Weekly THIS AND THAT for July 13, 2008: Our Parish's Strategic Plan, Part 2: Opportunities through Which to Grow

This and That:
Our Parish’s Strategic Plan, Part 2: Opportunities through Which to Grow



Dear Friends,

This is the second part of our Parish Strategic Plan approved by the Pastoral Council at its last meeting before the beginning of the new Fiscal Year. It will shape who we are and where we are going as a parish. The plan, effective July 1, 2008, will run through June 30, 2013. This week’s installment highlights the opportunities that exist for us here at Our Lady of Grace. It is very important to have a plan such as this in place through the challenges and opportunities we will be facing in the years ahead.

As you read each of the remaining parts, your impressions, feedback and comments are always welcome and can be shared with any Council member. Remember, they are the ones wearing the red ribbon and pin at Sunday Masses. You are also invited to email the Council Chairperson, Bill Campbell at Bill.campbell@milliman.com.

Fondly,
Father Nicholas



Celebrating Life through Worship and Service
Strategic Plan
Our Lady of Grace Parish
2008 through 2013
Approved by Pastoral Council May 12, 2008


Opportunities

• Evangelize among the growing population in Northern Baltimore County

• Expand our service ministry with more volunteers providing more hands-on support to those in need (food, clothing, shelter, companionship)

• Reinforce important principles to our youth to make them better representatives of Christ and better citizens of the world
o Peaceful coexistence with brothers/sisters of other faiths (all Children of Abraham)
o Responsibility to serve others in need
o Respect for and stewardship of the earth

• Increase campus utilization to become a stronger focal point/gathering place in the community, which could in turn increase evangelical opportunities and financial resources
o More evening and summer classes
o Summer camps (indoor & outdoor)
o Sports fields/pavilion rental to other organizations when not in use by Our Lady of Grace sports teams
o Other uses/users of Manor at Gunpowder Falls
o Other users of Karl Heldrich Reading Center

Given this understanding of who we are and where we are going, our Strategic Plan defines how we will get there through a number of distinct and clear objectives for the parish over the next five years. These objectives have been selected because their attainment will have a profound impact on the success of our mission. They provide guidance and direction to Pastoral Council members when they interact with the numerous and diverse committees, groups, individual volunteers and parishioners as they go about their parish-related activities. The intent is to harness and focus such actions in concert with the specifically identified objectives that we have set. Each successful effort, in the pursuit of accomplishing these objectives, will enable this community to move closer to becoming the living embodiment of our parish mission statement and vision.

This plan incorporates a combination of objectives developed over the past several years and some newly developed ones for the years ahead. We will continue to focus our activities on evangelization and the process of helping people along on their personal faith journeys, particularly on activities that will result in an increase in Mass attendance and ministry volunteers. We have included an objective to address “The Hope That Lies Before Us” and its impact on our parish community. We will also focus on fiscal accountability in all of our activities and enhancing our assistance to others in the community through outreach and service. The latter will be measured by an increase in those served and the services provided. We will continue to identify those areas where we believe we need additional efforts, and implement action plans to improve them. These four long-term objectives will guide us in the years to come.