Everyone is an Evangelizer!
Person to Person: Parishioners' Relationship Spheres
The most obvious and simple means of evangelization is for lay Catholics to share their faith across their own relationships and spheres of influence, whether that's with non-Catholics or with inactive Catholics who no longer attend Mass regularly. Every baptized person is called to be like leaven (i.e. yeast) mixed into the dough of the world--our very presence who permeate and elevate through our authentic (though imperfect) witness of Christ's love and mercy.
This component of evangelizing could involve any or all of the following strategies:
· Identify upcoming events that would be particularly appropriate for parishioners to invite non-parishioners to (parish festival, fish fry, concert, parish picnic, a course like "Alpha" or "Discovering Christ," etc.). In the weeks preceding these events or opportunities, explicitly encourage parishioners to consider a friend they might invite.
· Parishioners are encouraged to identify, in writing, 1-3 Catholics they know in the area who no longer attend Mass or any Christian community regularly – whether relatives, friends, neighbors, acquaintances or co-workers.
· Parishioners are asked to commit to pray for these individuals daily, both for their return to the practice of their faith and for an opportunity to invite them to Mass or another parish event or program.
· Parishioners are asked to consider inviting these persons to Mass or another parish event, especially but not limited to specifically planned weekends designated as “Welcome Sundays.” These “Welcome Sundays” might include special opportunities for fellowship after Mass, such as a donut/coffee gathering or a parish-wide meal or picnic. Other events might include parish missions, special speakers, formation sessions on Catholic teaching, and so on.
· Mass petitions regularly mention these persons (not by name, but in general).
· Parishioners are provided with slips of paper (at the end of pews, for example), and are asked to put the names of those inactive Catholics for whom they are praying for in a sealed envelope, addressed to themselves. These envelopes could be kept in a basket visible in the Church as a reminder of those for whom they are praying. Sometime then before a planned “Welcome Sunday,” the parish mails these envelopes (already self-addressed) to the parishioners as a reminder of their commitment to consider inviting the listed person(s) to Mass.
· Basic training (e.g., a 30-45 minute session, an accessible on-line video podcast, a written letter or bulletin column, etc.) is offered for those who would like guidance on effective ways of inviting persons.
· Provide some sort of written postcard or brochure that parishioners can add a personalized, handwritten message to and mail to inactive Catholics they know, perhaps in advance of a particular parish event, special liturgy, or holy day.
· Parishioners should be encouraged to accompany to Mass those they invite so that they have a familiar face beside them, and to guide them toward the proper liturgical guide for the new translation.
Cost: Anywhere from $0 to the cost of postage for mailing the self-addressed envelopes to those parishioners who identify someone to pray for and invite, and/or the cost of printing postcards or brochures for parishioners to personalize (see link for an example).
Target Audience: Relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances of active parishioners.
Measureable Goals: Goals may be set by the individual parish. Examples might include a percentage of active parishioners who will participate in this ministry (or a set number), or a set number of inactive parishioners who become active in their faith practice, or an overall increase in Mass attendance.
This component of evangelizing could involve any or all of the following strategies:
· Identify upcoming events that would be particularly appropriate for parishioners to invite non-parishioners to (parish festival, fish fry, concert, parish picnic, a course like "Alpha" or "Discovering Christ," etc.). In the weeks preceding these events or opportunities, explicitly encourage parishioners to consider a friend they might invite.
· Parishioners are encouraged to identify, in writing, 1-3 Catholics they know in the area who no longer attend Mass or any Christian community regularly – whether relatives, friends, neighbors, acquaintances or co-workers.
· Parishioners are asked to commit to pray for these individuals daily, both for their return to the practice of their faith and for an opportunity to invite them to Mass or another parish event or program.
· Parishioners are asked to consider inviting these persons to Mass or another parish event, especially but not limited to specifically planned weekends designated as “Welcome Sundays.” These “Welcome Sundays” might include special opportunities for fellowship after Mass, such as a donut/coffee gathering or a parish-wide meal or picnic. Other events might include parish missions, special speakers, formation sessions on Catholic teaching, and so on.
· Mass petitions regularly mention these persons (not by name, but in general).
· Parishioners are provided with slips of paper (at the end of pews, for example), and are asked to put the names of those inactive Catholics for whom they are praying for in a sealed envelope, addressed to themselves. These envelopes could be kept in a basket visible in the Church as a reminder of those for whom they are praying. Sometime then before a planned “Welcome Sunday,” the parish mails these envelopes (already self-addressed) to the parishioners as a reminder of their commitment to consider inviting the listed person(s) to Mass.
· Basic training (e.g., a 30-45 minute session, an accessible on-line video podcast, a written letter or bulletin column, etc.) is offered for those who would like guidance on effective ways of inviting persons.
· Provide some sort of written postcard or brochure that parishioners can add a personalized, handwritten message to and mail to inactive Catholics they know, perhaps in advance of a particular parish event, special liturgy, or holy day.
· Parishioners should be encouraged to accompany to Mass those they invite so that they have a familiar face beside them, and to guide them toward the proper liturgical guide for the new translation.
Cost: Anywhere from $0 to the cost of postage for mailing the self-addressed envelopes to those parishioners who identify someone to pray for and invite, and/or the cost of printing postcards or brochures for parishioners to personalize (see link for an example).
Target Audience: Relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances of active parishioners.
Measureable Goals: Goals may be set by the individual parish. Examples might include a percentage of active parishioners who will participate in this ministry (or a set number), or a set number of inactive parishioners who become active in their faith practice, or an overall increase in Mass attendance.
