Initial Area Faith Community plans approved
by Mark Kemmeter
As the diocesan Committee on Parishes completes a final draft of the Plan for Parishes, 2003 — 2008, one of the key elements of the Plan, the Area Faith Community, is already being implemented in every region of the diocese. An Area Faith Community is comprised of two or more parishes and small parishes entrusted to the care of pastoral leaders, involving or requiring increasing levels of collaboration. All parishes in the diocese are or will be participants in Area Faith Communities.
Several parishes that border other diocese’s boundaries are already involved or projected to be involved in clusters with parishes from these other dioceses. For example, Holy Rosary Parish, North Mankato is clustered with three other parishes from the city of Mankato, all of which are located in the Diocese of Winona.
Over the past six months, parishes and small parishes in each of the six regions of the diocese have conducted parish meetings, selected representatives to planning councils, and developed plans for implementing an Area Faith Community. Four of the plans have been recommended by the Committee on Parishes and approved by Bishop John C. Nienstedt. The two remaining Area Faith Communities are completing revisions and the plans will be submitted shortly.
All of the plans were developed with the assistance of Thomas Keaveny, of St. Cloud, who served as a planning consultant. Mr. Keaveny’s experience as the Director of Planning for the Diocese of St. Cloud helped him to craft a "pilot" process and then to use it with the six areas. He described the work as "nothing short of exhilarating." His overall observation about serving as a consultant on this project was that "the Diocese of New Ulm’s Plan for Parishes is light years ahead of most diocesan plans in terms of its vision for area organization and its mandate for inter-parish collaboration." Tom is presently serving as a planned-giving consultant to the Sisters of St. Benedict in St. Joseph.
Highlighted are each of the Area Faith Community plans. The plans are divided into the four essential elements of the Church’s mission: Word, Worship, Service, and Stewardship.
Word applies to those ministries involved with the proclamation and teaching of the Gospel.
Worship describes the ministries that are involved with the celebration of the sacraments and the development of the spiritual life.
Service applies to those ministries dedicated to help those in need and to advocate and to witness for justice in the world.
Stewardship encompasses the ministries needed to manage the finances, personnel, and resources to carry out the mission.
The Prairie Catholic will publish all of the Area Faith Community plans after their approval by Bishop Nienstedt. The Plan for Parishes envisions that all Area Faith Communities will develop their plans over the next two years.
Mark Kemmeter is Coordinator of Staff for the Diocese of New Ulm.
Area Faith Community Plans
Region 1
St. Gregory the Great, Lafayette; St. Mary, New Ulm; Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm; St. John the Baptist, Searles; St. George, West Newton
Word
• Collaborate and share opportunities for youth ministry
• Evangelize to the alienated and unchurched in the area
• Collaborate to unify religious education and sacramental preparation
• Strengthen on-going adult faith formation
Worship
• Create an area Mass schedule for weekend and feast day liturgies
• Collaborate on liturgical ministry training and other ways of working together
• Expand and enhance opportunities for Eucharistic adoration
• Plan an Area Faith Community mission
Service
• Establish an area Social Concerns Committee
• Review needs and create options for outreach to homebound, terminally ill, elderly
• Coordinate the efforts of CCW, K of C’s, and others doing "service" activities
• Improve communication about social concern ministries and events in the area
Stewardship
• Establish an Area Faith Community Pastoral Council
• Review compensation, benefits, and duties of parish staffs and volunteers
• Combine purchasing wherever possible
• Review and assess buildings and equipment in all parishes
Region 3
St. Mary, Cottonwood; St. Clotilde, Green Valley; Holy Redeemer, Marshall
Word
• Combine training and catechesis for RCIA, marriage and baptismal preparation
• Form an Area Faith Community Youth committee
• Explore possibilities and potential for permanent deacons in the area
• Provide open enrollment in religious education K — 12 programs for the area
Worship
• Publicize the Mass schedules of all parishes in the area
• Provide for common liturgical training opportunities
• Adjust the Mass schedules to accommodate priests’ availability
• Increase the participation of youth in liturgies
Service
• Study the social concerns needs in the area
• Explore the possibility of establishing a parish nursing program
• Create an area youth service event or project
Stewardship
• Establish an Area Faith Community Pastoral Council
• Establish an envelope sharing procedure
• Improve communications between the parishes
Region 4
St. Clara, Clara City; St. Andrew, Granite Falls; St. Joseph, Montevideo
Word
• Expand youth ministry opportunities for all area parishes
• Increase parental involvement in religious education classes
• Study adult issues in faith
• Collaborate with Confirmation preparation and communal Penance Services
Worship
• Establish an Area Worship Committee
• Share prayer services and experiences aside from Eucharistic liturgies
• Create an area liturgical ministry training process
• Identify and share musicians with all three area parishes
Service
• Expand area social concerns efforts to all three parishes
• Identify and form support groups for the divorced, widowed, single parents, etc.
• Develop outreach to non-active members and welcome newcomers
• Create a parish nurse program
• Expand responses for those with disabilities or special needs
Stewardship
• Establish an Area Faith Community Pastoral Council
• Create an area building, equipment, resource, and personnel/talent inventory and master plan
• Develop an Area Faith Community mission statement
• Conduct an area salary study and implement a common compensation plan
• Create a name for the Area Faith Community
Region 6
St. Philip, Litchfield; Our Lady, Manannah
Word
• Combine youth activities to enhance participation
• Share in-services and resources for religious education teachers
• Share adult education experiences and opportunities
• Increase participation in the Catholic School
Worship
• Consider sharing choirs for special events and funerals
• Coordinate Mass schedules to better accommodate priests’ availability
• Involve religious education and Catholic school students in liturgies
• Conduct an area faith community mission
Service
• Explore the establishment of an area social concerns committee and joint efforts
• Enhance support for the diocesan mission in Guatemala
• Better connect with the local Hispanic community by learning about the culture and welcoming them into mainstream of the area faith community
Stewardship
• Establish an Area Faith Community Pastoral Council
• Support efforts to raise funds in each parish and create joint fundraising opportunities
• Share envelopes from each other’s parishes
• Explore how purchasing can be shared and programs can be expanded