible and in a language that is accessible – speaking to heart and head

PUBLIC WORSHIP-LITURGY Is what is to be seen visible and aesthetic? What role does music have? How does it enable us to be drawn into the mystery of God’s presence?

WELFARE By this will all people know that you are my disciples How do these people ‘care’ for their members But more important How is their care manifest for others in need locally and globally?

WORD We do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God How do we create opportunities fro people to be nourished by the Word? How are people led to feast at the table of the word in the liturgy?

WORD How is the bread of God’s word broken in the homily? How does our parish help people to ponder the word like Mary and share their reflections in small groups? How do we celebrate the liturgy of the Word in Eucharist and other settings?

CALLED to SHARE GOOD NEWS How do you respond to the Good News in your life? How can you become a bearer of Good News for others?