HAPPY PENTECOST!
The readings for this weekend can be found here. For a more extended prayer experience, I would encourage you to read through the extended VIGIL readings for Pentecost found here. Pentecost is an amazing day, and one year we will do the Vigil for Pentecost with it's treasure of readings--but this year has too many things happening already. The Vigil expands upon the story of how God has reached out to us through the ages to restore us into a relationship with Him.
This past week I have been praying intently with our mission statement; the Holy Spirit gently reminded me that God has already restored all things in Christ. He is the subject of the sentence while we receive the fruits of His restoration if we choose to accept them. In other words, we are not restoring, God is through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. God does this when we choose to share the story of how He desires so much to be in relationship with us. Ask the Spirit to help you to be able to receive and then share His Love with others.
THE NEWS IN THE PEWS
This week wrapped up the evening meeting cycle for the year. While we have the school graduation for our eighth graders and a few other events, the meetings and groups are pretty much finished until August rolls around. I know our ministry team is excited to review the year and start working for next year's activities.
So, as we look to next year and beyond, we are going to allow our Vision to guide us: We engage our Saint Pius family of disciples to consider Saint Pius home and to live our mission (Love God. Love others. MAKE DISCIPLES. Restore all things in Christ.) by utilizing the Genesis approach and noticing our brother or sister, calling all by name, knowing Jesus, and making Christ known to each person.
Our two goals for the coming year look like:
(1) We will implement the Genesis approach through small group ministry for adults, youth and families:
–Fiat Lux groups for young adults and adults
–Ut Fidem 2.0 groups for youth
–Blessed and Broken groups for families preparing to receive First Communion
(2) We will develop our "notice, name, know and make known" approach to discipleship with a focus on the Eucharist:
–reintroduce our monthly “Hospitality Sunday” with time for food and fellowship
–provide the books Beautiful Eucharist and This is My Body for individual and book study groups
–promote Eucharistic adoration with the school, discipleship formation program and after weekday Masses
–explore hosting a parish mission and/or retreat focused on the Eucharist
–introduce CGS for preschool program
–celebrate Sacraments during Masses, especially on Sundays
This is quite the list for us to work on during the coming year. You will be reading more about this over the summer. Don't be alarmed if details or names change--it is really a work in progress, and my sharing with you at this point is two-fold: an accountability to build on the momentum many in our parish have been developing this past year as well as to start conversations about where we can go to implement our vision in the coming years. In all of this please continue to ask the Holy Spirit to animate, lead and guide us.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray.
O God, who have taught the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise
and ever rejoice in his consolation.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.