Web Editor's Note: The Program referred to the Pastor's Letter as "Mission Enhancement"
has been changed to "Growing Stewards" for the Archdioces of Indianapolis.

Holy Angels Church
740 W. 28th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46208

March 4, 2005

Dear Parishioners

As a parish we have many things going for us and things we can be very proud of. We have great leadership. Our attendance at Sunday Mass is growing. We have been doing some pretty successful events, primarily because many of our parishioners have worked very well together. We have some great opportunities facing us in the months ahead.

During the rest of this year our parish will be participating in three different opportunities for growth. While this is a big challenge, I believe we are ready for it and it seems God is abundantly providing us just what we need. If everyone will cooperate with all three experiences, our parish will be a much better parish when we get finished. We will all have a better idea what it means to be Christian member of a parish. We will get more out of our parish and as a parish we will be able to get much more accomplished.

The three opportunities for growth are called;
Appreciative Inquiry (AI)
Mission Enhancement Initiative
New Beginnings

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is the first experience we will have. It is a pilot program of The National Black Catholic Congress and has been funded by Lilly Endowment. We are very fortunate to be part of the pilot program with three other parishes; one in New Orleans, one in Baltimore and one in Los Angeles. Our Consultant with this experience will be Christopher Anne Robinson-Easley, PhD, who teaches at Governors State University in Chicago. Our whole parish is asked to meet with her on Friday, April 1st in the evening and Saturday the 2nd in the morning and afternoon. This experience will bring us together and give us a head start on our planning for growth in the future.

Mission Enhancement Initiative is an experience that the Archdiocese is sponsoring in every parish of the Archdiocese. The Leadership Team will be chosen and trained between April and October with the parish activities taking place in October and November. The Consultants for this program will be RSI Consultants who have been hired by the Archdiocese to train the Leadership Teams of the parishes in the Archdiocese. Leadership Training will be in parish cluster groups. The cost of the consultants will be split between the parish and the Archdiocese. With the cooperation of the whole parish, we will be able to define and improve our Ministries.

New Beginnings, is a parish experience that will be led by our own Parish Leaders: Disciples in Mission and the Adult Education Team. New Beginnings is a program that our Parish Council studied and decided would be good for our parish growth and development. Actually, the Council chose New Beginnings before the other two
experiences came to our attention. We will begin that program in July. If we work together on this program we will be a lot closer as a parish and be more in touch with our gifts and how to use them in God’s service.

If we can face the rest of this year as a united family, we will come out of this year as a winner. If we can allow this Lent to open our hearts and lives to the grace of God, that grace will not only make us stronger, but will also give us the kind of vision which will make our parish strong. These opportunities are a real gift of God at a time when we truly need it. If we can work together, learn together in “unanimity, possessing the one love, united in spirit and ideals” (Philippians 2:2), we will truly participate in the victory Jesus won for us on Easter Sunday when He rose from the dead.

Sincerely,

Rev. Clarence R. Waldon

These three opportunities are very important to the life of our parish. As the leadership in our parish your reaction will be very important. Parishioners will be interested in your reaction to what is happening in our parish. I would hope that you would see it as your position in our parish to go out of your way to see that our parishioners respond to all three activities keeping your ears open to really hear what people are saying.

Your positive attitude, enthusiasm and full participation will go a long way toward making these opportunities a success for all our Church Family members.