DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR PARISH LIFE & MINISTRY

Welcome to our Parish Development Plan for St. Ignatius. We would appreciate your feedback after you have reviewed it. Please click on the feedback link at the bottom of the page to share your thoughts.

In 2004 St. Ignatius Parish transitioned from the Parish Council to the Pastoral Council model for parish development. Under the former, the Council discussed and assisted the Pastor to manage the day to day operations of the parish. Under the new model, the Pastoral Council has become a visioning and planning group, studying parish life and ministry and suggesting ways that our parish can more effectively meet the needs of parishioners and carry on Jesus' mission of building God's kingdom among us. Each year the Pastoral Council focuses on a different area of parish life as established by our Diocesan Synod in 1989. Those areas include: Worship, Parish Life, Stewardship, Social Concerns, Ecumenism, Christian Formation, and Evangelization.

In the Winter/Spring of 2008 our parish began a planning process which was named Our Journey...Our Future. The purpose of this process, which is on-gtoing, is to study five focal points in our parish: Mission, Programs, People,Resources and Facilities. So far, as a result of this planning process, our Parish Mission Statement has been updated, a number of program-people-resource goals have been identified by parish leadership, and we have begun a process with an architect to develop a plan to update and improve our parish facilities. As you can imagine, there is an overlap in the work done by our Pastoral Council over the last four years and the work done through our parish planning process in the area of people, programs and resources.
The Development Plan that follows is the result of the blending of the work of our Parish Pastoral Council with the results, to date, of our Planning Process Our Journey...Our Future.

ST. IGNATIUS PARISH MISSION STATEMENT

St. Ignatius Catholic Church is a Christ-centered community. Empowered by our Baptism, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and nurtured in the Eucharist, we are stewards of God's gifts. We live to proclaim the Gospel by serving and caring for all creation.

EVANGELIZATION

Evangelization ministry reaches our to the inactive and the unchurched as we live out our baptismal call to share the Good News.

Parish membership should be strengthened and expanded by:
*Establishing an Evangelization Team to develop and implement a plan.
*Identify promotional strategies and solicit realtor support.
*Expand the role of the Welcoming Team.
*Create a solid ministry to 18-35 year olds.
*Conduct a Parish census/survey. (All recommendations from Our Journey...Our Future)

WORSHIP

Worship ministry provides variety and excellence in sacramental celebrations and prayer experiences for all age groups in our parish by calling forth the leadership and talents of our members.

*Establish a ministry to regularly visit homebound parishioners, those in nursing homes, assisted living or the hospital. In addition to the Eucharist, provide them with bulletins and newsletters so they feel informed and a part of our parish. Keep a current list of these members. (Pastoral Council)
*Instruct the assembly that they have a ministry at all liturgical celebrations, that is, active participation, and that it is vital to have successful worship. (Pastoral Council)
*An emphasis should be placed on our youth taking a more active part in our liturgies. (Pastoral Council)
*Investigate the hiring of a Music Director/Liturgist who would be responsible for directing the Liturgy Committee and all areas of liturgical music and worship. (Pastoral Council/Our Journey...Our Future)

SOCIAL CONCERNS

In social concerns ministry we commit ourselves to caring for people in need of physical and emotional assistance.

*Form a Social Concerns Committee (Pastoral Council)
*Educate parishioners as to social concerns needs and opportunites for involvement in social concerns ministry. (Pastoral Council)
*Develop a social concerns section on our web page and use it to educate and inform parishioners regarding social concerns issues and church teaching . (Pastoral Council)
*Develop a greater outreach and advocacy for the poor and elderly in our parish and community, example clothing drives, blanket drives, food, hoursehold needs. (Pastoral Council)
*A bereavement ministry should be formed. (Our Journey...Our Future)

CHRISTIAN FORMATION

Christian formation ministry provides an environment for the growth in and practice of our Catholic faith for parishioners of all ages.

*More programs for youth and young adults should be provided.(Our Journey...Our Future)
*Support our catechists by exploring new trends in teaching --creative ways to make classes more interesting. (Pastoral Council)
*Explore a transition to multi-generational catechesis or at least create opportunities for multi-generational activities. (Pastoral Council)
*Provide for several solid adult educational experiences per year. (Pastoral Council)
*Explore the possibility of beginning a retreat experience here at the parish for our parishioners, such as Christ Renews His Parish.(Pastoral Council)

PARISH LIFE

Parish life ministry educates parishioners regarding the importance of lay ministry and encourages and nurtures lay ministry and lay leadership.

*Parishioners should be encouraged to take a more active role in ministry and leadership. Term limits for some or all parish programs could be instituted to encourage more widespread involvement.(Our Journey...Our Future)
*Provide increased training for volunteer. (Our Journey...Our Future)
*Consider establishing program budgets for all or some parish programs with some elemental financial training for those involved. (Our Journey...Our Future)
*Increase awareness among parishioners of parish's financial status. (Our Journey...Our Future)
*All parish programs that have by-laws should do regular reviews to assure ongoing effectiveness of ministry. Review of programs that do not have by -laws should be conducted to determine if by-laws would be desireable. (Our Journey...Our Future)
*Parish organization and ministries should be encouraged to connect their specific ministry with the new parish Mission Statement. (Oour Journey...Our Future)
*Parish organizations and ministries should be encouraged to assess their programs as to their effectiveness. Pastoral Staff/Pastoral Council could assist with this effort. (Our Journey...Our Future)
*Establish a Volunteer Coordinator to promote, recruit (one-one), train, and coordinate parish volunteers.
(Our Journey...Our Future)

STEWARDSHIP

Stewardship ministry encourages the willing participation of all parishioners through the sharing of their time, talent, and treasure in the best interests of their families, our St. Ignatius Parish family and the larger community.

*Continue to promote stewardship as a way of life for all parishioners, thereby increasing parishioner participation in parish life and ministry. (Our Journey...Our Future)
*Revise and update the Parish Guidebook and Directory on a yearly basis.(Our Journey...Our Future)
*Assist parishioners to discern their talents and establish a "talent pool" which can be drawn from for parish ministries and projects. (Our Journey...Our Future)

ECUMENISM

Ecumenical ministry provides activities that bring about an awareness and respect for other religious traditions.

*Continue and develop leadership involvement in the Oregon Area Pastors Fellowship.
*Continue participation in the Oregon inter-faith Holy Week services.
*Explore new opportunities for parish involvement in ecumenical social concerns projects.

As indicated before, the goals included in this plan for parish life and ministry here at St. Ignatius were generated through the work of our Parish Pastoral Council or through our parish planning process, Our Journey...Our Future. The origin of each goal is indicated in parentheses after each one. If the origin is not indicated that means that it is an area not yet studied by our Pastoral Council and an area that did not surface in our planning process. the leadership for the implementation of these goals and objectives is the responsibility of our Pastoral Staff, but actual implementation will require the involvement of many parish members. Just as our parish is a living and vibrant community, so this ministry plan is alive and will need revision and updating as the work of our Pastoral Council and Planning Process continues, and as we accomplish some goals and identify new ones. Please discern your spirtual gifts and join in the effort to bring our ministry plan to life, and be sure to pray for our parish daily.

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