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| Parable of the gifts and talents | |
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| Topic Started: Wednesday, 1. August 2012, 13:50 (348 Views) | |
| Rose of York | Wednesday, 1. August 2012, 13:50 Post #1 |
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Scary isn't it? Everybody is good at something. We are born with natural aptitudes, Jesus tells us we must put them at the service of others, they are not given to us solely for our own benefit. Opting out on the grounds that if we do nothing we will not make mistakes is not an acceptable option. |
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Keep the Faith! | |
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| Rose of York | Wednesday, 1. August 2012, 14:01 Post #2 |
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I put my hands up! I am the first to moan about senior clergy dabbling in this that and the other, I cry out they should be using the talents and experience on offer from laity. Oh what a pleasant surprise I got when I read this. http://www.catholicnews.org.uk/Home/Podcasts/Middle-East-Analysis/Contributor-Dr-Harry-Hagopian/%28language%29/eng-GB
Harry Hagopian serves as serves as Middle East Advisor to our bishops. Click here to see what he writes on the website of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. http://www.catholicnews.org.uk/Home/Podcasts/Middle-East-Analysis I think I have been misjudging our bishops, thinking they try to do everything themselves. |
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| Rose of York | Wednesday, 1. August 2012, 14:15 Post #3 |
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Question: If parishes were instructed by dioceses to identify the talents and experiences of all parishioners willing to offer them, would our churches be fuller? Would it help stem the leakage of people from our communities and bring back some who have already left us, but not lost their faith? Our village has the best village hall for miles around. There is a lovely building, with spotlights for the stage, good sound system, large and small meeting rooms, outdoor sporting facilities, safe childrens playground, woodland walk and level garden area. All this happened because the project was instigated by a woman who set out to found a steering committee of people who had between them the necessary skills. Every morning, afternoon and evening something is scheduled for the hall. That is in a village with only a few hundred houses, Effective leadership produced results. There is more going on here than in some nearby towns. Is this the way ahead for parishes? |
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| James | Thursday, 2. August 2012, 15:00 Post #4 |
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Are the facilities being used Rose and for what ? In proportion to the local population , of course. You did not say , so hard to comment without knowing the outcome of this good work. James Edited by James, Thursday, 2. August 2012, 15:02.
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| Rose of York | Thursday, 2. August 2012, 15:50 Post #5 |
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Yes James they are used daily, by people of all age groups. There are weekly dances, lunches, reading group, walkers, indoor bowling, mothers and toddlers (Monday to Friday), youth club and periodically there fund raising events. About £6000 was raised last year for cancer research. The playground is opposite the school and close to the area where most of the houses are, it is well used. There is even part of that set aside with a notice that is is a place for those who just want to be quiet. I think this demonstrates the benefit of organisations (such as parishes) starting by identifying the talents available. Our village did not pay for architectural, accountancy, legal or surveying services. Qualified experienced residents who have retired from paid employment gave their services free of charge. Arriving here as a stranger some years ago I soon got to know people, and find good friends. |
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| James | Sunday, 5. August 2012, 23:00 Post #6 |
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This is good work Rose. Did you find locally that a community inter-relating socially like this has a tendency to attend church services more ? |
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| Rose of York | Sunday, 5. August 2012, 23:49 Post #7 |
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James I have not found church attendance unusually high in local community that does very well indeed at inter-relating socially. What I have found is a lot of people who are believers in Christianity, and base their moral principles on what they learned from their parents and in their younger days, at church or chapel. There are a few who are convinced there is no God, but having been brought up with moral standards, they too do their bit for others, and contribute to the local community. A person who is has difficulty walking will not have to worry if their front path is icy. Somebody will clear it and spread some grit. People who cannot get out to do their own shopping do not need to pay a social services carer for that - friends and neighbours offer as a matter of course. If a person who owns a dog is ill, somebody will walk the dog. As this is about gifts and talents. I will mention that the smaller the community the easier it is for people to get to know each other and through general day to day chat if any particular talent is needed we know who has it. It hurts me to admit that in our local village new people are immediately aware they belong. If they offer their gifts and talents, whether they be routine like weeding somebody's garden, or professional like giving legal advice to a local group, nobody is told they are not needed because somebody else has done it for years, or given the distinct message "we have our circle of helpers, no more needed thanks. If I know about 90% of the people in the little group of of houses where I live half a mile outside the village, how come I know hardly anybody at church, which is another very small community? I arrived in my house, walked my dog, people wanted to meet me. I know what they will do for me (in addition to companionship) and they know what I can do for them. I went to Mass, had a coffee afterwards, and that did not help me get to know people. Most of us have only one chance a week to be at Mass. Established parishioners need to keep an eye open for newbies, include them, just chat with them provided that is what they want. Who knows what they can do for us until we give them a chance to find out? The chairperson of the village hall committee is a good manager, that is what we need in parishes, somebody whose attitude is "everybody has something to offer, lets find out what it is." A stranger coming from afar needs to feel wanted and needed, that is a normal part of being human. Maybe the parish priest could take a sideways step, find a person who will have a similar talent for management, and appoint them, let them get on with it - whilst acknowledging that the parish priest has the final authority. It is he who is appointed to be in charge. He is answerable to the diocese and government departments. He carries the can if things go wrong. |
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| Penfold | Monday, 6. August 2012, 02:33 Post #8 |
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Jesus did not give the 72 a management course and a book of forms, he just told them to get out and get on with the job of telling people the Good News. Leadership, not management is what is required. We need people who by there actions proof their worth. Management is a tool of leadership but without leadership managers are a just jobs-worths who wont take risks, who wont initiate and who want advance anything but stagnation. The problem is that for too long seminaries taught priests to manage parishes rather than be leaders. Too many priests a content with not rocking the boat and the majority of parishioners are happy with that. Most parishioners resent newcomers who interfere and stir things up. Most parishioners like things to be managed so that all they have to do is turn up at a time pleasing to themselves for a Mass that will be over within a reasonable time so that they can get back to their more important tasks. On this forum we have people who do not fall into that mould and are on this forum precisely because they want more from their faith and their ordinary lives than they receive elsewhere. If each one of us on this forum took it upon ourselves between now and Michaelmas to invite a fellow parishioner, whom we have not previously invited, to our home for tea it would have a very small but positive impact. If the person suggest that they return the compliment and offer to invite you over to their home, decline but suggest that they do as you did, invite a stranger. There will be some who resist and others who will mock but think it through there is on paper 289 people on this forum, allowing for some who have fallen away let us say we have a core group of 150 reasonably active people, some silent partners but active none the less. 150 people invite 150 strangers, who do the same. If we all act by Michaelmas and suggest our guest acts before Advent and they suggest Shrove Tuesday for their guest, by the time we get round to Pentecost how many people will have enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat with a fellow parishioner whom they would not otherwise have spoken to. Now what does it take to manage that, not allot, just one reasonable idea, spread among a group of friends who then act on it. No one tells you what to have for tea or what to talk about, all you have to do is agree to invite someone to tea and pass the word. Of cause you do not have to stop at only one stranger, you could invite one a month. It is simple but it can work. I know I had house groups sprouting up all over the place when I suggested people should invite strangers in to pray during Lent. Like the Gospel itself it is simple, all Jesus asked us to do was. "Love one another as I have loved you." all the rest is just management speak. Edited by Penfold, Monday, 6. August 2012, 02:38.
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| Mairtin | Monday, 6. August 2012, 09:49 Post #9 |
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I think you have hit the nail on the head there but things are changing nowadays and more and more people are looking for leadership rather than just being managed. That is possibly the source of much of the unrest in the Church, accentuated by our Church traditionally having a structure based on priests who were managers obediently implementing HQ policy but many priests today feel they should be contributing to the making of those policies. |
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| Rose of York | Monday, 6. August 2012, 12:47 Post #10 |
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I agree, and must confess I should have called for leadership, not management. |
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| paul | Monday, 6. August 2012, 15:40 Post #11 |
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I think there should be less emphasis on leadership and more on democracy. Decisions made regarding the parish should be made in conjunction with the parish. Too many parish priests want to do their own thing and do not consult parishoners. It is not sufficient to put the matter to the PPC when a heavy financial outlay is proposed, a show of hands would do after mass if considered appropriate ie. the majority agree or disagree. Where the show of hands seems equal ie half agree and half disagree then a separate meeting should be called for the matter to be discussed fully. This is the only way that parish priests can gain the support of their parishoners. When challenged by me one parish priest said that the church was a theocracy not a democracy!! This sort of approach leads to dissatisfaction and migration of parishoners. |
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| Rose of York | Monday, 6. August 2012, 16:14 Post #12 |
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Would you agree a good leader identifies and utilises the gifts and talents of parishioners? |
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| Penfold | Monday, 6. August 2012, 17:47 Post #13 |
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Absolved
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| Penfold | Sunday, 12. August 2012, 20:14 Post #14 |
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| James | Monday, 13. August 2012, 00:25 Post #15 |
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I think Paul may have been thinking more 'consultation' than 'democracy' Outside articles of faith, of course. . Edited by James, Monday, 13. August 2012, 00:35.
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8:37 PM Jul 11