Deacon Joe and I are fans of music from the 1980s, and one of my favorite songs could be a theme for today’s readings: “Never Surrender” by Corey Hart. One of the lyrics fits especially well stating that “with a little perseverance you can get things done.” Along these lines, Jesus instructs his disciples in Luke’s Gospel to continue in prayer without ceasing and with great confidence in God’s ability to give us what we need. Perseverance is required in all aspects of life and it reminds us that the greatest accomplishments often require diligence, patience, prayer and effort.

As a parish, you may remember that we were asked back in April and May to complete a Disciple Maker Index Survey (DMI) to assess the overall spiritual wellness of our parish. This survey has not been forgotten. It is a crucial part of the effort to establish a pastoral plan for Resurrection Parish as we move forward. Bishop Mark has asked that our pastoral plan reflect the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. There is a 14-member committee that was formed in January that is working to formulate such a plan, but we need feedback from everyone to make that happen. The committee wants to hear from parishioners about the priorities, ministries, and services we should offer.

The next step in this process is to have town hall meetings to listen to what parishioners have to say.
The town hall meetings are scheduled for:
· Thursday, November 3rd at St. Thomas More from 12:30 - 2:30PM in the Family Life Center
· Sunday, November 6th at St. John Capistran from 12:30-2:30PM in Capistran Hall
· Tuesday, November 8th at St. Thomas More from 7:00-9:00PM in the Family Life Center

There is only a need to attend one of these if you so choose, but these will be opportunities to review the data from the DMI and hear what you would like to see us accomplish as a parish moving forward with our ministries, outreach, and catechesis. The input from these meetings is crucial for the development of our pastoral plan.

The individual ministries of the parish (i.e. lectors, eucharistic ministers, Ladies of Charity) will also meet over the next several months to reflect upon how their ministries serve the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Following these meetings, the Planning Committee will continue to meet, review the data and feedback from these meetings, and craft a written plan for the parish with a target goal of May 2023. Such a plan obviously takes patience and great effort, but as the readings teach, great things come through great perseverance. I hope that you will consider attending one of the Town Hall meetings; you are essential to our success!
Members of the Pastoral Planning Committee: Julie Seavy, Dale Porter, Colleen Pauley, Fr. Jim Chepponis, Joe Schuck, Linda Hippert, Nancy Rees, Santino Buzzi, Joe Ratay, Chad Karoleski, Jil Tauch, Fr. Michael Ackerman, Denise DeCapria, Mary Swindal