Dear friends in Christ—
Presenting a new Strategic Pastoral Plan is a bold endeavor—no matter when it is done. But in these days of 2021, to do so is even more bold than it may otherwise be. The life of our parish, our community, and our world has been irrevocably changed as we face pandemic, continued social unrest, and political polarization. Our local Catholic community has endured both highs and lows in recent years, and we have persevered through challenging days. The vision that this parish set before it many years ago—of a beautifully renovated church building—has been accomplished. And so now, we look to the future. We look to our faith. We look to the task that has been given us as a parish: to become a place where men, women, and children can encounter Jesus Christ and, through that encounter, may learn more and more how to love God and neighbor and to strive for holiness and eternity.
This is a high calling. It is a bold vision. And we have a plan.
Presented in these pages is the fruit of the work of many parishioners over the past year who have labored to create a roadmap for our life and ministry as a parish—goals and objectives to help facilitate an encounter with Jesus Christ. This plan centers on four primary goals:
Hospitality
Discipleship
Outreach
Engagement
Our hope is that, over the next five years, our entire parish, all of our members and ministries, will coalesce around these four goals and that, together, we will help one another meet Jesus, who can transform our lives here and lead us to join him forever in heaven.
I am grateful to the core leadership team who has worked to develop this plan: Amanda Rail, Jodi Silcox, Gerry Roy, Mackenzie Harrington, and Nancy Pinard. I am grateful to the Parish Pastoral Council which has guided and approved this plan. And I am grateful to so many other parishioners who provided input and feedback along the way.
Now, I invite you to join me on this bold endeavor of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ here, in the southeast corner of Indianapolis. May God bless our journey and bring to completion the good work that has begun!
In Christ’s Peace,
Fr. Eric Augenstein
Key Activities
Christian Community Service
1.1 Increase number of volunteers for programs sponsored by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
1.2 Identify and onboard new parishioner leadership for outreach ministries
1.3 Expand outreach ministry to the homebound and those in long-term care facilities
Faith and Spiritual Formation
1.4 Conduct outreach to new parishioners, welcoming them to the Parish and introducing them to ministries, resources, and activities
Parish Life and Social Activities
1.5 Establish monthly check-ins with Senior and Prime-timer groups leveraging technology (e.g., Zoom meetings)
1.6 Host regular New Parishioner Dinners, identifying a chairperson to lead
1.7 Continue providing meals to families after funeral services
School
1.8 Develop plan to have Parish and community members speak to students about their careers, witness, and/or participate in school activities
1.9 Conduct Open House for parishioners and the broader community to see and experience our school
1.10 Begin to evolve Marketing program to include Spanish-language version of materials and publications
Stewardship
1.11 Create an inviting Welcome Center in our new gathering space
1.12 Facilitate information sharing about our ministries, volunteer opportunities, and new parishioners via Welcome Center slide shows, as well as having ministry representatives available after masses and at Parish events to greet potential volunteers
Youth
1.13 Encourage Hispanic/Latino community and non-school families to join Scouts
1.14 Support youth and adult leadership development and collaboration among scouting groups
1.15 Provide childcare during parish events and to support parent night outs
Success Indicators
· Improved sentiment that all feel welcomed at Nativity
· Increased adult baptisms and professions of faith through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
· Increased new parishioners
· Increased School enrollment
· Increased Hispanic/Latino presence at parish and school events
Key Activities
Christian Community Service
2.1 Expand participation in Operation Rice Bowl and link it more closely to our liturgical prayer through a culmination on Holy Thursday Increase in religious vocations
2.2 Strengthen the spiritual formation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul leadership team working together to serve those in need
Faith and Spiritual Formation
2.3 Continue to bring vocations speaker to school and religious education children during National Vocations Awareness Week
2.4 Create vocations kiosk in the church gathering area
2.5 Continue Adult Faith Formation activities (i.e. guest speaker, pastor-lead discussions, etc.)
2.6 Host Annual Lenten Retreat
2.7 Expand opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration and other devotions
Parish Life and Social Activities
2.8 Provide shawls to Parishioners wanting to give comfort to others
2.9 Include spiritual messages in eggs during Easter Egg Hunt
School
2.10 Offer a student club for Bible Study
2.11 Increase family attendance at mass by incorporating online signups for weekly roles (e.g. greeters, gift bearers, etc.)
2.12 Increase Pastor presence and religious studies with students and faculty/staff at School
Stewardship
2.13 Participate at School events like Back to School Nights and Open Houses to encourage school families to become parishioners or more active members of the parish
Youth
2.14 Designate certain masses to recognize various Youth groups (e.g., athletic teams, Scouts, etc.); coordinate attendance with coaches/leads and teams
2.15 Complete a plan and encourage all Boy Scouts to earn the Ad Altare Dei Medal through the National Catholic Committee on Scouting
2.16 Lead Stations of the Cross during Lent
Success Indicators
· Increase in religious vocations
· Increased recurring mass attendance
· Increased ratio of Baptisms to Funerals
· Increased Youth retention, ratio of First Communion to Confirmation
Key Activities
Christian Community Service
3.1 Increase our participation in advocacy for the poor and hungry through Catholic Relief Services and the Bread for the World Offering of Letters
3.2 Establish a good-sized Ethical Trade Sale through Catholic Relief Services
3.3 Grow the Changing Lives Forever Program in collaboration with St. Jude Church
Faith and Spiritual Formation
3.4 Organize Ministry Month: 2 ministries showcase their ministry in gathering area at church - offer sign ups, resources, etc.
3.7 Develop a Nativity Concert Series
Parish Life and Social Activities
3.8 Provide scarves, hats, pillowcases, quilts, and other necessities to those in need
School
3.9 Student Lighthouse team identify and lead an annual outreach event
3.10 Continue to conduct monthly class service projects
Stewardship
3.11 Identify and coordinate specific projects that benefit the sick, underserved, and unchurched in our local community for our young adults that incorporate prayer, fellowship, and service
3.12 Increase our outreach to the unchurched by being more intentional about marketing our Parish community and spiritual formation opportunities during Augustravaganza and Reverse Raffle
Youth
3.13 Offer landscape cleanup for older parishioners
3.14 Participate in Scouting for Food (Annual BSA Program)
3.15 Athletic teams volunteer at local food pantries, participate in Parish clean-up day, and host canned food drives at sporting events
3.16 Youth Ministry conduct outreach efforts - shop and wrap gifts for Nativity and Franklin Township families in need at Christmas, create “Blessing Bags” to hand out to the homeless, and Volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House
Success Indicators
· Increased charitable contributions and monetary donations that flow outside the parish
· Increased participation in volunteer activities
Key Activities
Christian Community Service
4.1 Provide regular opportunities to involve our Youth and Young Adults in service and outreach ministries
4.2 Target involvement of Young Adults as leaders and volunteers in ministries and Parish activities
4.3 Develop and implement a communications plan to the parish on the impact of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the local community and how donations are spent
4.4 Develop new volunteer and leadership recruitment strategies for all outreach ministries, including utilizing the church gathering area and digital media
Faith and Spiritual Formation
4.5 Explore offering a Spanish-language Bible Study
4.6 Explore ways to effectively communicate with our Hispanic/Latino community and invite their participation in formation and social ministries
4.7 Identify individuals to jumpstart Young Adult bible study
4.8 Work with Hispanic/Latino parishioners to plan and organize prayer and devotional practices that come from Hispanic/Latino cultures, e.g., Our Lady of Guadalupe and Las Posadas
4.9 Increase the involvement of Youth and Young Adults in liturgical ministry roles at Mass
Parish Life and Social Activities
4.10 Develop a Young Adults Group; identify a chairperson to initiate
School
4.11 Include students in decision-making process through surveys and/or focus groups
4.12 Develop plan to build a Middle School Youth Group
4.13 Explore needs and opportunities to engage Hispanic/Latino school families, such as identifying a Hispanic Coordinator and/or offering a translation service
Stewardship
4.14 Leverage information from the Annual Call to Stewardship (ACTS) forms to connect parishioners with ministries of interest
4.15 Increase the engagement of our Youth, Young Adults, and Hispanic/Latino populations through targeted and personal invitations to participate in Parish workdays or complete specific projects that emphasize fellowship, service, and prayer
4.16 Involve our Hispanic/Latino parishioners in the planning and execution of one of the catered dinners at Augustravaganza
4.17 Conduct a communications audit to assess how best to keep parishioners engaged and informed about Parish events, opportunities, and other news
Youth
4.18 Boy Scouts host troop-led Youth Group and Parish community events – movie night, mini-Olympics, etc.
4.19 Expand inclusion and participation of Hispanic/Latino community in Youth activities and events
Success Indicators
· Increased attendance at events
· Increased web/resource usage
· Increase in Young Adults in leadership positions
· Increased ministries and resources for Hispanic community
· Maintained financial stability
· Increased Endowment
· Increased response to ACTS Forms