St Ambrose  Parish Pulse
    A Newsletter for Parish Leaders
      Diocese of the Midwest,
     Orthodox Church in America

April 2010; 2010 # 2
January, 2008 - Vol 3, Issue 1
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Past Parish Development Ministry Articles
1. Parish Financial Audit Guidelines
2. Best Practice Principles and Policies for Parish Financial Accountability
3.Clergy Compensation Policy
4. Workshops & retreats available through the Parish Health Ministry
5.How Do Visitors Experience Your Parish -- Mystery Worshippers Provide Unvarnished Feedback
6. Toward Better Parish Websites
7. Improving Parish Bulletin Content
9. Photographing Your Parish
10. Attitudes that Enable parishes to grow

11. Growth and decline in our parish -taking action
12. Reorganizing Parish ministries
13. Areas of diversity among growing parishes

14. Areas of commonality among growing parishes

15. Establishing a Parish Youth Effort

Videos & Powerpoint Presentations
1. Intro to Orthodoxy - A Three Part Inquirers Class (Powerpoint)
2. The Parish Video -Life and Vocation of an Orthodox Parish in America
3. Father Arseny Society Video 
4. The Saturday Lunch Program


Parish Health Inventory
Background
Model Document

Summit logo2
St Ambrose

Facebook Parish Development Ministry Fan Page
Facebook logoBecome a "fan" of the Diocese' Parish Health and Development Ministry Facebook page by clicking here. We'll keep you up to date on new topics and news.
St Ambrose

Project Mexico Trip
Archbishop JOB Memorial Trip July 12-18 2011St Innocent Proj  Mexico
There's still time to sign up for the Diocesan Project Mexico trip - now dedicated to the memory of Archbishop JOB.

There are spots for up to 300 missionaries. The goal of the trip will be to build up to 12-15 houses and develop cross-parish friendships among faithful of our Diocese. Plan to bring a group from your parish.  More info available here.
St Ambrose

Bible Study Series Provides Resources for Personal and Group Study
Whether on the  bus, at lunch hour or before work every one can use and will profit from the "The Living Word" Bible Study series available here
Young Adult Bible Study
Bible study
Designed for group or personal use, the series, which will eventually include five series is edited by Father John Matusiak.  Since each session is essentially independent, if a person misses one week they can jump back in the following week without being behind.

Christ is Risen!
Indeed He Is Risen!
Greetings,

Welcome to the April 2010 issue of Parish Pulse. We hope all have been enlivened by a joyous Paschal Celebration in your parish.

From this issue you can:
  • Register for our next Webinar - April 20 7PM CDT
  • Download Bible studies
  • Sign up for Parish Development Facebook page.
  • Apply for a Parish Development Grant
  • Register for the Parish Ministries Conference June 27-30 Cleveland.
  • Provide content input via survey for the Parish Min. Conference.
  • Register for SVOTS Continuing Education sessions
  • Sign up for Diocesan Project Mexico Trip
  • Read a number of important articles. Including a summary of religious characteristics of emerging adults in America
We apologize if you receive duplicates of this newsletter. Follow the link at bottom to remove one of the addresses in our data base.

Joseph Kormos
Parish Life and Development Ministry
Diocese of the Midwest

Webinar Series Continues: April 20, 7:00 PM CDT
More Ideas; Better Decisions Part 2 
Mr. Kovach
Kenneth Kovach
Our most recent webinar in the "Facilitation Skills for Parish Life" series, covered Divergent & Convergent Thinking: Generating More Ideas & Better Decisions. It ended with an enthusiastic audience asking for more.

On Tuesday night April 20 professional coach and facilitator Kenneth Kovach will complete the content from the past session as well as open the microphonefor attendees to ask questions and to share their thoughts on a pre-webinar assignmentabout how they might handle a real life meeting situation. (If you can't do the homework -don't worry, join us anyway -- just claim your dog ate it.)

The session will start at 7:00 PM CDT. (Pop quiz: If you live in places like Cleveland what time will it start? Hint: Think time zones.)

More Info
By now we hope you understand that:
  • Webinars are easy. No one has been injured!
  • It takes place on your desktop. Slides & audio.
  • You can ask questions.
  • Clergy and laity.
  • No limit on attendees. Orthodox or not. Midwest or other. OCA or other.
  • You have to register or you can't get in. Click here.
  • We record them for play back later.
  • Learn more about this session & get prepared with the pre-session discussion -- click here
Register

Archive of Past Sessions
Go here(right column) for an archive (slides and recordings) of all previous webinar sessions.

One more thing, its FREE!

Privately Hosted Webinars for Your Parish or Parish Leaders?
We recently hosted a webinar specifically for parish leaders at St. John the Baptist Church in Campbell OH.

St John the Baptist Church
Campbell exterior
The parish, looking to establish a new stewardship program, invited Fr. Gregory Jensen to share his experience and insights. Participants tuned in from church, at home and even on the road to hear Fr. Gregory live from Wisconsin. Many questions were asked and the session continued long after Fr Gregory's presentation ended.

Can this tool help your parish? Put your thinking caps on and let us know how we can help.

One more time. What does it cost? (Answer: FREE!)
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Parish Development Grants
Application Deadline July 15 2010
Applications are now available for 2010 Parish Development Grants. Application deadline is July 15 2010. Download here.
A quick review of ground rules:
Parish Grant Funded Multi-parish Youth Liturgical Arts Workshop
painting

  • Missions, chapels or parish communities in the Diocese of the Midwest are eligible.
  • Grants are to provide stimulus to begin new or strengthen existing parish ministries.
  • Grant projects involve specific effort - effort undertaken by the parish and its members.
  • Projects that yield insight or tools useful to other parishes have a leg up.
  • Target grant amounts are ~ $2000.
Start a Conversation about Possibilities
We've heard from a couple of communities who are now
Conductor Training
conducting in church
discussing proposals for this year's grant cycle. This discussion, even more so than the funding, is the heart of the grant initiative-- to stimulate new conversations about possibilities. What could we do if...? How would that work? Why can't we do that? How can we build on a parish strength -- to offer more back to God? How could we shore up a weak area of parish life in Christ?
  • Is Christian formation and commitment to whole parish education a priority? Need outside speakers, and promotion for same?
  • Do you need to revamp your stewardship efforts? Need training, top quality materials and a creative way to communicate this?
    You can't receive funds unless you apply!
    Grant Application
  • Begin a ministry to the neighborhood? Require starter capital?
  • Out of ideas and in need of insights from other parishes? Consider sending parish leaders to visit and benchmark other parishes who've dealt with similar issues.
  • Tired of church school curriculum with a giant hole when it comes to topic XYZ? Collaborate with another parish to build some good materials.
  • Need to build awareness for the Gospel, Orthodox Christianity and your parish? It takes money.
Parish Development Grant proposals can be structured to help with all of these issues. Need help? JUST ASK -- but please don't just sit back and do nothing!

More info is available here. A background document is available here.
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Parish Ministries Conference 2010
Registration Now Open; Space is Limited!
PMC Poster in blueIt's time to start registering for the OCA Parish Ministry Conference 2010 to be held at Baldwin Wallace College near Cleveland OH on June 27-30.

PMC 2010 LogoWhat Is It?
The Parish Ministries Conference 2010 is a four day, three night continuing education experience for Orthodox clergy and laity age 18 and over desiring to breathe new vibrancy into their Orthodox life and their parish. The conference will provide an opportunity to worship together, learn, share experiences, and make new friends and acquaintances.

More info

Space is Limited
Over 140 OCA parishes and missions -- and many more non-OCA parishes -- are located within a five hour drive of the site. To ensure a productive and enjoyable experience for everyone space is limited. Register earlyto be assured of an opportunity to participate in this exciting event.

Three Content Tracks PLUS Young Adult Rally
Adopting the theme of "Equipping the Saints" the conference will be a collaborative effort of three OCA Departments andthe Midwest Diocese.
In addition the Orthodox Youth Rally, coordinated by the OCA's Youth and Young Adult Ministry, will convene at the same site and participate with the other tracks in common worship, keynotes, meals and free time.
Learn, share experiences, make new friends, at the Parish Ministries Conference 2010
Parish Health discussion


Early Bird Pricing
Commuters can register for this event at the early bird price of just $50 which provides access to all sessions and keynotes and worship. Adding a meal ticket (8 meals) will cost an additional $90 and on campus board will be another $150 for a single room (three nights) and $100 per person for a double room.

Fees can be paid by credit card or check.

Click here for info on speakers, tracks, venues, fees.

Register Now
YOU Can Help Set Priorities for OCA Parish Ministries Conference 2010
Survey Seeks Your Advice for "Building Vibrant Parishes" Track 
Content plans for the Young Adult Rally, Liturgical Music and Living an Orthodox Life tracks for Parish Ministries Conference 2010 have been pretty well settled. Track content will be published soon at the event home page.
track graphic
We've got some great topics and speakers lined up for the Building Vibrant Parishes track. But before we finalize our lineup we'd like to tune the track content to include the topics of greatest importance to you as parish leaders. You can do that by participating in a very short on-line survey to let us know where you key needs are.

Click here for the survey.

Don't wait until after the conference to tell us what you wanted to cover. Tell us now!
Need $ to Attend Parish Ministry Conference?
Limited Scholarships Available for Midwest Diocese Parishes
The OCA Parish Ministries Conference promises to be a significant learning, development, renewal, and community building opportunity for parishes and persons in our Diocese.  scholarship teaseThat's why we want you to attend.

Sooooo... the Parish Development Ministry is pleased to be able to offer a limited number of tuition/room & board scholarships for the conference. Partial cost subsidies, in the range of $200, will be made available for up to 10-15 attendees from Midwest Diocese parishes. 

Funding preference will be given to:
  • Parishes with higher travel costs (greater distance).
  • Financially challenged parishes.
  • Parishes paying their own way for one attendee and desiring support to send additional attendeesThe impact of the conference on the parish is significantly increased with multiple attendees. More attendees makes a better conference.
  • Early applicants.
A scholarship request form will be available soon. In the interim contact Joe Kormos to express interest.

Do not allow lack of travel funds keep you away without at least asking.

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Parish Renewal Session at St. Vladimir's Seminary
Registration Open -- June 14-16
Fr. Sergius Halvorsen and Joseph Kormos will deliver the the sessions.
Fr Halvorsen
Can't make it the Parish Ministries Conference? Consider the  St. Vladimir's Seminary Summer program. A three day workshop on Orthodox Parish Renewal will be held at the seminary on June 14-16 2010.  Instructors and guest lecturers for the session will be:
Open to priests and lay leaders interested in developing their ministry and the health of their communities, the conference will provide skills, insights and tools for meeting the challenges of twenty-first century parish life. The conference will include brief presentations; facilitated group discussions, case studies, cross parish problem solving of not-so-mythical revitalization issues.

Early bird registration (prior to May 15), including course fee, room and board, is $350. More info, fees and and online registration can be found here.
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A Frayed Connection
Special Report In Philadelphia Inquirer
A few months back we read a couple of interesting articles.
Early map Northern Liberties
N Liberties map


One titled a Frayed Connection chronicled the significant decline of five Orthodox Churches in the trendy, resurgent Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia. Most of these parishes are hanging on for dear life despite a growing population of over 5000 people in the one third square mile patch.

One segment of the intelligent, well written article particularly attracted our attention:

Northern Liberties Street Scene
N Liberties City scape
 "Rick Schroder moved to Northern Liberties two years ago, drawn by its "very cool bohemian" ambiance. That includes the autumn Russian Festival at St. Michael's, in which his interest is "more cultural than religious."
Raised Lutheran, he doesn't attend church. "It's not that I don't have a spiritual dimension in my life," said Schroder, 49, a human-resources manager. But "organized religion isn't doing it for me."
Still, he said, he would "love to have a conversation with the Orthodox, but I'm not sure how to start it." Religious leaders could "do a better job of engaging" the neighbors, he said. "That's the missing piece, the engaging piece . . . reaching out to the community, saying what you're about, and the community reaching back."

Note to Orthodox Parishes anywhere:
  1. Say what you are about!
  2. Find 'Rick' and have a conversation.
  3. Repeat above.

Read Article

Anglican Church Faces Extinction
We know little about Philadelphia. And probably less about British Columbia. Yet a second article
"Anglican Church in Canada Faces Extinction" was also interesting.

"The Anglican Church in Canada - once as powerful in the nation's secular life as it was in its soul - may be only a generation away from extinction, says a just-published assessment of the church's future."

Quotes from the article:
"Half a century ago, 40 per cent of Vancouver Island's population was Anglican; now the figure is 1.2 per cent."

"At the present rate of decline - a loss of 13,000 members per year - only one Anglican would be left in Canada by 2061."


"The status quo is not an option,"


"The unchurched are not coming to us. Lapsed Anglicans are not coming back in sufficient numbers."


Articles about the decline of religion and religious bodies abound. And, many of the points raised in this article have only modest relevance to the situation of Orthodox in US. However, if,
as the article implies, ethnic identity is a key factor here there may be some food for thought for other churches with ethnic origins.
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Taking the Temperature of Parish Life
Parish Development Workshops & Visits
We've been busy with numerous parish workshops and visits in the past few months. In aggregation our stops have included:
  • Workshop for mission communities in the Kansas City area
  • Visit to the facilities of St. James Mission, Kansas City MO
  • Worship with St. Sophia Mission Lawrence KS
  • Parish council workshop -- "Future Vision", "Stewardship" - Holy Trinity Church, Overland PK KS
  • Leadership retreat/Annual Priority Setting for Archangel Michael Church, Broadview Hts OH
  • Worship and leadership discussion at Holy Cross Mission Chisago City MN
  • Worship and informal exchange Holy Trinity Church St. Paul MN
  • Worship and Parish Council Workshop - "Parish Decision Making & Leadership Structure" - St. Mary's Cathedral Minneapolis, MN
At every stop we had excellent conversations and useful exchanges. We learned a lot --and we suspect that outcome was at least occasionally reciprocal.

What did we learn? Among others things:
  • There seems to be a remarkable interest in breaking out of the tyranny of "but we've always done it this way."  Nonetheless we are still too often the prisoners of feeling like we can do the same things in the same way yet expect different results. (Clergy and laity seem equally culpable.)
  • At a number of stops we were asked our perspective on the key issue(s) facing parishes in our Diocese. Many answers come to mind. Stewardship. Power struggles. Effectively transitioning from old guard leadership to a new crop of parish contributors --with new perspectives a different values. Making room for new people and ideas. Balancing tendencies toward congregationalism and clericalism. Acquiring a mission mindset --  a mindset of 'intentionality' as we heard at one stop.
  • But from our perspective the top issue is: transitioning parish councils from being parish administrators -focusing on bills budgets and buildings -- to becoming true shared leadership bodies, led by the priest, capable of good management AND effective planning AND inspiring, developing and coordinating parish ministries.
  • We sense growing momentum associated with using the structured approach of the Diocese' Parish Health Inventory Model to bring a sense of intentionality, change and growth. At more than one stop we heard serious, unsolicited comments like: "In my 25 years of parish leadership this the most helpful tool I've ever seen." (See next article)
Impact of an Inventory
What comes from using the Parish Health Inventory in a parish?

Usually good conversations. New ideas. (Ideas that are still Orthodox -- just fresh. It's possible!) A better understanding of attitudes and behaviors that may be keeping our parish "stuck in yesteryear". A conversation about kindling or rekindling a spirit of mission.
The Parish Health Inventory model encourages parish leaders and groups to explore how to strengthen specific areas of parish life.
focusarealogo


Feedback
But don't just listen to our opinion consider feedback from priests in parishes that have used it.
  • New Perspective - "...the model helped me see the parish through another set of eyes. It was painful in some ways to consider things that we do not do well, or don't do at all. Yet I did not at all feel that looking at our much needed growth areas was a negative thing.
  • Leaders Blossoming - "As I watched our session I had a growing sense that those present were behaving like parish leaders --  not dependent on me (the priest) for their relationship to the Church or to Christ. The parish was indeed something more than just what I do.  
  • Lay Enthusiasm - "(Afterward) they wanted to meet with each other and explore ideas. If they take ownership of the parish, and don't limit the parish to what I am willing to involve myself in - we can move beyond the 'small parish'/family model into a bigger church model which will enable further growth to take place."
  • Progress markers - "Helped us focus on something other than members and money as our parameters for progress as a parish".
  • Personal & Corporate - "Its a great opportunity to demonstrate the importance of both the personal and the corporate aspects of the Orthodox Faith.  We discussed stewardship, spirituality, and evangelism and how each of our personal lives in Christ constitute the corporate culture of the parish and our values."
  • Dialogue - "It allowed different "groups" in the church to share their perspectives with one another." "The review afforded us the opportunity to talk about some things in such a way as to interact with each other on a level we have not done in the past."
    Is your parish capable of a solid open dialogue how to grow in Christ? Perhaps the Inventory Model can provide a useful framework.
    indymeeting
  • "Permission granting/ New Blood" - "Our discussions afforded an opportunity for new faces to step forward and offer themselves in leadership roles - not just filling old roles but wanting to create some new ones as well." 
  • Encourage Marginal Views - "The model provides an opportunity for those less likely to share opinions, views, ideas, etc. to have a (usually) safe opportunity to share."
  • Creativity - "The model gave all of us a structure to brainstorm together and come up with outstanding ideas to help strengthen our parish community."
  • Examine Change - "It doesn't allow the status quo to reign. Its hard to just put it away without feeling like we should take some personal and collective action."
  • FUN - "It was really a lot of fun.
As you use the model remember:
  • Its one model not the model. Working to prove it imperfect is not hard --yet not that valuable.
  • Its a tool-- not the next big thing.
  • Its not a catechism.
  • its about discussion. A novel concept in some parishes?  
  • It has value in growing, declining, stagnant, and plateau parishes. 
  • its nice to use with a coach or facilitator -- but not necessary.
Getting Everybody on the Same Page                                                 
Some parishes are capable of discerning their needs on their own and to follow that up with effective action. Some priests have a gift for moving things forward. In our experience those situations are the exception rather than the rule.

Often in situations when a parish is in decline or becoming lethargic everything gets questionedand opinions are polarized.But you can't work on everything. It becomes hard to agree on what the most important challenge or opportunity is. Dialogue stops and often the loudest voice wins. This in turn burns resources and energy on deciding what to work on that would be better spent on taking action, establishing new ministries, pruning dormant ones and building a hopeful vision.

In our opinion the key benefit of an assessment framework is to accelerate a parish's ability to achieve consensus on where they should focus revitalization action and to get busy with building or rebuilding vitality into parish life.
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Souls in Transition
Religious Characteristics of US Emerging Adults
Summarizing the National Study of Youth & Religion--useful insights for all
Souls in Transition
We recently offered an article, based on the experiences of Diocesan parishes, about principles and practices for effective youth ministries in parishes. (See the article "Establishing a Solid Parish Youth Effort" here)

In follow up we read "Souls in Transition", a book that summarizes the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR). A serious sociological study of the religious practices and beliefs of "Emerging Adults", the study tracks changes in beliefs and religious practices of study participants from their early teen years (ages 13-15) to the present (18 -23).

In our opinion the study findings are important to youth leaders, church school teachers, parents, clergy, and parishioners-- anyone who has the slightest role in forming children into active, serious Orthodox Christians.

Impact of Religion on "Life Outcomes" and Behaviors
The study defines "religiousness" as: attendance at religious services; frequency of prayer, and stated importance of religious beliefs of study participants. It then uses this definition to explore the statistical relationship between those factors and other "life outcomes".

The study found a statistically significant correlation between the religious strength/devotion of emerging adults and various behaviors and qualities. Religiously devoted youth were found to be:
  • More likely to volunteer & perform community service, and help homeless and needy than those religiously "disengaged". This, the study found, is in part because they are more likely to have friends who volunteer.
    Emerging adults meet at coffee hour at a Diocesan parish
    coffee hour
  • Healthier and happier with their bodies, less likely to be sad or depressed, more likely to feel loved and accepted and to feel grateful more often.
  • Better educated - more likely to have completed some college.
  • Less promiscuous.
  • Less likely to break moral rules 'if you can get away with it'.
  • More active in general. The more religiously devoted average 2.4 "life/social/group activities" while "disengaged" study participants averaged 1.2. This held true even when religious activities were removed from the data.
After cautioning readers about deducing too much with respect to this statistical correlation (what is the cause and what is the effect) the authors clearly state that in their professional opinion the study provides "very good reasons to believe that religion is itself one significant cause helping to produce these life outcomes.

Most Emerging Adults Stay the Same as Early Teen Years
What then causes emerging adults to be religiously devoted?

A commercial on television recently informed us that "90% of bone strength is developed before adulthood". So to with religious behavior of young adults.
A key finding of the NSYR study is that the degree of "religiousness" of an early teenager (13-15) is a significant predictor of their religious behaviors as an emerging adult.(18-23).

In other words they generally don't change much.
  • Over half of those studied remained statistically similar in religious behavior from age 13-15 to age 18-23.
  • Of those indicating a change in religiousness more declined in religious behavior from early teens to emerging adulthood than increased.
In the words of the study authors:

"Religious commitments and orientations appear to be set early in life and follow a consistent trajectory from early formation through adolescence and emerging adulthood. For most (emerging adults), what happens religiously before the teenage years powerfully conditions what happens thereafter."

Parental/ Adult Influence is Critical
While multiple factors combine in various ways to predict religiousness the study identified a number of key factors driving religious behavior:
  • Having highly religious parents
  • Importance of faith as an early teen
  • Frequency of personal prayer as an early teen
  • Frequent religious service attendance as an early teen
  • Not having friends and school mates who look down on religious beliefs
  • Supportive religious adults (other than parents)
  • Current congregation 'a good place to discuss religious issues'.
In the words of the study authors:

"It is a myth that as children enter adolescence that parents do not matter. Most parents have swallowed the 'parents are irrelevant' myth. Yet parents are hugely important. Peers are important but less important than parents. Parents, and other non-parental adults, know it or like it or not, are always socializing and teaching emerging adults about religion."

College No Longer the Culprit
Another study conclusion seems worthy of sharing. College does NOT corrode religious belief and practice as much as previously thought. Some quotes:

"The religiously undermining effect of higher education on recent youth has disappeared."

"Among recently surveyed college students 2.7 times as many report strengthening religious beliefs than weakening."

"If anything NOT attending college is associated with lower levels of religious practice."·

"American higher education seems to have become an environment less corrosive than in the past."

One factor is growth of campus based religious and parachurch organizations "that provide alternative plausibility structures for sustaining religious faith and practice in college."

Parents, Church Schools, Supportive Parishes & OCF are Critical
So, in summary:
"Religious orientations appear to be set early in life..."
National Study of Youth and Religion

church school

  • Religiously oriented emerging adults are healthier, happier, more active.
  • Parents matter a great deal.
  • Other adults matter a great deal.
  • Early formation (before teen years) is very important.
  • Parish environments matter a great deal.
  • College can possibly help religious formation.
While Orthodox participants in the study were, for the most part, statistically irrelevant the implications for Orthodox parishes are, we believe, important.

Consider the serious impact of these finding on youth programming, church school, parish attitudes and support, and in the establishment of OCF chapters on campuses!


Sunday of the Paralytic
Shortly after finishing the book we were present in a parish,
on the Sunday of the Paralytic, where Fr. Thomas Hopko delivered the homily.

Fr. Thomas noted t
hat...

...the lesson for the day tells us nothing about the faith of the paralytic. The healing is enabled by the faith of the people who dropped the paralytic through the roof. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

Noting also the many children in church that snowy day, he drew a parallel. 

Someone brought these children to church today. They (the children) may have no faith but their parents brought them to church to see Jesus and learn about Jesus.


So who needs statistics? The lesson is before us.
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Saying 'Thank You' Often

In almost every Parish or Deanery workshop we remind participants of one of the key findings of our Parish Health Summit of 2008.

The environment in growing parishes reflects a generosity of spirit that compels leaders to "say thank you often".

In the parish where we were visitors on Pascha, the rector enthusiastically thanked the choir, choir director, workers of all types and congregants for their faithful efforts throughout Great Lent and Holy Week.

Hopefully this was the case in every parish on this beautiful Pascha. If not, its never too late to say thank you.

Considering the implication of the previous article we would specifically suggest a generous parish wide hug to all Church School Teachers and Youth Leaders.

Likewise we should offer a warm thank you to all of you for allowing us to continue our efforts in this ministry. Thank you for reading these newsletters and for your feedback and encouragement.

THANK YOU!

In Christ,

Joe Kormos
Parish Health Facilitator
Diocese of Midwest
513.683.1911

P.S. Don't forget...