Rejuvenate Your
Ministers
One of the ways to show your appreciation
to the ministers in your parish is to give them a day of reflection. If
a day seems like asking too much, perhaps a Saturday morning would work.
Early in the year might be a good time. The initial rush of starting up
in fall is over. The Advent/Christmas rush is behind. There are a few weeks
of ordinary time before we plunge into the intensity of Lent. The day can
be a mix of spirituality, information/formation and fun.
Part of the day can be done with
everyone together, especially the opening and closing prayers and rituals.
The session(s) done with everyone together can focus on the general aspects
of ministry. This would be a time to explain the theology and develop the
spirituality of ministry.
Then the group can break out into
individual sessions which highlight the different ministries, perhaps giving
tips and techniques, answering questions specific to each ministry. The
trick may be in finding people who can facilitate the different sessions.
If there are leaders within each ministry, such as a coordinator for the
lectors, etc., they can lead that ministry group. You can provide the materials
ahead of time for them. Or perhaps there are enough staff members who can
do this. In order to answer possible questions, there needs to be someone
with enough experience and information to do so.
Plan some of the day so that the
ministers interact with one another. If they don't know one another because
they are always at different Masses, an ice-breaker may be in order. Learning-type
"games" can be bonding experiences. Break the group up into smaller groups
and have a "Catholic Trivia" grame, where they can learn and have fun.
When I did this, I had grade school children involved as well, so I had
to make it interesting for all ages. I made sure the children were not
with their parents. I had each group pick a mascot. Then, during the game,
as soon as they had the answer, they had to make the sound of their mascot
to be recognized to answer the question. It's hard to tell if the kids
or adults had more fun with this. The most interesting group sounds were
"church mice" and "banana slugs."
Do something which shows your appreciation
for all of the ministers. I used the song "I Thank My God When I Think
of You" while I showed pictures of the minsters as they were engaged in
their ministry. Then have something to give the ministers as an acknowledgement
of their service. This can be a scroll, certificate, pin, or even a book
related to their ministry—whatever you think will be meaningful to them.
One exercise might be to have the
ministers as individuals or as groups tell the others what they appreciate
most about the other's ministry. The musicians can say what they appreciate
most about the lectors, for example. This can give each minister a sense
of being appreciated for what they do.
Books that can be given to the ministers
are:
Stop
Reading and Start Proclaiming, to
help the lectors be more effective in their ministry with specific guidelines
and tips;
The
Liturgical Music Answer Book, to
answer questions which the music ministers may have with a wealth of information;
What
Every Catholic Needs to Know about the Eucharist,
to help everyone, even the general assembly develop a better understanding
of the Eucharistic celebration;
The Ministry
of the Assembly, to develop more active and conscious participation
on the part of all members of the assembly, and to form them in their own
ministry.
Please send me your questions and suggestions. I'd enjoy a dialog with
you. Email Caroline Thomas at
caroline@rpinet.com.
What resources do you need? Let us
know how we can assist you.
Liturgical Bits
& Bytes for the Bulletin and Beyond
If you have been getting the "Liturgical
Bits & Bytes" in this newsletter, but didn't sign up at
the beginning, you can subscribe
to all the archives online. The new ones will be added as they become
available. It is easy to add them to the bulletin or other parish media.
Week 1:
Announcements
Following the post-communion prayer
are the announcements. They let people know what is coming up in the parish
during the next week or weeks. This is part of the dismissal rite, the
final section of the mass. It gives us an idea of some of the ways in which
we can carry on our eucharist outside of mass.
Week 2:
Final Blessing
After the announcements, there is a final blessing, sometimes a more
solemn (longer) one for special feasts and occasions. On occasion there
is a longer prayer, called the “prayer over the people.” These prepare
us to go out into the world with God’s blessing.
Week 3:
Dismissal
The last thing is the dismissal. Sometimes it sounds like,
“Go in peace, the mass is ended.” This is a bit odd sounding when we respond,
“Thanks be to God.” However, the original is “Ite, Missa est.” or
“Go, it is the Mass.” This is the phrase from which we get
the term “mass” to refer to our celebration. That final dismissal is actually
a “being sent forth.” One of the best forms of this dismissal is,
“Go in peace to love and serve God and one another.” This probably
comes the closest to what the dismissal is supposed to do—give us the mission
to go out into the world to live God’s good news and to spread it through
our actions.
Week 4:
Recessional
Following the dismissal is a recessional,
led by the ministers, and ultimately completed by the dispersal of the
entire community. Music generally accompanies this action, although music
is not part of the “official” liturgy. It is not in the books. It
is something which has been added, probably because it makes the liturgy
feel more finished and gives the assembly a good, uplifting feeling as
they leave. Because we are dismissed at the end of mass, sent forth
to take what we have received and what we have become into the world, it
is important to wait until the end of mass. We are a community formed by
the Word and by the Eucharist, and so we remain together and leave as a
community, after the ministers have led the procession down the middle
aisle. Then as we leave, we are part of that one procession into the world.
The above four inserts
have been prepared by pastoral liturgist and ministry consultant Caroline
Thomas for use by everyone who receives this Ministry Resource Update.
Please feel free to forward this update to anyone you think would find
it helpful.
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