QUALITIES OF DISCIPLESHIP
Our IGNITE THE MISSION Pastoral Plan seeks to develop, support, grow and encourage all parishioners to be faithful and loving disciples of Christ who reach out to all—especially those in need. We also want to create opportunities within our family of parishes for everyone to exercise their discipleship by sharing who they are and what they have to help build the kingdom of God. I am so thankful for the many volunteer ministers who offer themselves so generously in the many different ministries in our faith community.
The focus and development of our pastoral ministry is rooted in six qualities we hope all parishioners embrace in their faith life through our family of parishes. The 6 Qualities of a Faithful Disciple in the Chatham Catholic Family of Parishes are:
Prayer & Sacraments Invite & Share Invest Serve Formation Small Groups
I believe that these six qualities are essential for us to not only encounter Jesus in our lives, but to be Jesus for others as we continue the Lord’s mission of salvation in our world today. These qualities help us anchor all of our ministries, programs and outreach making sure that we continue to be mission-oriented—being mindful that we are called through our baptism to be agents of hope and light in a world that in many ways is lost and broken.
FORMING SMALL GROUPS
One of these six qualities that has not had a lot of attention in the implementation of our pastoral plan is Small Groups. We are looking to change that with something very exciting for Lent this year.
Small groups are not a new concept for the Church (small Christian communities have existed since the Apostles) and we have some informal ones in our family of parishes already. So what’s new for us right now? We are hoping to formalize this ministry and over the next few years invite all parishioners to be part of small groups.
I am thankful to our Discipleship Lead, Renée Culverwell, who has taken on the responsibility of organizing this new ministry and formation opportunity. In preparation for the launch of Small Groups coming up during Lent, Renée and her husband Dureck, hosted a couples small group in the fall as a pilot project. The experience was truly a powerful one (stay tuned for some reflections in an upcoming bulletin/blog post).
BENEFITS OF SMALL GROUPS
Why are small groups crucial for our personal faith and our family of parishes? We must remember that we cannot live our Catholic faith alone. We need each other as pilgrims on the journey supporting, caring, serving and listening to one another. Small groups allow for better connections and helps us grow in so many different ways.
(1) BETTER PASTORAL CARE
Small groups members can support one another in the day to day challenges of life and end up helping each other—which is being a disciple!! Parish staff does an amazing job offering support to parishioners, but they simply cannot do it all. Small groups can support and care for one another in a way that staff could never do.
(2) BUILDS UNITY—CONNECTION—ENCOURAGEMENT
When a small group prays together, shares their joys and sorrows together, celebrates together and encourages one another—they become better disciples, better people and feel much more connected to the Church and the family of parishes.
(3) FRIENDS IN FAITH
Being part of a small group where we can be ourselves and share one common faith is crucial in our personal and spiritual lives. Being able to support, encourage and strengthen one another through the realities of life in the context of faith is powerful and needed. Small groups remind each of us that we are not alone and this helps us grow in faith, listen to one another and be understood. The conversations in small groups can also lead to change and conversion.
LENT 2026—LAUNCHING SMALL GROUPS
This Lent we will launch our new Small Groups ministry (see poster in the bulletin or online) hoping to have 100 people join for a special 7 week series using the book REBUILT FAITH as our resource. I am thankful to the Blessed Sacrament CWL who purchased books for all participants. We are training facilitators who are offering men’s groups, women’s groups, couples groups and open groups at different days and times during the week. Please check out the poster for dates/times and how to register. This is just the beginning, but a first big step as we seek to strengthen faith, strengthen community and strengthen our mission. Please join us on this special journey this Lent!!
