Our thanks and appreciation to all those who attended one of the town halls or otherwise provided us feedback on our planning efforts. The discussion and feedback have been extremely helpful. While it’s impossible to succinctly capture all the feedback, below are some of the major themes that emerged from the discussions that will help guide our path forward:
1. For those who attended the town halls, overall they had a very positive experience.
2. A clear desire for more activities and formation programs for children and young adults, recognizing the population is limited but growing.
3. Strong interest in more adult faith formation options (e.g. bible study, retreats, Called and Gifted program, etc) as well as increased awareness of and ability to volunteer for our various ministry efforts.
4. Greater transparency in the bulletin regarding the weekly collections.
5. While the current focus is appropriately on the immediate needs of our parish (especially as regards space), there is also interest in the long-term usage of the full 67 acres of property.
6. People want to receive more communication and engagement on the decisions for the parish: including a desire for more town halls.
Here is what is coming up next:
A team of parishioners involved in this process and in parish ministry leadership will meet in June to review all the input received up to this point. They will then propose strategic initiatives that can help move us forward in the near term. We will also interview several potential architects to select one that can help us begin to work toward conceptual renderings for a Parish Life Center that can support our growing ministries. In the late summer or early fall, we will conduct additional open Town Hall meetings to get further feedback.
It is exciting to discover what the Holy Spirit has planned for us and thank you for being a part of it. We appreciate your ongoing prayers and support!