Living Stones

Making a list, and checking it twice by Ken Perry

It's Christmastime!  The time when parishes all across the Diocese of Trenton will welcome a much larger number of people than on a normal given Sunday.

Parishes, including my own, have been preparing to host these additional visitors for some time - from those traveling from far away to those visitors (Catholics and others) who may not be with us on a regular basis. 

How has your parish made preparations outside of adding additional Masses (in and of itself no small feat)?  The guide below is an awesome resource for those parishes looking to really make a difference this Christmas, at other big celebrations (see Ash Wed., Easter, weddings, funerals, etc.) and for that matter every Sunday. We have an awesome responsibility, and opportunity, to reach out to those visitors with the love of Christ! 

This handy guide is not only a great way to begin to provide an awesome welcome to visitors, but a helpful guide so we can begin to track how we do hospitality over time.  This in turn enables us to identify areas where we are providing excellent hospitality and those areas where we need to improve.  Have an awesome way you are reaching out to visitors to your parish?  Let us know!

Download the Reaching and Keeping Visitors Checklists

Getting social? by Ken Perry

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the importance of social media as a communications tool was highlighted as Facebook was used as a major tool for local information gathering, community organizing and fundraising.  St. Francis Parish on Long Beach Island was one example.  Since Long Beach Island was evacuated and residents were not allowed to return for some time after the storm, the pastor gathered the community together using FB to communicate with parishioners as they began to assess the damage and begin recovery efforts in the area.  Members of St. Rose, Belmar, another example among many, organized a hugely successful parish clean-up day in the wake of the storm using social media. 

If social media can be so effective in crisis situations, what about our day to day lives in our Catholic communities?

A recently published report by CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) noted that, although nearly half of Americans use Facebook at least a few times a week, few incorporate technology into their practice of worship or to practice their faith.  Does this mean that we should put our energy elsewhere?  Or does it point to something else?

The same report by CARA reports that only 13 percent of Catholics report their parish has an active Facebook page.  Why would Catholics look to social media to help support their faith if 87% of parishes don't have anything helpful there in the first place?  

The communication tools we have at our disposal in our modern era are unparalleled in human history.  We are called by Christ to spread the Gospel. So what are we waiting for?  Is your parish actively using social media?  Tell us about it!

 

 

The Stranger Effect by Ken Perry

I  came across this great 3 minute video from Igniter Media called Strangers (check it out here at www.ignitermedia.com/mini-movies/2201/Strangers)-- and it illustrates the impact that individuals have over people they will never meet.  This happens every day -- and for good or bad we have an influence that echoes in the lives of others.

What can we do as parish communities to echo the Gospel in our wider communities?   Is it getting involved in community actives that benefit those outside our churches?  Crafting a mission statement so the direction of the parish is clear?  Stepping out in faith and doing something nice for a neighbor who wouldn't give us the time of day?  Making a real effort to be wise stewards of parish resources?   Welcoming in families, widows and orphans in an intentional way? 

It's not you, it's me by Ken Perry

I came across this from Seth Godin's blog today -- it gets at the heart of what anyone in church ministry should keep in mind.

It might be that your audience isn't smart enough, caring enough, attentive enough, with-it enough or generous enough to understand and appreciate you.

Or it might be that you're not good enough (yet).

If you're in the habit of assuming one of these, try out the other one for a while.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/07/it-could-be-one-of-two-things.html

To me it put's the focus back to where it belongs.  There's far too much finger pointing these days.  Set's words put's the focus on me, and what I can do to be a better servant of the Most High God and his Church.  How can I be a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ?   What can I do differently?  What can I be better at?  

 

Asian Nation by Ken Perry

I revisited an interesting website,  Asian-Nation.org, which offers some important insights into demographic and religious trends for the Asian-American community here in the U.S.   It highlights some great surveys from American Religious Identifcation Survey and Pew Research.  Since 14.9 million (5 percent of the total U.S. pop.) people are Asian (or Asian in combination with one or more other races) and 1 million are Pacific Islanders, they have a significant presence within the Diocese of Trenton (over 100,000+)-- and thus, there is a great opportunities for evangelization, collaboration and cooperation to and with these communities.  

I've also included the Profile of New Jersey's Asian Americans (2005-2007) from the Asian American Federation, which includes demographic data broken down by county.

Download Asian Americans njbrief2009.pdf

Wondering what your parish demographics may be?  Contact Ken Perry at the Diocese of Trenton Department of Pastoral Planning at kperry@dioceseoftrenton.org and we can help you get set up with MissionInsite - at no cost to you and the set up is easy.  And the benefits of knowing more about your people are truly great.

Who is Our Brother's Keeper? by Ken Perry

More and more coorporate America is looking to invest in communities.  The headline post reads, "Invest in Communities to Advance Capitalism".  Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz writes in a blog post for the Harvard Business Review.

"As corporate citizens of the world, it is our responsibility - our duty - to serve the communities where we do business by helping to improve, for example, the quality of citizens' education, employment, health care, safety, and overall daily life, plus future prospects," ...Simply writing checks for charity projects doesn't cut it. "We must go deeper," he says."

While on the face of things, money invested back into communites can be a helpful thing, I can't help but wonder -- where is the church in all this?  Are we abdicating our responsibility as Catholic Chrisitians to love our neighbor and to serve as Christ did?

In the same way, we are called by Christ to invest in our own local communties.  Not just whoever happens to come to our events, but to reach out and serve the wider community in which we live in significant and meaningful ways.

St. Theresa's Parish in Tuckerton is parish that is a great example of thinking about new ways to reach out.  It's the largest food pantry in the area and has partnered with local food stores to help distribute food to those who in need.  Concerned about the lack of young families in church, Fr. Mick Lambeth began inviting a core group of young families to get together and begin to talk about outreach strategies.  The group is called "B3 - Bringing Faith, Friends and Family Back", and is now planning strategies and events to connect with those not in church on Sunday.

So where does your church community stand in all this?  In what ways are you already being salt and light in your community ?  In what ways can you improve the lives of others in your local community to serve-- not in the name of not capitalism--but in the name of Jesus Christ?