Service: To seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves.

State What would it look like if “God’s will be done” in service?	List What are we doing now?	Brainstorm What are we called to do/want to do?	Hindrances What prevents us (e.g. resource restrictions) from doing what we are called to do?	Next Steps “Our parish will ...”
§ a complete helper ministry (inreach and outreach) § feeding ministry § transportation ministry § Habitat for Humanity § hurricane relief § literacy training § youth mentoring § provision of school supplies for relief § “Mothers’ Day Out” § nursing home/shut-in visitation § after-school care § support of Gray Center/CBG § Duggan Mem. Home/Comm. Liv. Cen § Adopt-a-family § facilities use § Food Pantry § Discretionary Fund § Maintenance/lawn ministry	§ Care Comm. § Food Pantry § facilities use § Duggan/CLC § Discretionary Fund § hurricane relief § Adopt-a-family § Xmas child shoebox § Bishop M.C. support § Gray Center support § Caritas scholarships § facilities use	§ continue as listed § facilities use § nursing home/shut-in visitations § school supplies ministry § clothing drive	§ need to remind of opportunities to serve § lack of critical mass in teenagers	§ focused involvement of youth in ministry[1] § periodic support drives (food, clothing) § explore joint service with Methodists[2] § continue current

Worship: Continue in the breaking of the bread and in the prayers.

State What would it look like if “God’s will be done” in worship?	List What are we doing now?	Brainstorm What are we called to do/want to do?	Hindrances What prevents us (e.g. resource restrictions) from doing what we are called to do?	Next Steps “Our parish will ...”
§ Public worship every day § more people § music ministry enhanced § children’s choir § public liturgies of healing § public liturgies of blessing § an atmosphere of reverence	§ HE Sunday and Wed. § MP: Tue-Fri § 1^st Wed. healing § blessing of animals § Duggan/CLC services § Comm. worship participation § “Mass in the Grass” § Youth-led service	§ continue as listed § increase participation in music § publicize worship § put sermons (recorded) on the web site § children’s music ministry § add Stations of the Cross to the nave	§ ministry coverage on Sat & Mon § availability/cost of web space § staffing to direct children’s music ministry § availability/cost of Stations of the Cross § additional cost	§ explore children’s choir with ministers of music[3] § add budget line for children’s music ministry § add a choir rehearsal § continue current

Evangelism: Proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.

State What would it look like if “God’s will be done” in evangelism?	List What are we doing now?	Brainstorm What are we called to do/want to do?	Hindrances What prevents us (e.g. resource restrictions) from doing what we are called to do?	Next Steps “Our parish will ...”
§ invite people to worship § invite people to Bible Study § advertise services § webcast of Bible Study and sermons § use visitor cards and registry follow-up § targeted press releases	§ invite people to worship § advertize special services § education materials (e.g. instructed eucharist booklet) used § “leave behind” tri-fold re. summarizing Scriptural themes § targeted press releases	§ continue as listed § use visitor cards and follow-up § more educational materials re. “who we are,” “what we believe” § service times on church sign § “open for prayer” sign § public worship (w. clergy fellowship) § Easter sunrise service in park	§ need for education re. inviting	§ targeting preaching/education re. lay evangelism § list website in Yellow Pages ad § continue current

Education: Continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship.

State What would it look like if “God’s will be done” in education?	List What are we doing now?	Brainstorm What are we called to do/want to do?	Hindrances What prevents us (e.g. resource restrictions) from doing what we are called to do?	Next Steps “Our parish will ...”
§ regular attendance § older youth group § adult ed. options § EFM § Bible Study options § ongoing training (e.g. for acolytes) § music education § web site used for education § more participation in diocesan training/ed.	§ Catechesis of the Good Shepherd § Catechesis of the True Vine § Adult ed. § confirmation class § acolyte training § Vacation Bible School § Altar Guild training § Bible Study class and web materials § Lenten instruction series § EFM Starkville § Instructed Eucharist	§ continue as listed § young adult Sunday School § set norms for children § music education § children’s musical offering § ongoing training § acolyte training on a convocation basis § add a parish Facebook page § add podcasts to the website		§ music education § children’s musical offering § Facebook page § investigate podcasts § continue current

Pastoral Care: Strive for justice and peace among all

people, and respect the dignity of every human being.

State What would it look like if “God’s will be done” in pastoral care?	List What are we doing now?	Brainstorm What are we called to do/want to do?	Hindrances What prevents us (e.g. resource restrictions) from doing what we are called to do?	Next Steps “Our parish will ...”
§ Visiting ministry § pastoral response/ intervention in illness, loss § nursing home/ shut-in visitation § pre-marriage counseling § Camp Caritas § jail visitations § hospital chaplaincy	§ Pastoral response, etc. § hospital chaplaincy § jail visitations § Care Committee § Nursing home ministries	§ continue as listed § involve youth in pastoral care § welcoming/sup- plies ministry to newborns § train/commission Lay Eucharistic Visitors § Prayer shawl ministry	§ none (taining needed for LEV’s)	§ ID LEV candidates § ECW to sponsor children to Camp Caritas § ECW to explore newborn welcome ministry and prayer shawl ministry with other churches

Discussion

1) Ministry is fundamentally healthy in this parish.

a) An annual ministry fair will help to expose more members of the parish to opportunities to serve.

2) The parish is having an impact in the community greater than might be expected from the size of the parish.

a) The parish is playing a leadership role, and should leverage this under the covenant entered into between the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi and the United Methodist Conference of Mississippi.

i) The parish will explore opportunities for common service (in the broadest sense of the mission of the Church) with local United Methodist congregations.

(1) An initial focus will be on common service with St. Paul U.M.C., to foster greater Christian witness and service across racial lines.

3) Lack of “critical mass” in youth and children’s ministries remains a problem. To this end, the parish will undertake to:

a) Dedicate resources to children’s music ministry. This may include work with the church organist and with a teenaged member of the choir engaged to work with children.

b) Commission a diagnostic study of youth resources.

i) The resource to do this needs to be identified, but a member of the Canterbury Fellowship at Mississippi State University may be available.

ii) The diagnostic phase will involve focused interviews with all young members of the parish to identify needs and expectations.

iii) A focus in meeting needs and expectations will include a periodic (monthly?) youth outing, to which members of the parish can invite friends.

(1) The focus in such an outing will be fellowship.

iv) Diocesan youth resources in education and service (e.g. camp, Happening and D.O.Y. will continue to be promoted).

v) A dedicated adult resource to manage youth activities will need to be identified following the diagnostic phase.

vi) A focus in youth ministry will be to involve younger members in service projects in the community, to continue involvement in worship ministries, and to foster involvement in pastoral care.

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[1] See attached discussion.

[2] Under the joint Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi/United Methodist Conference of Mississippi covenant, opportunities to serve in covenant with a local U.M. congregation will be explored.

[3] Ministers of Music may include the church organist/choir directress, and a teenaged choir member to work with children.