Pastoral Council Committee on Evangelization

MINUTES 8-14-14 6:30pm

PRESENT: Kim Small; Chris Hatmaker; Patty Sherrill; Ellen Matczak; Donna Cole; Ron Shankin; Maureen Boyd; Kathy Rakowski; Karen Steplitus

ABSENT: Jeanne Fader; Paula Freel

1. 6:35 Karen opens with prayer

2. Kim Small introduces herself to the group and presents the following: RCIA and Evangelization are married together. RCIA is really for the unbaptized. Anyone can come, for just a refresher. But, the real mission is for the unbaptized. Keep her in prayer. Everyone is invited to the RCIA Inquiry Program – She wants many personal contacts. She is planning to hold sessions after the 11:00am Mass, and is hoping to build team. Community will do the RCIA, with Kim leading. But calling upon hosts & hostesses, people to share their testimonies, etc. Kim left the meeting after her introduction.

3. The Lamb’s Supper – by Scott Hahn: Kathy Rakowski will be at next Worship Commission meeting and suggesting it as a study for the members. Also, Three Minute Liturgical Catechesis is available.

4. Karen presented the attached document titled Potential Evangelization Programs and the showed the team sample videos of the sessions from both the Christlife – Discovering Christ program and the Alpha program. A video presenting their model of Evangelization was viewed for the Light of the World retreat.

5. The team discussed the pros & cons of each program

a. During the discussion, the group felt that the Christlife – Discovering Christ program, which has been run at our parish in the spring of 2012, was not a front-runner. The group concurred that the talks were not as dynamic & engaging as Alpha.

b. Karen is planning to attend a Light of the World (LOTW) retreat at St Malachy’s parish in Sterling Heights over the weekend of November 14-16. (Previously, Chris Hatmaker and Jeanne Fader were planning to attend one of these retreats in Illinois.) The majority of the team members have met with the LOTW representative and heard his presentation on the program.

c. Karen noted that there was an Alpha Training coming up on August 28th and Sept 18th at St Regis in Bloomfield Hills. The entire team was interested and agreed to pay for their individual $20.00 registration fee to attend.

6. Instead of establishing a next meeting, all agreed we could have informal discussions on the drive to and from St Regis.

7. The meeting ended in prayer 8:53pm.

Submitted by Karen Steplitus