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1. Discipleship Activities Versus Fund Raising: Fund raising should be kept primarily as fun, social activities to benefit special causes and outreach. Parishes that become reliant upon fund raising for normal operations are usually heading for financial difficulty. People need to feel engaged and nourished in the principal purposes of a Christian community, ie. discipleship and Christian growth.
2. Paper in the Neighbourhood Versus Paper in the Pews: Computers have provided the ability for small parishes to design attractive leaflets and brochures. Much of the good paper, however, is plugging our pews rather than getting out to the neighbourhoods and the community to create an awareness of our ministries and activities.
3. People Time Versus Computer Time: Priesthood, unavoidably, involves engaging people personally. The computer can be a great tool but it can also be a distraction and a hiding place. Find the "techies" in your parish to do the parish computer work and spend that extra time getting closer to people.
4. Action Versus Meetings: The intent of most meetings is to allow shared participation in community decision making and action plans. Meetings frequently turn sour when participants suspect that the meetings and discussions are an end in themselves, or a device to consume time in order to avoid the risks of decision making and taking action. Meetings about stewardship and evangelism are worthwhile only if they consume a small amount of the total time invested in preparing for those activities.
5. Dealing With Our Feelings Versus Wallowing In Our Feelings: Every Christian community has its share of past hurts, injustices, and misunderstandings. Many church communities have been traumatized by past scandals and disappointments. Extensive pastoral care will help communities find health by tabling and acknowledging hurt and conflicts. Health also comes from acknowledging our principal goals and being faithful to the task. Nursing our list of wrongs will consume all of our energies if we allow it to.
6. Sense of Achievement Versus Institutional Pride: Communities need to feel that they are making headway on their goals. This can easily degenerate into institutional pride. We need to keep asking the theological question, who or what is being glorified?
Item 66
©2005 Ronald C. Ferris
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