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Addressing the "Community" pillar within St. Tom's Pastorate Vision Plan, the Ambassadors Planning Team recently released its priorities for activation in support of greater inclusion and a sense of welcoming and belonging for all.
The Ambassadors Team began meeting in January 2022 and spent the first few meetings getting to know one another and expanding their understanding of church hospitality.
All team members received copies of the books Divine Renovation and Messy & Foolish. These books served as great resources to explore different possibilities for creating a sense of belonging among all who enter the doors of St. Tom’s.
The Ambassador Team also invited several guest speakers to their meetings to better understand how their Team’s actions support St. Tom’s Pastorate Vision Plan. Dee Bernhardt, director of Campus Ministry, shared insights on the Intentional Ministry Model, its origins, and support from Evangelical Catholic. To ensure a plan that welcomed minorities, the Team reviewed the Recommendations on Inclusion and Welcoming developed by an ad hoc committee and heard from Zelda Fly and Deb Parent from St. Tom’s Racial Equality and Justice group about this ministry and their recommendations on inclusion and welcoming.
Following this resource immersion, the Ambassador Team felt confident in proposing the following list of actions in support of inclusion and making St. Tom’s a more welcoming community. Fr. Tom reviewed and approved the Team’s seven initiatives for activation.
The Team’s priorities for implementation include:- Having both a Joyful Greeter Ministry and Usher Ministry.
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Establishing a new parishioner welcome event
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Creating laminated Mass guides to be used for those unfamiliar with the Catholic Mass
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Developing a purposeful outreach to the minority individuals and groups of St. Tom’s to invite them to be involved in the different church ministries
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Help offer a Boiler Awakening-like program for resident parishioners to set their hearts on fire (e.g., Christ Renews His Parish, Alpha. - Sycamore has been selected by the Formation Leadership Team and will be offered this fall)
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Establishing mentors for all new student/resident parishioners
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Organizing a Funeral Hospitality Ministry to greet and direct individuals attending funerals and help with funeral luncheons if needed.
In working on Priority 1, .Dcn. Dan Finn and Abby Curl, co-chair of the Ambassadors Team, met with the current ushers/greeters to receive their valuable input before preparing a final document that includes the goals and expectations for these ministries approved by Fr. Tom as our pastor. The first Joyful Greeter and Usher training takes place on Wednesday evening, June 28. The Ambassador Team hopes to have the Joyful Greeters and Ushers beginning their ministry in July and expanding it when the students return for the fall semester.
