Walking in the Footsteps of Saint Paul

Intermountain Catholic

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Kristen Mullen (from left), Nanette Marlow, and Karen Hurley take time to explain the plans for a parish-wide journey into ministry. IC photo by Barbara S. Lee

DRAPER — Members of St. John the Baptist Parish in Draper are spending 40 days walking in the footsteps of St. Paul. "As a community of missionaries we walk in the footsteps of the great apostle Paul," Karen Hurley, pastoral associate at the parish told parishioners Aug. 23 and 24. That missionary spirit will change the way the parish looks at their ministries and celebrate the Year of St. Paul.

Hurley, Kristen Mullen, director of religious education, Ruth Penderghast, parish accountant, Nanette Marlow, parish receptionist, and Martha Happ, director of the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), working together, have developed a new "Call to Ministry."

Hurley’s presentation was the first of a number of community events celebrating the Year of St. Paul established by Pope Benedict XVI. Each event will be presented by a group of ministry leaders whose ministries are related.

"I believe in studying the best practices of other churches, Hurley said in an interview with the Intermountain Catholic. One of the churches I researched challenged what we have been doing in developing our ministries. In the past we’ve held ministry faires on one weekend, and that meant lines of tables all over the place and an emphasis on recruitment. Call to Ministry gives us 40 days to introduce to the parish the various ministries available to them."

Hurley began by introducing other parish leaders to "40 Days in the Footsteps of St. Paul: A Call to Ministry" because "our ministry leaders are directly impacted by the program and they need to be involved from the start. It’s a departure from the way we have done things in the past."

"The Call to Ministry is more of a showcase for our ministries than a ministry faire and it’s more than a ministry tool," said Kristen Mullen. "Recruitment is secondary to educating people."

Hurley said Parish Pastor Father Terence Moore assembled a sub-committee of parish leaders to consider the ministry faire as it has always been held, "but he invited us to consider other opportunities and change if we would like to."

The sub-committee, under Hurley’s leadership, developed Call to Ministry with an emphasis on the parish’s mission statement and its five core values.

On Sept. 6, the parish journey began on the anniversary of the church’s dedication, with "Grow in Love," a presentation sponsored by the parish Youth Advisory Board and parishioners who had visited the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. In coming weeks the events include: "A Call to Ministry," Ministry Faire Weekend with six collaborative exhibits and three youth activity stations; "Promote Social Justice," a presentation on the church in Haiti by Father Jean Eveneau Antoine and the Festival of Angels charity pasta dinner, hosted by the St. John the Baptist Ladies Association; "Share the Faith," Fall for All celebrating 10 years of St. John the Baptist Catholic Schools, hosted by the St. John the Baptist Elementary and Middle Schools. (This event also features the parish’s Catechetical Sunday and commissioning of catechists); "Strengthen the Family," involvement in the Life Chain, a public witness to end abortion and The Magic of the Family Meal pancake breakfast hosted by the Knights of Columbus; and "Prayer in Action," a Journey of Faith Retreat and a parish flu shot clinic sponsored by the parish nursing ministry.

Each of the events reflects one of the parish’s core values and will involve the appropriate ministries.

"Every event gives us the opportunity to practice whole community catechesis," said Penderghast. "Each event has an educational element, a spiritual element, and a ministry element. A lot of churches are doing whole community catechesis, and we saw this as a possibility of doing just that. We would like to see the whole parish involved on some level."

Mullen said developing and putting forth this project within the context of the Pauline year "gives each of us the opportunity to determine what St. Paul is calling us to do."

"Hope is the focus of the community," said Penderghast. "With each ministry and each event aligned with one of our core values, our mission statement is calling us to do more."

Hurley said the new program will also encourage ministries to interrelate. "In the past, the ministry faire was far too confusing and chaotic. This program calls us all to share the faith, to work together."

"We have such a vibrant parish," Penderghast said. It’s a great community. We’re hoping people will examine each call and consider becoming more involved."

"From start to finish, the parish will hear 18 lay ministers who will tell their stories in three to five minute presentations – how they heard the call and how they responded – we hope everyone will become engaged," said Hurley. "We will identify the diversity of each ministry and appeal to people regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity. We will be celebrating our own diversity as well."

"Too often we put things in boxes, and we work from our boxes," said Hurley. "We forget that we’re interrelated and we should be working together."

"By focusing on a value each weekend and educating people about those values and the ministries that support them, we will be following in the footsteps of St. Paul," said Penderghast. "And each week, the interior of the church will have a new symbol of St. Paul. Even the liturgical environment will remind us that we are walking with St. Paul."

Fr. Moore said he believes the new program is a very timely one. "We’re in the Year of St. Paul, and Call to Ministry infuses us all with the enthusiasm and zeal of St. Paul. It will give our programs new life and it will give us a sense that we are giving to the whole parish. Our parish is very vital, but there are still people out there who are looking for a place to belong. This program will help them find that place."