VISION

Members of this community of faith have been baptized and have received a gift (The indwelling of God’s Spirit), and given a mission (Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you”.

Mission of St James Parish: We are St. James Roman Catholic Community of Faith. We are a welcoming and diverse community of believers in Jesus Christ. We are energized and empowered by God’s love, forgiveness and healing. We strive to become disciples in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. (St James’ Pastoral Plan 2007 - 2012 ‘Journey of Discipleship’)

Our Pastoral Plan calls us to support each member in their efforts to deepen the baptismal gift given and embrace their call to mission by becoming the Lord’s disciple in the world. The Plan emphasized seven particular areas of discipleship that they wish members to more fully integrate into their lives. These seven areas are

• To recognize and reverence God’s presence within yourself and others:

• To experience God’s care from and with others:

• To commit to habits that deepen your relationship with God:

• To grow in appreciation and understanding of your faith:

• To share your gifts within and outside your faith community:

• To reveal God’ love, healing and forgiveness in your daily actions:

• To live the radical demands of the Gospel:

The parish community will support members in their efforts to be disciples in the following way

1. 1. Have a systematic process called the Journey of Discipleship to help members realize that all members of this community are called to work intentionally and attentively with a greater awareness and understanding on the particular area of discipleship that they feel called to more fully integrate into their daily lives.
   2. Various resources will be used to help members integrate the seven particular areas of discipleship (Discernment Process Booklet and To Live and Love in a New Way Booklet)
   3. The parish community will have two cycles of Discipleship Gatherings in each particular area of discipleship so that members can support each other in their efforts as well as discuss, generate, provide and share practical suggestions about their particular area of discipleship.
   4. Have a newsletter “The Journey of Discipleship - Travel Notes. The main focus of the newsletter will be to remind member to keep working and to provide thought provoking ideas and practical suggestions about various areas of discipleship. This newsletter will be a resource for all members of this community of faith.
   5. Develop structures that will facilitate members in their effort to be the Lord’s disciple in the Lord
   6. The changing of the culture of the parish community from primarily a program/consuming culture to a relational culture will be the main undertaking. This main thrust will be to establish relationships within the community with the underpinning of power with versus power over. Programs will be developed only after relationships have been established. After listening to each other, and empowering members to take a greater responsibility of their life will supportive programs be developed with them.
   7. To help establish a relational culture, the focus will be on empowering all members to build an Engaged Church. This will seek to have members relate to each other at a deeper emotional level especially at the level of a mutually shared faith life. Engagement will be integrated into all church activities verses only involvement
   8. The Ministry of Hospitality in all areas of the parish life will take upon a new importance. This will allow each person to begin to feel a positive connection with others
   9. The full, active and conscious participating in Worship will be enhanced and promoted.
   10. The engine that will drive building an engaged church will be the principles of community organizing, especially the principle of Subsidiary, the one on one meetings and the house meetings. Members will be empowered to mutually share and listen to the stories of one another. (What do they think/believe about life? What they bear both positively and negatively, What and who they love. What they fear; what angers, moves them. Where they have been, their “journey, both geographical and spiritual, etc)
   11. All job positions and descriptions will be rooted in these basic understanding of what it means to a Relational Culture, An Engaged Church, and the principles of community organizing.
   12. New relationships will be established with other churches so that our members within our community will not turn this into a personal “feeling good”, but a call to active engagement with others to be a greater voice for those who are hurting, vulnerable, oppressed and alienated.
   13. Empowerment Leadership training to help leaders to become Servant Leaders will be developed and supported through a Leadership Forum