bringing strengths to your parish

Bringing Strengths to Your Parish

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What if?

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• Parishioners were given the Strengths assessment as part of their ministry discernment process?

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• Instead of the traditional Stewardship/Ministry Fair, parishioners were invited to small faith groups created according to strength themes?

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• Expectations were flipped and parishioners were encouraged to imagine ministry/service/outreach that was evangelizing?

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Great Beginnings!

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Youth and Young Adults

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Reaching Out

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Implementing a Great IDEA

Educate and Implement the Plan in your Parish Community

Assess progress and Build on what is WorkingAA

Identify Parish Leaders for your TeamI

Develop the Strengths Based Leadership Team and Overall Plan

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©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

A Great IDEA is a process

Identify Parish Leaders for your Team

Develop the Strengths Based Leadership Team

and Overall Plan

Educate and Implement the

Plan in your Parish

Community

Assess progress and Build on what

is Working

D

I

E

A

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Step One: Identify

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Step One: Identify Parish Leaders

▪ Determine the Who, What, Why and How

▪ Create opportunities to bring the message of strengths to your leaders

▪ Create connections to theological foundations as well as pastoral connections

Identify Parish Leaders for your TeamI

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Step Two: Develop

Identify Parish Leaders for your Team

Develop the Strengths Based Leadership Team

and Overall Plan

Educate and Implement the

Plan in your Parish

Community

Assess progress and Build on what

is Working

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Step Two:

Develop the Strengths-Based Leadership Team and Overall Plan

Identify a strengths team and create a plan of action – Identify and invite team members to guide Strengths

implementation – Build a strengths based team – Develop your vision, mission, team charter and strategic plan – Do you already have a long-range plan? If so, determine how

this fits; if not, Strengths will become your vision for a long-term plan

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Step Two:

– Review your plan with your pastor and pastoral leadership

– If implementing a small group process, identify facilitators and provide them with training

– If your parish will have Strengths Advisor(s) trained, build this into your plan

Develop the Strengths Based Leadership Team and Overall PlanD

©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.

Step Three: Educate

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Step Three:

Roll out your plan, help parishioners make connections between strengths, discipleship and stewardship

– Introduce the concepts of strengths to parishioners – Provide opportunities to experience strengths in small groups,

retreats/seminars, or both – Continue ongoing meetings with your strengths team – Provide a process for ministry discernment

Educate and Implement the Plan in your Parish Community

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Step Three:

Look for ways to keep strengths a priority for parish functions, formation, and ministry

• GPS: Guiding Parishioner Strengths • Confirmation Preparation and Youth Ministry • Marriage Preparation and Couples • Adults, Small Groups, RCIA • Ministry Teams • New Parishioners

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Exploring Strengths Together

Small Group Process or Retreat

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Step Four: Assess

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Step Four:

Assess progress and Build on what is Working

Look for signs of, and celebrate what is developing; plan for a long-term climate of talent

– Observe where strengths has made an impact on individuals, new ministries, and increased participation

– Create celebration and recognition possibilities – Conduct a S.W.O.T. or Appreciative Process to discern

next steps

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