pastoral planning toolkits

How does our Parish’s Pastoral Plan for implementing the Pastoral Priorities correlate to the Barna Study? How does your parish’s pastoral plan relate to the recent Barna Community Study conducted in the 6 counties of South Jersey that comprise the Diocese of Camden? The Barna Study is all about the Pastoral Priorities! The complete study […]

Hallmarks of Parish Vitality Description:  The parish Self-Assessment is designed to provide parishes with feedback that is helpful to parish leadership (pastor, staff and parish pastoral council, etc.) for future planning. • It sets the stage for engaging parishioners in the transforming work of parish growth and renewal through current and future parish ministries. • It provides a forum

What Should I have on my Parish Website?      When people view your website, you are essentially inviting them to meet your parish family, in your family home. So think of your website as an extension of that parish home. What is the image that you want visitors to have of your parish family?     

Ever Ancient, Ever New: the Art and Practice of Lectio Divina This page, and the accompanying article by Sr. Antoine Lawlor,  provide an introduction to and a simple means to engage in Lectio Divina. One Simple Way to Engage in Lectio Divina:  As parishioners gather at a pastoral council planning meeting, they might spend time

Parish Staff Ministry Report A Parish Leadership Tool This tool is a one page tracking device that may be adapted locally. It provides for dialogue around the present, the future and components such as timelines, finances, and collaboration between ministries. One of the major tasks that parish staff meetings address is the present growth of

How is Vibrant Parish Life Similar to a Successful Entrepreneurship? Most of us know the tremendous success that is Starbucks. In his book It’s Not about the Coffee: Leadership Principles from a Life at Starbucks, Howard Behar, former president of Starbucks International, describes in detail the principles of leadership that he found to be of

Pastoral Planning Toolkit #13 Seven Rules for Pastoral Planning by Parish Pastoral Councils One of the most important duties of the Parish Pastoral Council is to create, promulgate and monitor the three stages of the pastoral plan, “Plan-Do-Check.”   The work of the pastoral council is not complex; however, these seven rules – if considered carefully

Pastoral Planning Toolkit #12 Leadership Skills that Work Definition Leadership Skills are important to the effectiveness of any human group.  This is equally true for those in parish leadership positions.  Good leadership is crucial to moving the vision forward and collaborating with others in bringing it to strategic action. Approach to Implementation This Toolkit is

How can the Pastoral Council Assess the Effectiveness of Its Pastoral Plan for the Six Pastoral Priorities? The purpose of this toolkit is to assist the Parish Pastoral Council in its own assessment of its pastoral planning. Approach to Implementation The council members are asked to complete the attached checklists and use their assessments to

What is the Vision for the Future of the Church of South Jersey? The purpose of this toolkit is set the diocesan Vision Statement in the minds and hearts of people around the diocese in order to lead them in its expressions of gospel activity. Approach to Implementation This half-hour session is based on a