March 2014

Evangelization Committee Minutes – March 20, 2014
Present: John and Ann Mitchell, Carolyn Large, Melissa Slone, Flo Lancaster, John Larmour, Becky Estep, Fr. Arock
Called to order at 7:00pm – Opened with a reflection on “The Samaritan Woman at the Well”. This was followed by a discussion of Catholic Relief Services and their work in the Philippine Islands. It was discussed our use of ‘Rice Bowls’ for CRS during Lent was a means of evangelization.
John discussed that Fr. Dan was open to using the book Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly if a way can be found to use it to make people active in reaching out to spread our faith, based on God’s Word. This training would have to be done in a way so as to lead to the training of leaders who would understand and participate in the spreading of God’s Word.
John asked those assembled to consider the following questions:

1. To what will you personally commit to help reach the above goal?
2. How can we successfully recruit potential leaders for this effort?
3. How do you recommend we go about accomplishing, within our parish community, what we are called on to do because of the promises made at our baptism,
4. Where should we now proceed?

A spirited and lengthy discussion followed. Each member present participated.

• A study guide is available as a resource for the group leaders.
• Form a ‘test group’ with the understanding that participants will take the message to other groups.
• Offering a ‘Faith Renewal’ could possibly recruit potential leaders to this evangelization effort.
• This would assist persons to define their view of the ‘New Catholicism”.
• We believe there is a fertile field of potential leaders in our Church today. They just need to be asked!
• It was discussed that our current evangelization committee could become the ‘test group’.
• Identify the searches for deeper faith.
• Leaders can increase the spirituality in the parish by going to existing committees and functioning groups.
• Possible CRHP could use the book for their already formed groups.
• Work with multicultural committees.
• The need was seen to bring all ideas and suggestions into a more cohesive form.
• Define and identify what we need to do and we must go forward.
• Support from the Ambo by the Clergy is essential.

No meeting will be held in April as it would conflict on Holy Thursday. The next meeting will be Thursday, May 15^th.
The meeting was closed with prayer and adjourned at 8:15pm