APRIL PRAYER INTENTION
For Lay Leaders
For all the lay people who dedicate themselves to the mission of our local Church, that they may be faithful and effective coworkers in the vineyard as the Partners in the Gospel process continues to unfold.
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This short video introduces the vision behind Partners in the Gospel and the purpose of One Parish Planning. It offers a brief overview of why this work is important and invites us to begin thinking about the future of our parish family. As we continue ur journey thorugh this planning process together, we encourage you to watch and reflect on the possibilities ahead.
Our three Catholic communities of Mary, Queen of Peace in Sammamish, St. Joseph in Issaquah and Our Lady of Sorrows in Snoqualmie were joined together as one parish family on July 1, 2024. We are still separate parishes, but share a pastor, and have begun to share some ministries as well, as parishioners at each also more frequently participate in the parish life of other communities within our family. Over a several year period, we are discerning where God is calling us, and drafting a One Parish Plan that we will present to the Archbishop. This process and its stages are outlined in the graphic above. Upon approval, he will formally unite us together as one new canonical parish, as one community.
Long ago, Jesus gave the apostles, and us, a mission.
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
Ever since, that has been what has motivated and guided our life together. The stories of our individual parish communities is one filled with blessings and the goodness of God. If we are honest, though, there are also some things we could be doing better to live out this mission, and there are some things missing entirely. Hence the invitation, the question, that is being posed in this time - how can we more fully live out the vision of Jesus Christ for our local Catholic community? How can our life of worship and prayer, our life of formation for all ages, our life of evangelization and showing mercy to those in need, our life of discipleship together, grow? And most importantly, where is Jesus calling us?
These are the elements that we need to discern together as we ask where Jesus is calling us, and which will form our One Parish Plan. The Parish Family Advisory Council (PFAC) will play a key role in helping Father Oakland, our pastor, in this process, which will also include several rounds of parish engagement and feedback along the way.
We are now on Stage 2, “Who Are We?" It's good to look at where and how God has been active, the ways in which we have encountered Jesus and followed him in and through our individual parish as we grow in faith, hope and love, and the particular gifts or charisms present in each community. These are the blessings of God at work, and set a foundation for what is to come. Fr. Oakland and the PFAC would like to hear from the members of our communities their own reflections on these topics in their own life.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent “What are our Gifts?” survey. This will serve as the foundation of what is to come as we reflect on where and how God is already working. Your input is appreciated! The Parish Family Advisory Council (PFAC) is now reading them and starting to create a summary which will be shared.
The next stage in our One Parish Planning process will have us asking the question, "Who does God want us to become?", which will include both a survey and listening sessions around some different components.
