Last week I shared some thoughts on how Connect09 might fail.
I suggested that it could fail if we think have the resources within our parish to make connection with everyone.
Joining our particular parish activities is not the best option for everyone and anyone we encounter. We need to work in partnership with other specialist ministries.
During the week there were some very helpful comments in response to my blog.
One particularly good question was: "How can we find out what else is being done by our Christian brothers and sisters in other parishes?"
We have to get working on better models of communication and sharing of resources.
This week I want to raise another way we might end up failing to make the most of Connect09: not allowing the campaign to lift our heads above our current congregational life.
Let me explain.
My hope is that, as a result of working towards making contact with everyone in our parish, we will begin to notice who is actually in our parish.
I hope we notice the different ethnic groups present, the different social groups that gather, the variety of affinities that exist. That is a wonderful outcome. It will cause us to lift our eyes from noticing only our current congregation. It will stop us from thinking everyone is just like us; and then being surprised that they aren't interested in joining us.
The next step though is one we must help each other with.
We need to pray for those in our parish with whom we have no contact.
What affinities or networks do these people exist in? Can we equip some of our congregation members to make contact with these networks?
We also need to research ministries that work amongst the variety of affinities we have noticed and see how we can work to introduce the two groups.
Let's not let the opportunities Connect09 has given to notice those who live in our parish be swept away by not praying and working about how we can bst connect with them.
Click here to read Archie Poulos’ initial article ‘Ways Connect09 can fail’