On our first night, we started our evening with Prayer In the form of Lectio Devina. 

Discussion questions for Matthew 28:18 and Joy of the Gospel Quote:

Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have

commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20

“I dream of a “missionary option,” that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world

rather than for her self-preservation. ”-Pope Frances, Joy of the Gospel

1. What did you notice about these quotes? 

   1. They are noticing that God Is always with us. It Is a call to action for them personally, but they are unclear about exactly how to do It. Noticing shifting from rules to relationship. Inspiring, scary and overwhelming, but we need to share. 

2. How do you notice yourself responding to these quotes? 

   1. They have some questions such as how to pull off the changes that are needed. What does the community need? Are we being listend to? Feelings some of the past history of promises being made but not kept. Recognizing some of the difficulties and feeling nervous, but a desire to get to work. 

3. What are you connection with In these quotes? 

   1. Noticing It Is about relationship over rules again and that we are not alone. Mentioning the need to focus on adults but also recognizing that can be tricky If there have been other poor experiences with the church. How do we fulfill the request? 

VIEW PARISH DATA 

1. What are your Initial reactions to the Current Reality and the Information shared? 

   1. Questioning the accuracy of the numbers and where they came from. Pointing out that just because registered parishioners are not going to our churches doesn't mean they aren't going somewhere else. Lot of distractions In people's lives lead to not coming to mass. Depressed, sad and scared. Examples of what took people away, but asking how to get them back? Multiple comments on kids/youth not attending mass. Wondering why peopl stop coming.

2. How do these numbers affect you personally? Who from your family Is one of these numbers? 

   1. We all Identified people In our own lives that have fallen away. Some children, neighbors, friends, etc. Each person provided a name of 1 person we knew who has fallen away from the church and we prayed for them. 

We then watched a vision about Mission. 

Apostolic Mission
The apostolic mission is the original mission Jesus gave the apostles: to proclaim the Gospel, form disciples, and build the Church person-to-person. It is rooted in witness, preaching, sacramental life, and going outward into a world that does not yet know Christ.

Christendom Mission
The Christendom mission emerges when Christianity becomes culturally dominant and socially supported. Mission shifts from evangelizing a non-Christian world to maintaining, organizing, and strengthening a broadly Christian society—schools, laws, customs, and institutions shaped by the faith.

Evolution From One to the Other
Mission begins with the apostles in a missionary, outward-facing Church operating on the margins of society. After Christianity becomes socially accepted and later culturally central, mission evolves into preserving and structuring a Christian culture. Over time, as Western culture secularizes, the Church increasingly recognizes the need to return to an apostolic model—evangelizing again in a world no longer shaped by Christian assumptions.

Main Summary

Calling out how evangelization started with 11 and grew. There Is a desire to return to doing It how the apostles did. Noticing how we got too comfortable In 'Christendom' and that we need to shift. It Is going to take work. A call for a "user guide" and wanting, desiring, to be equipped. Mention again of distrations. Old ways not working anymore. Overall, they thought It was Interesting and a helpful distinction to be pointed out. Varying degrees of feelings on this from "over simplified" to "making sense" to "hope." Desire to know what to do next. 

During Night 2, we participated In 2 activities and discussion around both. 

When we arrived to the meeting, there was dinner provided by the OLL Knights of Columbus (Thank you again!) and we were given 2 stickers to Identify what words stuck out most to us In 3 provided Mission Statements. 

Top words were: Family, Community, Home and Missional. 

There Is a lot of work that needs to be done. We need to be welcoming, Inclusive and Invite others In to share In our mission to spread the Good News as Christ called us to do. 

We also played the "Thresholds Game," The purpose of this game Is to look at the Thresholds of Conversion and after reading a few sentences about a person, place them In one of the groups. 

The Thresholds are: 

Pre-Trust: A person who may have had a bad experience with the church and does not have a good association with Jesus.

Openness: A person admits to a general need or desire for personal, spiritual change. This Is not the same as a commitment to specific changes. 

Seeking: A person moves from being passive to actively seeking to know the God who Is calling him or her. The seeker Is engaged Ina spiritual quest. 

Decision Point: The decision, In faith, to follow Jesus as an obedient disciple In the midst of the Church, which brings about new life. 

Beginning Disciple: A person has committed to following Jesus by running away from sin, and makes any sacrifice In order to personally frow, and lives habits of the Christian life. 

Missional Disciple: A person has decided to personally answer the call to take part In the mission of the Church by sharing the Good News. 

Fruitful Disciple: A person Is fully equipped for lifelong Catholic mission and makes any sacrifice to help another person to grow spiritually. 

The main takeaways here were that while we should not be putting people In boxes, judging or labeling them, It Is Important to understand the thresholds so that we can properly meet people where they are. 

On our last night together, we prayed a Discernment Rosary. Instead of meditation on one of the holy mysteries, we meditated on a question. 

1- How would our parish feel and sound If we were a thriving and growing community?

• A thriving parish would feel joyful, welcoming, spiritually alive and deeply connected. 

• lively, full, energetic, vibrant, optimistic, hopeful. 

• Deep faith,  Inclusive liturgy, Mass should be the highlight of the week

• Warm, neighborly, filled with children, family focused. 

2- What Is the most Important thing our parish needs to work on first to become missional? 

• Leadership and direction, welcoming and hospitable 

• Personal Invitation and engagement, spiritual depth and formation

• Youth and family focus

• Effective Communication across both parishes. 

3- God, how are you calling me to participate In our parish becoming a thriving community?

• Prayer and Spiritual Presence

  • welcoming committee, prayer groups

• Volunteer and Serve 

  • EMHC, share talents

• Focus on Youth and Families

  • Religious Ed, CYO, parent groups, singles group

• Strengthen the Church + School connection

• Evangelization and Direction 

  • organize others, clear roles