BUILDING AN ENGAGED CHURCH IN

TYRONE, GEORGIADeacon Bill Hampton

&Lisa Lowther

WHAT DOES ENGAGEMEN

TMEAN TO

YOU?

Engagement Completing time, talent & treasure? Helping around the church? Joining the church? Pictured in the parish directory? Serving on a council or committee? Contributing to weekly offertory? Greeting people around them at

Mass? Going to Mass weekly?

These are signs of

Involvement

Not

Engagement

Engagement is a state of being.

Engagement is an emotional connection with the church.

Believing leads to belonging.(true or false)

FALSEBelonging is far more likely to

lead to believing.The extent members feel

engagedin their parish family has a

profound effect on their personal spiritual commitment.

Involvement is what IDO in my parish.

Engagement is how IFEEL about my parish.

LaSallete mission started in Fairburn, 1976, approx 30 families

Moved to Tyrone, 1998-worshiped in Church of God

Late 1999 Archdiocese built Our Lady of Victory school-worshiped in cafeteria

STEWARDSHIP

DISCIPLESHIP

Our Very BaptismRequires – DemandsUs To Discipleship!

“Once one chooses to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, Stewardship is not an option.”

Bishop John McRaith1992 USCCB

Dedicated October 2000 with 200 families“Build it and they will come”Have 17 zip codes, average drive for

parishioners is 12-15 milesCurrently about 450 active familes-700 on books

2001 250 families 2002 300 families 2003 375 families 2004 425 families 2005 500 families Grew, but slowly Began to meet Need to grow-but how-grow faster

STEWARDSHIP BECAME THE WORD IN CHURCHES

EVERYWHERE.

BooksConferences

Articles

AttendanceParticipation

ResponseIncreased Offertory

Share their Gifts

2005Catholic Stewardship

ConferenceSan Francisco, CA

October 2006ADVENTURES IN STEWARDSHIP Gave away $16,000 Use your gifts/talents to grow God’s

Kingdom Parishioners made crosses, cookies, dish

towels; took meals to homes; gave money to CRS, etc.

Had parish sales at Christmas, spring and summer during that year

November 2007

The End Result…

“I do have talent that people value and

need!”

BEEN THEREDONE THAT

GOT THE T-SHIRT

NOW WHAT?

Now What?Gallup 2006

Member Engagement Survey

How Could We Use It?

ME25 Survey:9 questions measuring

spiritual commitment

12 questions measuring congregational

engagement

4 questions measuring life satisfaction,

inviting, serving and giving

Gallup says congregations are composed of:

ENGAGED

ENGAGED

These members are loyal and have a strong psychological connection to their parish. They are more spiritually committed, more likely to invite friends, family members and coworkers to parish events, and give more both financially and in commitment of time.

NOT ENGAGED

These members may attend regularly, but they are not psychologically connected to their parish. Their connection to the parish is more social than spiritual. They give moderately but not

sacrificially, and they may do a minimal amount of volunteering in the community. They are less likely to invite others and more likely to leave.

ACTIVELY DISENGAGED

These members usually show up only once or twice a year, if at all. They are on the membership

rolls, and can tell you what parish they belong to – but may not be able to name the pastor. However, they may also be regular in their

attendance. If that’s the case, they are physically present but psychologically absent. They are

unhappy with their parish and insist on sharing that unhappiness with just about everyone.

ENGAGEMENT IS NOT… Completing a spiritual gifts assessment

worksheet Signing up to help at or attend a new

member dinner Joining the church Having your family photo added to the new

members’ bulletin board Accepting a board position Writing a check each week to place in the

offering plate Smiling and greeting the people next to

you when you are asked to do so Attending services regularly

Engagement is a State of Being

Engagement is an emotional connection with the church.

Engagement - All Denominations

Engaged 29%

Not Engaged 54%

Actively Disengaged 17%

Engagement-Catholics

Engaged16%

Not Engaged 49%

Actively Disengaged 35%

5 -Years ME25

StrengthsFinder GIFTED in Christ

Engagement – St. MatthewNovember 2008

Engaged 26%

Not Engaged 53%

Actively Disengaged 22%

Engagement – St. MatthewNovember 2008

St. Matthew All Catholicparishes

Engaged 26% 16%

Not Engaged 53% 49%

ActivelyDisengaged 22% 35%

Action Plan........Be Friendliest Parish in

U.S.Priest, Deacons and Hospitality Ministers Welcoming, Warm, Greeting Everyone Preach About Loving Others Sign Above Church Doors “Love One

Another As I Have Loved You.” Sign Leaving Church Grounds Social Events Train Hospitality Ministers

Action Plan……Improve The Liturgical

Experience Clear & Concise Homilies Utilize Gallup Verbiage, i.e. Engaged,

Disengaged, etc. Music To Match Readings and Season Improve Sound System Decorations to Enhance the Season /

Feast Retrain Lectors Music Sheets for Mass

Action Plan……Recognize and Utilize

Parish Family Gifts StrengthsFinder

GIFTED in Christ program Matching Strengths with Ministries

Engagement – St. MatthewApril 2010

Engaged 35%

Not Engaged 48%

Actively Disengaged 17%

Engagement – St. MatthewFebruary 2012

Engaged 35%

Not Engaged 49%

Actively Disengaged 16%

St. Matthew 2008-2012Nov 2008 Apr 2010 Feb 2012

ENGAGED 26% 35% 35%

NOT ENGAGED 53% 48% 49%

ACTIVELY DISENGAGED 22% 17% 16%

ME25 SurveyIN PLAIN ENGLISH GALLUP SURVEY

So what do I have to do to be a member?

Someone here helps me to be me.

As a member of my congregation, I know what is expected of me.

There is someone in my congregation who encourages my spiritual development.

ME25 Survey IN PLAIN ENGLISH GALLUP SURVEY They ask my opinion

and it makes a difference.

There’s a lot of good stuff happening here.

As a member of my congregation, my opinions seems to count.

In my congregation, I have opportunities to learn and grow.

ME25 Survey

IN PLAIN ENGLISH GALLUP SURVEY The priests reach me

when they preach.

The people in my parish really seem to put God first.

The spiritual leaders in my congregation seem to care about me as a person.

The members of my congregation are committed to spiritual growth.

LIVING YOUR STRENGTHS&

the Clifton StrengthsFinder

Helping people discover their

talents – or what they naturally

do best…the RIGHT FIT

In my parish, I regularly have the opportunity to

do what I do best.

ME25 Member Engagement Item E03

My faith has called me to develop my given

strengths.

ME25 Spiritual Commitment Item C05

Talent Discovery & Strengths Development

Talents are “naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied.”

Unlike skills and knowledge (which can be learned), talents naturally exist within us and cannot be acquired.

The Clifton StrengthsFinder is a tool which helps us identify those natural talents.

Talent Discovery & Strengths Development

Once those talents are identified, we can apply knowledge and skills to them, and over time, a Talent can develop into a Strength.

A Strength is “the ability to provide consistent, near-perfect performance in a given activity.”

To live your strengths, you must first identify your greatest talents.

Our GIFTED Journey Begins July 2008

Level 1 Strengths Performance Coach Training 2-days, Indianapolis, IN 4 facilitators chosen (SF input)

August 2008 Drafted our initial GIFTED in Christ small group

“curriculum” St. Gerard Majella (NY)/IHM (Cincinnati, OH) Lori W. - Humana

Lori Wohlgemuth-Tull

Relator Strategic Maximizer Responsibility Activator

GIFTED in ChristAt St. Matthew, we saw talent discovery and strengths development as a crucial step to fulfill our mission to grow Disciples and to fulfill our calling as good stewards of God’s gifts.

Gather as Family (community building)Identify Talents & Strengths (SF)Foster Growth & Engagement (ME25)Transform ourselves and our communityExercise Love through Service (stewardship)Discover True Discipleshipin Christ

Our GIFTED Journey Aug-Oct 2008 – Test run of program using

parish staff, stewardship committee members and selected parishioners (Groups #1-3)

November 2008 – our first ME25

2009 – Facilitated six groups (#4-9) 2010 – Facilitated six groups (#10-15) 2011 – Facilitated three groups (#16-18) 2012 – Beginning new groups soon

St. Matthew Parish FamilyTop 5 Signature Themes of Talent

Empathy 32% Input 30% Responsibility 29% Developer 28% Harmony 26%

Top 5 Talents Empathy-They can sense the emotions of others.

Input-They have a desire to know more.

Responsibility-They do what they say they will do.

Developer-They recognize the potential in others.

Harmony-They look for consensus.

GIFTED in Christ 4 week small group, 8-12 participants Three facilitators who rotate as schedules

allow Participants take SF assessment prior to

classes Each group meets for 1 ½ - 2 hours per

week Program includes prayer, quiet reflection,

group discussion & sharing, individual activities, and homework

Group reunion one month following the 4 week program

GIFTED in Christ Ministry Large group reunions/socials GIC nametags Offer individual coaching opportunities Pray for individual talents at each Mass Incorporated Signature Themes of Talent

into ministry fair booklets Witness talks at Mass prior to sign-ups for

small groups Facilitator recertification and webinar

training

Our Next Steps Invite new parishioners & newly initiated to participate Develop program for graduating Seniors and Confirmation Candidates– StrengthsQuest LYS Chapter 5 – Using your talents for growth

and service (linking talents/strengths to service and spirituality/prayer) – Seminar type sessions

Talent focused sharing groups Incorporate participant photos and Top 5s into

new parish website

Our GIFTED goal

To become a parish where all 34 talents are KNOWNWELCOMEDNURTUREDAPPLIEDand CELEBRATED

St. Matthew Parish Family

Learning to use our Gifts

To improve prayer life

To be better Christians

St. Matthew Parish PrayerAlmighty God, My parish family is composed of people like me.I help make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am. Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them.It will do great work, if I work.It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver.It will bring other people into its worship and fellowship if I invite and bring them.It will be a parish family of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and Faith, and a parish with a noble spirit, if I – who make it what it is – am filled with these same qualities.Therefore, with the help of God, I will dedicate myself to the task of being all the things I want my parish family to be. Bless my journey, Lord God, that I might build the Church through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen

Strengths-Based ParishImagine a parish where everyone was encouraged to actively develop and use his or her God-given talents to strengthen the Body of Christ and further the mission of the Church!!

Imagine a parish where its members not only used their talents/strengths in ministry, but applied them to all aspects of their lives – family, work, community, and school and discovered their RIGHT FIT!!!

St. Matthew 2008-2012Nov 2008 Apr 2010 Feb 2012

ENGAGED 26% 35% 35%

NOT ENGAGED 53% 48% 49%

ACTIVELY DISENGAGED 22% 17% 16%