Journey 2005 ~ Overview

This year is an especially exciting one for Holy Angels and for the larger church. Great things will be happening in many aspects of parish life, and great opportunities lie ahead for transforming our parish for the future. Of course there will be familiar parish events, along with new initiatives like the resumption of Long Range (Strategic) Planning and global themes like the Year of the Eucharist. We would like to introduce three new and transforming experiences planned for 2005, which together provide important steps on a journey of faith and ministry.

On Friday evening, April 1, and Saturday, April 2, Holy Angels was one of four church communities around the country participating in Appreciative Inquiry. This program, professionally facilitated through a special grant, exposed our entire parish family to new ways of seeing the most successful aspects of our parish and building upon them for the future. This very successful approach focuses not on our shortcomings, but on what is best about Holy Angels, and expands that as we plan for tomorrow.

Later in the year, we plan to experience New Beginnings. This program, designed by and for Catholic Parishes, helps us to see ourselves in a new light. We will spend a brief time on three consecutive Sundays, learning about our parish and ourselves in the light of ministry and commitment. Those of us who have previewed this package are extremely excited about the possibilities for finding new opportunities for parishioners to find and carry out their own ministries in God's service. Building upon our experience in Appreciative Inquiry, we believe this experience, and the follow up which will follow, will enable us to discover new paths to excellence in existing ministries and new possibilities for service that can reach every member.

In the fall of 2005, we will participate in our third step of transformation. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis has strongly recommended that each parish participate in Growing Stewards (formerly called "Mission Enhancement"). Small teams of leaders from each parish will receive professional training to help parishioners feel honestly excited and committed about embracing one or more ministry opportunities in the parish. This program, which will take place over several weeks, will conclude with our Festival of Ministries, and our annual commitments of Time, Talent, and Treasure.

This seems like a lot - and it is! But as your parish pastoral and lay leaders have given careful consideration to these opportunities, we believe that they can bring about major change in how we see ourselves, how we live together as a family of faith and service, and how we live out God's plan for years to come. You'll be hearing more about these exciting steps to transform Holy Angels into a community of ministry. We hope you will join us at every opportunity along the way. Holy Angels cannot be complete without YOU.