Building the Engaging, Welcoming Parish

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

What are your hopes and dreams for your parish?

Invite!Thank!Serve!Give

Pray !Forgive!

Live Faith!Find Meaning!

Take a Stand!Find Inner Peace!

Speak Words of Kindness

Believe!!

What does an engaged community look like? People…

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Engaged Parishioners

Engagement is a deep emotional and psychological connection to the parish

More likely to be more spiritually committed.

More likely to invite friends, family and coworkers to parish

events.

Giving significantly more in both time and

talent.

People who are engaged are vastly more likely to be:

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Not Engaged Parishioners

Attend regularly but are not psychologically connected to their parish family.

Less likely to invite friends More likely to leave Less likely to give & volunteer

People who are not engaged are vastly:

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Actively Disengaged Parishioners

Two Groups

Mostly Absent Consistently Against Virtually Everything▪ Physically present; psychologically absent ▪ Insist on sharing their unhappiness with

EVERYONE.

The Flower People C.A.V.E. Dwellers

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Engagement in the Catholic Church Today

Engaged 16%

Not Engaged 49%

Actively Disengaged

35%

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Engagement reflects a sense of Belonging

NOT BELONGING

How has belonging made a difference in your life?

BELONGING

!They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the

breaking of bread and the prayers.

-Acts 2:42ff

The Fellowship of the Believers

What Do I Get?

What Do I Give?

Do I Belong?

How Can We Grow?

How? Key Questions we ask…

First step: Expectations & Materials

Second step: Making a contribution

Third step: Being part of the community

Fourth step: Mission!

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

First Step: What do I Get?

“As a member of my parish, I know what is expected of me”✝ Meeting Needs

First step:

What Do I Get?

What Do I Give?

Do I Belong?

How Can I Grow?

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

First Step: What do I Get?

“In my parish, my spiritual needs are met.”✝ Meeting Needs

First step:

What Do I Get?

What Do I Give?

Do I Belong?

How Can I Grow?

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

1. Participation in Mass

2. Daily Prayer 3. Belonging to my

Parish

Highlights from an International Focus Group

What helps you grow spiritually?

What helps you find meaning or purpose in

life?

For faith that needs strengthening, you

would participate in:

▪ Good friends who share faith with me

▪ Holiday/Holy Day Traditions

1. Family 2. Faith 3. Friends

1. A faith mentor 2. Parish gatherings

to explore spiritual life

▪ Reaching out to others ▪ My parish

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Second Step: What do I Give?

“In my parish, I regularly have the opportunity to do what I do best.”

What Do I Get?

What Do I Give?

Do I Belong?

How Can I Grow?

Second step:✝ Making a

contribution

Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006

©Catholic Life and Faith All rights reserved.

What Are You Thinking?

What are your initial thoughts? !What one thing stands out as something that likely contributes to engagement in your parish now? !How might you build on that for the future?