Transcript Feedback from Living Stones Meeting

Feedback from Living Stones
Meeting
Held on Wednesday 29th March
At Holy Trinity
The Parish Pastoral Team
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PPT needs to be comprised of a representative from
each of the parish groups.
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One person from the PPT (Parish Pastoral Team)
should attend each Open Deanery meeting and then
each deanery should have the option to meet with
the Bishop a couple of times a year to discuss
concerns, views, ideas
What has changed?
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The structure of the current PPT has drifted – we
should share good practice advice with other
parishes in the area and Deanery. It is time to get
back to the grass roots to move forward and build
it up again.
Previously all groups had a representative as did
each geographical area of the parish i.e.
Collingham, Balderton, Hawtonville etc. these
representatives were known in the parish, so if
you live in a certain area you knew who to speak
to if you have concerns or you would like an issue
raising with the PPT
What do we want to see?
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PPT minutes – used to be in the porch after
meetings haven’t seen any for a very long time –
do they do it anymore?
STRONG PPT is needed and we need everyone
feeding into it.
Picture that is up needs to be taken down and
updated when PPT is properly in place
Would be best to start with a small number of
people meeting regularly and then get more
people involved
Where do we go from here?
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Should the name be changed to show a rebirth/change i.e. Parish Pastoral Council, Parish
Management Team etc. Might that encourage new
people and a new sense of confidence?
Either a group leader or representative of each
parish group should attend each PPT Meeting –
people need to see it as part of their role in a group
not just something they don’t need to worry about!!
T – together, E – everyone, A – achieves, M – more
TEAM!
The Parish Structure
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The structure of the parish including groups
running in the parish should be re-publicised
twice a year for new people coming into the
parish.
Concern regarding the aging population that
we have in society today and those who are
ill – the care and inclusion of those people
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It would be good for Fr Michael to have access to
a group of people who could go visiting as he
can’t cover everyone who would like to be visited
What do we want to see?
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We should care for each other more
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It was discussed that we could set up a group to
go visiting, do shopping, run people to
appointments
Set up would require CRB checks and training –
again the feeling that this is all related to structure
– if everyone knew what was happening in the
parish it would make it easier
Need a network/structure of people setting up
What should we be doing?
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We should be engaging with people who
were once very active – must remember that
we must be missionary – go out and
approach people – needs to be a continuous
thing, not just do it once and then not think
about doing it again for 5+ years or until you
reach crisis point. Preparation is vital – it was
that link that brought people together.
Talk to non-involved Catholics
Parish Groups
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Get a definitive list of the parish groups
Co-ordinate a list of every parish group and
make sure there are contact and meeting
details for each group
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People don’t know what is happening in different
groups in the parish – not aware of who is doing
what (possible idea - HT NL corner for each group
rotating? So can say what they are up to, when
they are meeting next etc)
What is missing?
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SVP and Lourdes group no longer exist in the parish how
can we do something about it?
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Active recruitment – ask people specifically to get involved.
Concern was voiced that the SVP and Eucharistic Ministers
(EM) roles should be separate as currently the EM are doing a
lot of what the SVP used to do.
There was a problem with national policy with the SVP –
expectation of a large contribution from each local society, a
worry of what that money was being put towards.
Currently also an issue with the CWL – a desire that funds
raised locally should be used locally not just sent to the
national headquarters
What have we done before?
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Through the 2001 Mission, people came
together in groups and got more involved in
parish life through that experience, more the
preparation that brought people together.
Volunteering
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Use the personal approach, asking someone directly
to be involved is more likely to have a positive
response than asking generally for volunteers. Also
ask people to bring friends along – was successful
during the mission
Fr Michael should make a list of the jobs that he
does which could be done by lay people and have
some of the pressure relieved – if the parish
structure can be sorted out again it will enable a
better support system to be in place.
How do we get more people involved?
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Things like this don’t need to be done at church they
could happen in peoples homes – “meet people
where they are, don’t expect them to come to you”
Is there someone in the Polish/Eastern European
community who could step forward and help the
parish to be more inclusive – have heard some of
our Polish parishioners playing the organ and
singing – could they be approached and
encouraged to participate more in Masses at the
weekend. Start breaking down barriers a bit more.
Website
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Needs home page updating – there are events and news on
there well out of date
Need to amend group listing on webpage as there are some
missing and some there that don’t exist
Want a link to the Living Stones document so parishioners can
easily access it through our website
Have Elsie’s story from Fr Michael’s 40th available and uploaded
on the website, and the pictures of the old church
Website needs modernising and making more appealing to look
at – look at other church sites for ideas
Other items for discussion
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Parish priest numbers are declining - What
can I/we do?
Concern was voiced about tying this in at
local and wider levels – will things that
happen at Diocesan level get imposed onto
us, equally if we decide to make changes will
they be sent up to the Diocese?
Holy Trinity is part of the Live Simply Parish
Scheme
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RCIA – HT was the only parish in the Deanery at the
Rite of Election at the Cathedral this year – HT
should share with the other parishes in the Deanery
their RCIA programme to encourage other people to
attend the courses throughout the Deanery
Living Stones is an opportunity to revitalise the
parish
We should get to know each other more, when in
groups/open parish meetings it would be nice to do
a brief introduction - people assume everyone
knows everyone.