St. John Neumann Mission Statement: To make disciples by encountering Christ, growing in Christ, and being sent by Christ

Strategy: To identify a path to discipleship: A disciple is formed when he or she Encounters Christ, Grows in Christ, and is Sent by Christ. To build all ministries along this mission path.

Tactics and Goals:
1. Communicate the mission and strategy of the parish again, and again, and again.    
     A. Mark and implement each year in the parish with a parish theme to communicate a sense of community and guide encounter, formation, and mission.
          • 2018-2019: Resting in the Healing Heart of Jesus 
                 • Healing Mass – September 16, 2018 
                 • Lenten Mission presented by Tom Quinlan: Jesus is Broken to Make Us Whole – March 31 – April 2, 2019
                 • Parish Retreat presented by Tom Quinlan: Jesus is Broken to Make Us Whole … and Joyful! – April 27-April 28
                • Included features in Bulletin – on the cover and as prayer reflections throughout the year
        •2019-2020: Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” – John 5:8
               •Prayer card in pews; redub “donut wall” as “Mission Wall” with pathway to discipleship; new posters in hallways; new staff signatures; FlockNote, Bulletin, Newsletter                                  descriptions; Parish Theme Corners in Bulletin throughout year; Patron saints: St. Gianna Molla and Pietro Molla.
   B. Include in homilies and Bulletin articles the central themes of discipleship: the necessity for personal conversion and mission, focus on the kerygma, our calling to form          missionary disciples of ourselves and those in our sphere of influence – throughout 2018 to present
   C. Use graphics to communicate the mission and path to discipleship – ongoing, including Hermes-Media Center kitchen wall and hallway outside Nursery
   D. Overhaul web site – went live summer 2019

2. Plan and evaluate our processes, programs, and facilities in reference to our mission: Does this serve our mission to form missionary disciples? Are we in mission or maintenance mode?
   A. Form a staff leadership team to assist the pastor in implementing this vision across ministries and meet weekly – January 2019. Weekly meetings are continuing with monthly meeting with Fr. Peck. 
   B. Conduct staff formation after weekly staff meetings:
       • 2018-2019 used “Tools for Rebuilding” by Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran
       • 2019-2020: Co‐Workers in the Vineyard by U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops completed November 2019
   C. Hold a staff retreat focusing on being sent on mission by God
      • Completed May 2019
      • Set for January 2020

3. Attend to preevangelization by being intentionally hospitable, especially at those life moments when people fall back on their faith
   A. Implement preevangelization and evangelization moments for Religious Education parents, including Family Faith Gatherings and Community Gatherings – FFGs began in     September 2018. CGs began in September 2019.
   B. Revise Baptism formation program to make it more evangelizing – completed September 2018
   C. Revise Baptism registration process to simplify it and make it more evangelizing – To be posted on web site November 2019.
   D. Implement evangelization efforts for Christmas and Easter Masses
     • 2018-2010:
            • Christmas 2018 parking lot evangelization and Bulletin focused on non-parishioners
            • Easter 2019 mailer to all communities in area and Bulletin focused on non-parishioners
     •  Plans for 2019-2020 being discussed by Leadership Team, including:
            • Thanksgiving 2019 Worship Aid focused on family activities
   E.  Plan and implement three major social events for our community per year such as:
     • Participate in Scarecrow Fest – Fall 2019. No parishioner interest in helping design and build the scarecrow, so SJN did not participate.
     • Hold St. John Neumann Feast, open to the community – January 5, 2020
     • Participate in the Saint Charles St. Patrick Day Parade – Spring 2020
   F.  Evaluate the current RCIA program so insure that it evangelizes as well as catechizes
     • Candidates can start in program at any time of year.

4. Implement ways to help people to Encounter Christ – make a personal relationship with Jesus and conversion central to parish life
   A.  Hold one to two Alpha sessions per year
     • Began in January 2018, January 2019, and September 2019. To begin again in January 2020.
   B.  Hold at least two Schools of Prayer (“how to pray and praying”) per year.
    • School of Prayer initial series by L’Alto – October 18, 2017 
    • Fr. Peck’s Teaching Mass – Feb. 28, 2018
    • Therese Stahl’s School of Prayer class on relics – October 20, 2018 
    • Fr. Dennis’ School of Prayer on the Divine Mercy Chaplet – April 13, 2019
    • Fr. Peck’s Bishop Barron’s series on the Mass – September through October 2019
    • Fr. Peck’s Oremus prayer class (repeat) – Lent 2020
    • Possible Pivotal Players series offered 2020
    • How-To prayer resources on our web site – to be added in 2020
  C. Hold mission-oriented Parish Missions and Parish-wide events
    • Completed Lent 2018 (Tim Glemkowski), Advent 2018 (Deacon Keith Strohm), and Lent Mission and Easter Retreat 2019 (Tom Quinlan).
    • Advent 2019 – Music concert by John Angotti
    • Lent 2020 – Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers
    • Easter 2020 – Parish Retreat

5. Implement ways to help people Grow in Christ – take the time to mature disciples following a conversion moment
  A. Offer spiritual, intellectual, and human formation opportunities throughout the year – ongoing
  B. Offer and support the multiplying of small faith groups or discipleship groups.
    • First series of discipleship groups – April through December 2019.
    • Second series of discipleship groups – May 2019.
    • Third series of discipleship groups – Winter/Spring 2020.
    • Improve faith group support – focus in 2020-2021.

6. Implement ways to help people Be Sent by Christ – resist a culture of volunteerism to raise up apostles of Jesus Christ
  A. Hold a Missionary Summit for all volunteer missionaries to form them in a sense of mission and purpose and energize them for their call – September 15, 2018
  B. Name our volunteers what they are: missionaries. Use the language “volunteer missionary” in all communications – Fall 2018
  C. Offer ReLit at least once a year – Spring and Fall 2018
  D. Offer modified version of ReLit in the 2019-2020 year
    • Mission Possible! Beginning Winter/Spring 2020
  E. Offer a charism discernment workshop at least once per year – Spring 2018. To schedule for Spring 2020 or consider online version.

7. Undergird the entire effort with prayer
  A. Form an intercessory prayer group who meets regularly – January 2018. Monthly meetings continue.
  B. Make prayer an intentional and larger part of staff meetings – Began January 2019 and continues.
  C. Develop and implement a parish-wide prayer for all missionary efforts – completed Spring 2018 and Fall 2019 (tied to Parish Mission)

Reminder: There is no silver bullet. The culture of our parish will change when we hit a critical tipping point of missionary disciples in the parish. The process to achieve this point is a long, slow road of forming individuals one‐by‐one and avoiding “quick fix” mentalities. “If we would just do this …” never works. Disciples are formed singularly, not in large groups.