Dear Members of our Church & School of Saint Mary Community,
Approximately ten years ago, the Church of Saint Mary embarked on a strategic planning process in partnership with Catholic Leadership Institute. The plan which emerged focused upon the strengthening of certain ministries and the resources needed to grow them. To realize many of those goals, we conducted the “With Arms Open Wide” capital campaign. The campaign was enormously successful, largely because it was answering the needs expressed by our parishioners in the strategic planning process. I am therefore happy to announce that we are once again partnering with Catholic Leadership Institute to embark on a new strategic plan for both the church and school, building on the success of what has gone before. “Wrapped in Her Mantle: Gathered as One, Fulfilling the Mission” is an opportunity for our community to once again reflect on who we are and what the Lord is calling us to do. The first stage of our strategic planning process will involve data collection during the next couple of months. From November 9 to December 15, everyone will be invited to complete the Disciple Maker Index, a 15-minute survey. We will also be conducting focus groups in church and school, as well as some large-group listening sessions. The goal is to gather as much feedback as possible so that we have an accurate picture of who and where we are as a community. During the spring months, our teams for the parish and for the school will work on the envisioning and planning processes, with strategic plans to be published in May, 2025. This is a very exciting time for us to be embarking on the strategic planning process. One of the things I admire most about our Church & School of Saint Mary is how we face the challenges of the future with the joy and hope of the Gospel message. In your prayers for this process, I invite you to imagine that Upper Room in which Mary gathered with the Apostles, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit which would empower the mission of the Church to go forth and proclaim the Good News. May we also be “Wrapped in Her Mantle,” praying for the Holy Spirit’s continued guidance of the mission of the Church & School of Saint Mary.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Stuart Crevcoure
Click HERE for the Disciple Makers Index survey.
