Find Your Home In Christ Diocesan Census Initiative Parish Leader Training

View the Bishop’s Video

Mutually Shared Vision Our Sacred Purpose: Christ-led, Christ-fed, and hope-filled, the Diocese of Ogdensburg joyfully invites the people of the North Country to the journey of faith through the proclamation of the Gospel, the celebration of the Eucharist and the Sacraments, and the loving service of neighbor. Census Team – Purpose Statement W e will use our love of God and His Church and commitment to our mission to develop a framework and materials to conduct a diocesan wide “Find Your Home In Christ” census. We will develop the framework for a door-to-door visitation for the purposes of listening to and seeking the needs of our active parishioners, reaching out, listening and inviting back our inactive parishioners and assuring our support to members of other churches and our community.

Our Core Values Encouragement: The invitation to take heart in Christ our hope.  Listening  Programs and services addressing people’s needs  Recognition of the giftedness of the individual and community Faithfulness: The vocation to live completely Christ-centered lives.  Prayer  Witness  Intentionality  Respect: The recognition and promotion of the unique dignity of all as brothers and sisters created in God’s image.  Welcoming the disaffected  Advocacy for the marginalized  Recognition of the good in all CONFIDENTIALITY

Some Basics Purposes – Update parish records – Reconnect with inactive Catholics – Inviting people to the parish – Conduct pastoral visits Timing – a specific time period Teams – generally in twos Communication –Bishop, Pastor, Local Media

Overall Timeline Two months before the actual visits  Determine the plan for visitation – maps, roads, streets, etc.  Begin to assemble group of volunteers for home visitors  Set up a training meeting date to inform and train visitors  Begin to gather and develop materials for home visitor ’ s packet  Order the Census Cards from the Diocese One month before actual visits  Finalize the group of volunteer home visitors  Send letter to parishioners  TV/Radio/Newspaper Public Service Announcements begin  Continue to work on materials for packets and prayer cards  Put notice #1 in the bulletin

Overall Timeline Two weeks before actual visits  Information and train session for home visitors  Continue to work on materials for packets and prayer cards  Put notice #2 in the bulletin  Finalize teams and assignments Weekend before visits  Distribute Parishioner ’ s Prayer Card at all Masses  Put notice #3 in the bulletin  Blessing of home visitors  Distribute packets to each home visit team Weekends of the month of …  Put notices #4,5,6 in the bulletin (one each week)

Overall Timeline First week after completion of the visits  Packets are returned  Plan – see Action Steps After Visitation  Begin input of data into the parish system  Put notice in bulletin thanking volunteers and sharing results of census Two weeks after completion of the visits Gather and celebrate with all the home visitors

Timeline Advance Planning – Parish Streets and Roads – Volunteers to meet need Timeline for Parish – Dates – Communication Materials – Census Cards – Packets Follow-up – Debriefing – Input data – Follow up requests – Planned contact with persons making request for more info.

Materials Packets of Material – Purchased – Locally Made When Person is Not Home – Designed door hanger – Letter Follow Up – inactive showing interest in returning – Unchurched showing interest in our Church

Volunteer Training Welcome Prayer Vision/Mission – Bishop’s Video Explain Volunteer Handbook Questions Identifying Teams

Volunteer Handbook Parish Packet Name tags Pens to print information Blank parish census forms (p.7) Assignment sheet (sample on p. 8) Visitor prayer cards Door knob bags with materials Sorry you weren’t home Variety of additional handouts Five Steps Complete dates for the five items Determined by the Leadership group and the Pastor.

Volunteer Handbook Process Meet with Team Member Basic procedure to follow when making visits Steps when visits are complete Possible Script Introductions Possible topics for talking with person Closing ideas

On the Other Side of the Door 1.Active member of the Parish  Invite ideas, give full packet, ask for their prayerful support 2.Inactive member of the Parish  Invite back to be part of Faith Community, give full packet, ask if they have any prayer intentions. 3.Active member of another Denomination  Offer mutual support, ask if they have prayer intentions – give handouts if they are interested 4.Non- Church Person  Offer community support and prayers, offer limited materials 5.Non-Welcoming  Thank them and offer community support

Census Card

Possible Scenarios

Contact Information – Phone –

Prayer of St. Theresa Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which He looks compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good, Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are His body.