St. Matt’s Future Planning: parish wide meeting report, 1-25-2024

Download PDF: St. Matt’s Future Planning parish wide meeting January 25, 2024
Revised recap of Future Planning kick-off meeting: Parish Council Future Planning Kick-Off Recap_v2

Goal: What do we want St. Matt’s to look like in 3 years? What do we need to do to achieve that vision?

Culture

• Inclusivity & Diversity
  • Seek to increase age diversity throughout our faith community
  • Welcoming diversity – All are welcome here
    • Ensure St. Matt’s is a place where everyone, no matter their gender, race, etc. feels both welcomed & loved, and are free to be their authentic self
    • A healing place for disenfranchised Catholics
    • Remain & make more broadly know that St. Matt’s is a “big tent” + “field hospital” in the words & wisdom of Pope Francis
    • Community outreach & celebrating diversity
  • Language inclusivity
    • Greeters – Spanish & English & remain in back during mass continuing to minister to the community as needed
    • Spanish speaking capacity – perhaps older community of Saints students could help?
    • Spanish speaking staff person
    • Increased bilingual support may draw more young families
    • Grow our Spanish speaking population – attendees at mass & sacraments
  • Ways to continue to welcome our community
    • New Parishioner Welcome & Connection
      • New Parishioner Welcome Dinner
      • When a new parishioner joins, asking parish council member to connect, call, welcome – then flop month – invite to coffee Sunday (and other programming)
      • Invitation – Joanne knew my name week 3 and Walsy stopped by to say hi after mass
      • Name Tags so the community can get to know each other?
      • Community 2 minute “greet the person next to you” if it’s not someone new – great! Before mass begins or near the end of mass before
    • Ways to foster connection
      • Grandparents day mass – ways to invite people in
      • “Homecoming” mass
      • Sacraments – When students are receiving sacraments have them during regular mass with the full community (rather than private) so the church community can see & welcome them & their families
    • Matt’s as a “Campus rather than “Church”
    • “Church” is a verb – not a Noun
    • What are other parishes doing well and how can we apply to St. Matt’s? Examples – St. Thomas More Meet & Greet, women preaching, tons of small groups

Leadership

• Youth
  • Youth are looking to play active roles in service & leadership & we all want to see youth in leadership roles
  • Attract yonder and newer members to leadership positions
• Diocese & Future Leadership
  • How are we as a parish community preparing ourselves for change?
  • Ensure St. Matt’s builds connections and has a voice to be able to advocate for itself within the diocese
  • Desire to choose our own spiritual leader(s)
  • Work with Fr. Steve & diocese on “transitional leadership”
  • “Lay Leadership” – How can St. Matt’s potentially be a model for other parishes
  • Deacon – would this help serve our community, finding the right fit
  • Can we expand connections with the Twin Cities Jesuits? Demontreville Retreat Center & Christo Rey High School
  • A desire for our parish community to remain open minded through-out the leadership change (especially for the desired traits of a new priest) & ensuring there is closure with Fr. Steve before he goes to ease the transition
• Short Term Planning for when Fr. Steve or another priest isn’t available
  • What would the model be and how could St. Matt’s have a communion service rather than a Eucharistic Celebration if a priest isn’t available?
    • Logistically think through preaching & how to get the Holy Eucharist to distribute

Community Building

• Events & Programming Ideas
  • Routine survey’s/questionnaires to see “what are you interested in?” when it comes to groups, opportunities, serving our community etc.
  • Grow & invest in youth group
  • Alumni & Friends Events (masses – social hall, etc.)
  • Graduating class mass
  • “Homecoming Mass”
  • Continue Coffee Sundays – consider having them more often
  • More community small groups (Crafts Groups, Young Moms/Dads group)
  • Parishioner Talks – like “Ted Talks” to share their passion, experiences, etc.…
  • Family Folk Dance
  • Sing-alongs
  • Community Picnics – Invite Community of Saints Families, Alumni, etc.…
  • Have more community dinners or activities for the Saturday night mass participants
  • More spiritual programs or opportunities for ongoing adult education in the faith (both for RCIA candidates, but also present Catholics) – could include bible study or we could survey the community for topics
  • Have a “fair” that showcases all the volunteer and community building opportunities so that people can get an idea of ways to participate
  • Invite Community of Saints to participate in more of St. Matt’s events & increase synergy with students & parents to attend St. Matt’s more often
• Ways for our community to serve
  • More Liturgical Opportunities (with a St. Matt’s twist)
  • Youth Choir
  • Children’s mass – music, servers, greeters, readers
  • Other ways for young people to serve in a visible way with mass (greeters, collection, altar servers)
• Supporting our Community
  • Find more ways to support families
  • Support for aging parishioners, spiritually as they approach end of life (legal issues, power of attorney, executor, advanced directives)
  • Provide childcare for activities such as the Future Initiative Planning session to support the involvement of families with children

Volunteer/Outreach

• Reach out to new housing community in West Side
  • Possible event: Mass in the Park – Harriet Island to draw in new housing community
• Ecumenical activities & fellowship
• Continue to go to the margins of society through our ongoing outreach. Jesus is at the margins.
• More resources for people needing help with life essentials – food, shelter, utilities, etc.…
• Volunteering
  • Engage additional volunteers in activities they want to lead
  • Community outreach/opportunities for families & kids
  • Embrace active participation by young people & children in ways that they want to participate

Parking Lot – Other ideas not under major subheadings

Technology/Tools/Resources that might be needed

• Email list & Phone #’s, Photos of parish members (digital parish directory)
• Digital Presence – Website (more robust), Email Communication, Social Media
• More videos representing parish programs
• Robust technology as a means of growing strengths and community
• Overhead Projectors with Song Words & Responses to encourage participation
• More visible exterior signage