Parish Ministry

Ethos:

Using a collaborative model, we work in partnership with the parish during the mission process, enabling parishioners to discover and use their God-given gifts and abilities in the service of others.

We develop and foster the community dimension of parish life and urge parishes to be outward looking, particularly through welcome, openness and service.

We seek to be open and sensitive to the particular needs of individual parish communities.

Method: how do we do this?

Through a variety of ways. In essence we aim to embody Jesus as best as we can. We see this happening through:

• Our corporate and personal witness
• Celebration of the Sacraments, prayer and intercession
• Proclamation, music, art, dance and drama
• House to house visitation
• Individual prayer ministry
• Socialising and community building activities
• Training parishioners in skills and methods of parish visiting and evangelisation, e.g. Pass It On course
• Sharing ideas and experiences from other parishes
• Being available to listen, share and minister to others

Mission Process in brief

Priests & People Forum

As an integral part of Mission preparation, we invite the priest and two or three parishioners from the parishes who are having a mission in the current year to attend our Priest and People forum which is held at our Training Centre in Brentwood.

The event, normally held in mid January, takes place over a 24hour period. This is an opportunity to:

• Enable priests and parishioners to meet our Parish Mission Team
• Enable priests and parishioners to focus on their particular needs
• Look at the aims and objectives of Sion’s mission strategy
• Meet with other clergy and parishioners
• Look at the pre mission work which needs to be undertaken by the parish
• Experience something of our Community and prayer life

Invitations for this gathering would be sent out at the beginning of the autumn term for the following January.

Phase One:

Pre-Mission Preparation - up to one year before the Mission.

Our Pre-Mission co-ordinator visits the Parish (usually about a year before the event) to explain the ethos and practicalities of a Sion Community Parish Mission. We have a variety of Mission structures that can be adapted to meet particular needs and local circumstances.

Additional pre-Mission visits can be made at strategic times to:

• Get to know the parish and identify its needs
• Establish an effective Prayer Network
• Encourage the development of Parish census work
• Train and envision parishioners in Parish visitation
• Prepare for the arrival of the Mission Team and motivate the Parish

Phase Two:

Two Week Mission Event - Outreach, Conversion, Celebration

• Week one: House-to-house visitation.

During the first week of the two week Mission, the focus is on meeting parishioners in their homes and at Mass. We invite them to attend the events that will take place over the course of the mission and into deeper relationship with God.

Normally we would do this through house to house visitation where we visit as many parishioners as possible.

We speak at each of the Sunday Masses and at the weekday masses we include a short faith-sharing by one of the Mission Team.

Depending on local circumstances an additional early morning or lunch-time Mass may also be celebrated

The Parish may also have a Primary School Mission with its Parish Mission during week one. See our Family Ministry pages for more information.

• Week two: Mission services

The Mission really comes alive with the celebration of our faith at different times during the day including Mass throughout the weekday mornings followed by breakfast, morning Mass, midday prayer and our on-going conversion through specially themed evening services and liturgies chosen by Parish, e.g. Preaching, Liturgy, Drama, Music, Testimony etc.

There can also be special prayer times during the day, where different styles of prayer can be used. Week two also normally includes a Parish social, to allow the parish to gather and celebrate together. The Mission will end with a special Mission Mass on the final Sunday.

Phase Three:

Follow-up: Training for further growth

After the Mission a member of Sion Community will return to the parish for a specially convened meeting with the parish priest and parishioners to discuss plans for follow-up, some of which will have been sketched out before the mission event.

Sion Community will continue working with and equipping your parish to become more effective in its own mission, by providing:

• Basic training in Parish evangelisation
• Advice and encouragement in the formation of small area groups
• Study materials and resources
• Resources and training in worship and music
• Leadership Training

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