I’m not a fan of change for the sake of change. I am a creature of habit, a lover of tradition, and a big fan of consistency. Don’t get me wrong: I like to make a difference and improve things. But as a former boss of mine used to say, “A horse is easiest to ride in the direction it is going.” So it’s nerve-wracking for me to share the first significant change to how we approach faith formation at St. Michael Catholic Church, and invite you to be a part of it.
Eight years ago, I was elected to the Faith Formation Advisory Committee (FFAC). The FFAC is an group of parishioners that meets once a month to advise and support parish staff regarding LIFT and related activities. Over the years, FFAC members have been faithful, thoughtful, hard-working … and frustrated. In my own experience, the frustration stems from a sense of powerlessness. No matter how good the intentions or bold the ideas, the FFAC itself was never in a position to make a real difference.
Meanwhile, youth ministry at St. Michael has grown and thrived since it adopted its core team approach. The idea behind a core team is to engage people who are called to a particular ministry and willing to do whatever it takes to help it succeed through prayer, planning, and action. We have these people involved in the LIFT program today—motivated and joy-filled parishioners who go the extra mile to draw people closer to Jesus and His Bride, the Church, but who have never been asked for their prayers, ideas, or support beyond their current niche. And we need them to help build a better LIFT program and grow it!
So beginning now, we are recruiting for the LIFT Crew—parents, teens, teachers, greeters, worker bees, prayer warriors, and people just looking to make a difference—to help reshape LIFT for next year and beyond. We want to get more people involved to deliver a better program. Because the emphasis is on calling and commitment, the LIFT Crew will not be elected or capped at a specific number. However, we will identify a LIFT Leadership Team, a subset of the LIFT Crew to help provide direction for the overall group.
The FFAC has agreed to continue to meet until this team is in place, but plans to disband once it’s up and running. I am reaching out to individual people I hope will be interested, but I’m also looking for volunteers and nominations. Specifically, we are looking for people who would commit to at least a year of service in one or more of the following areas: Family Faith Formation, First Reconciliation/First Communion, Confirmation Prep, Hospitality, and Prayer Team.
We have a vibrant parish filled with faithful people who love the Lord and want to serve. We also have a tremendous opportunity to reshape LIFT in a way that better reflects its original intent and purpose: Learning In Faith Together. I hope that you will prayerfully consider the call to join our Crew. If you have questions or wish to volunteer or nominate someone, please drop me a line. Finally, please pray for our parish and our program!
Blogger's Note: This article appears in the Sunday, March 8, church bulletin .Labels: church, column, community, faith, work