Dear Holy Spirit Parish:
“No one lives for themselves….”
(Romans 14:7)
Our Holy Spirit Mission Statement calls us to “not live for ourselves.” It says we are: Disciples United in Worship, Welcoming to All, Working for Justice and Peace. In last week’s bulletin I shared the first half of our Parish Membership Covenant that spells out the commitment Holy Spirit Parish makes to those who join. Today we reflect on the second half of the Covenant which lists the five commitments members personally make so that Holy Spirit Parish can provide the love and support we promise those who join. Here is the second half of our Membership Covenant.
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As a Member of Holy Spirit Parish, I Commit To:
Worship: I commit to celebrating the Eucharist regularly with the Holy Spirit community. I know my need for God and for being nurtured by God’s Word and Sacrament. At Eucharist, I am given the grace I need to continue to love God and others.
Grow: I commit to work at my continued spiritual growth by participating in at least one program of faith formation each year.
Connect: I commit to building community here at Holy Spirit by reaching out and connecting with others with kindness and compassion.
Serve: I commit to serving in at least one ministry each year. God has entrusted me with gifts and talents that the world needs. I want to help others be healed and transformed as I have been.
Give: I commit to returning to God a generous portion of all that God has given me. In addition to charitable works of my own choosing, I will empower my parish and diocese to do the work of God in the world.
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We are beginning our second year of growing into these very challenging commitments. The one causing the most debate among our committees and councils is the first one. The word “regularly” is a compromise between “weekly” and “occasionally.” Fr. James Mallon, author of our parish renovation guidebook, Divine Renovation, puts forward the expectation that parish members worship together weekly except when a family is travelling. He feels that the other four commitments will follow naturally when the commitment to worship together weekly is established. In this post Covid world, to move from “occasional” worship to “regular” worship will be a great first step toward Fr. Mallon’s ideal of worshiping together every week.
In the month of September, we focus on the second commitment: “I commit to work at my continued spiritual growth….” In the pews today there is a “Time Pledge Card” listing the spiritual growth opportunities being offered this fall. I invite you to it take home, reflect on it, fill it out and bring it back with you next weekend to place in a basket before the altar. You can also find the list of opportunities on the parish website under the Faith Formation Tab and Adult Faith Formation Link. Next Sunday I will invite all to read the Parish Membership Covenant aloud at Mass as a sign of public commitment. After all, no one lives for themselves.
Fr. Steve
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