Front row left to right: Harry Forbes – St. Mary’s, Jillian Carelli - St. Mary’s, Sandra Pearl – St. Martha’s, Ana DeGuzman – St. Martha’s, Sharon Summers – St. Mary’s.
Back row left to right: Kenneth Fiorelli – Co-Chair St.Mary’s, Sally Winslow – Co-Chair St.Martha’s, Fr. Joe Mozer-Pastor, Kathy Parker- St. Martha’s, Jeff Johnson – St. Martha’s, Sean McGuire – St. Martha’s.
For SET questions or information, please contact the Co-Chairs at: St.Mary’s – [email protected] or St.Martha’s – [email protected]
Priority: Strengthening and Growing the Sunday Experience
The parishes of St. Martha and St. Mary have identified, “The Sunday Experience”, as one of our top priorities. We learned through the Disciple Maker Index survey that:
1. 70% of respondents feel that vibrant and engaging Sunday Mass drives people to recommend the parish as well as help people grow spiritually. (21% strongly agree and 49% agree)
2. 84% of respondents want to connect and belong to the community. (37% strongly agree and 47% agree)
Our top priority is to develop a structure of people, roles, and activities that support the Sunday Experience, centered on the Mass but extending beyond: “From the time people first think about going to Mass through the time they get home again…” By shared planning and implementation, our parishes will be recognized as actively connected communities, and others will be drawn to and benefit from our Sunday Experience.
"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily..." Acts 2:46-47
Goal: Sunday Experience Team – Train a Sunday Experience Team for the collaborative by April 30, 2018.
Some important milestones and strategies that will aid in the fulfillment of this goal are:
o Clergy, Pastoral Staff and Key Volunteers to identify 3-4 parishioners from each parish to form the Sunday Experience Team by October 1, 2017
o The team writes a Charter (internal policy document) to guide its organization and operation by Dec. 31, 2017. Click this link to view the Charter.
o Collaborative clergy and others provide foundational training for the team, to include liturgical catechesis, insights from the PWT, etc. by April 30, 2018.
Goal: The Mass Itself – The Sunday Experience Team will coordinate 3-5 significant enhancements at the Mass by June 2020.
Some important milestones and strategies that will aid in the fulfillment of this goal are:
o The team will research the needs of the parishes and best practices from other parishes (through reading, consultations, surveys, site visits, etc.), beginning at their training and periodically throughout the process.
o Potential enhancements could include areas such as atmosphere/welcome (St Martha Welcome Brochure and St Mary Welcome Brochure), participation, community/closeness, music, homilies and central message.
o Team proposes at least 1-2 specific changes per year to the pastor for confirmation.
o Within 3 months of a change being confirmed, the team coordinates implementation of each change through collaboration with the ministries involved, communication with parishioners, and facilitating
o Within 9-12 months, the team seeks feedback to help evaluate the impact of each change.
Goal: Beyond the Mass Proper – The Sunday Experience Team will create annual plans by July of each year, to include outreach, social and communication initiatives that will increase the level of involvement and hospitality of the Sunday community.
Some important milestones and strategies that will aid in the fulfillment of this goal are:
o By August 2018, the Sunday Experience Team will plan 2 to 3 after mass social events, or coordinate efforts with existing events, designed to tie together the Mass and strengthen our Parish communities (e.g., after Mass social events).
o By October 2018, the Sunday Experience Team will begin executing quarterly outreach campaigns to engage our non-present Collaborative communities (welcoming newly registered households, outreach to college/military/homebound).
o By November 2018, the Sunday Experience Team will begin executing communication campaigns to engage our Collaborative communities via various means (e.g., publicity and electronic communications).
o Team proposes specific plans to the CPC for them to advise the pastor on their suitability.