HOW TO MAKE

1
HOW TO MAKE Small effective gestures in parishes
2
Who are we aiming to attract by these gestures?
3

• What do people look for when they come to church?

4

• Answers to prayer
• Reconciliation and forgiveness
• To fill an emptiness in their lives
• Healing and comfort
• Welcome a sense of belonging
• Presence of God in Blessed Sacrament
• Sanctuary peace
• Guidance To find their spiritual purpose
• Good news!

5
FORM A WELCOME COMMITTEE

• From men and women
• old and young
• Different ethnic and cultural groups in the
  parish
• Mission statement
• N.B. Advertise committee widely

6
MOST IMPORTANT

• Prayer
• - offer all parishioners a prayer card
• - Monthly bidding prayers
• - Prayer sponsors

7

• THE OBVIOUS
• Disabled access
• Toilets
• Quiet books/toys for children
• Loop system
• Car parking facilities
• Welcome leaflets at back of church, esp. at
  Christmas, Easter, baptisms, weddings , funerals,
  1st Communions
• Photo board including
• clergy, PPC, parish organisation chairs,
  candidates for
• Sacraments, recently deceased etc

8
MORE CHALLENGING

• Welcome parties for newcomers, parish feast
  days, seasonal feasts, anniversaries of newly
  baptised and 1st Communicants
• Open churches during the week
• website

9
VIDEO/PHONE LINK

• Look up
• www.community-network.org
• Or ring them on
• 0845 6199992

10
Even more challenging

• Welcomers at Mass with name badges?
• Coffee after Mass
• Lifts to Mass for elderly

11
HELPING HANDS

• Dont feel alone in a crisis
• Ring ...............

12
PARISH LINKS

• Volunteers act as PLs for their neighbourhood
  Catholics
• Each Catholic neighbour receives a magnetic
  sticker with PLs contact details
• Details www.kit4catholics.org.uk

13
THE PERSONAL TOUCH

• Smile!
• Talk to people we dont know!
• Learn their names!
• Listen! www.acornchristian.org
• Keep in touch
• Invite, include, involve them
• Respect their wishes!

14
A sickness in our society

• Symptom reluctance to reach out to new people,
  situations, commitments
• Virus infection from the values of todays
  culture
• World values wealth strength power the law
  attractiveness
• Leading to Self-centredness, worry and blindness
  to others

15
World v Gospel values

• The Cure
• GOSPEL VALUES
• Generosity, welcome, forgiveness, service
• the corner stones of Gods kingdom
• Leading to the life, peace, freedom. justice and
  love of Gods kingdom
• See EN19 and Matt 6 vv25...

16
FORMATION small groups

• MASS SACRAMENTS PRAYER
• BIBLE STUDY GROUPS
• CAFE
• KIT AND LANDINGS
• PRAYER GROUPS
• RCIA

17

• Which of these gestures would you find easy to
  implement in your parish?
• Which would you find most difficult?
• Which in your opinion is the most important?

18
Further Information from

• kit4catholics.org.uk
• enquiries_at_kit4catholics.org.uk
• RCIA?