Sharing our Faith
SMALL GROUPS …... Sharing Life, Living Christ’s Love
Can you spare one hour a week, and 25 minutes watching a Podcas, to be more present and deepen your faith? Being present to someone means giving our time, attention, and affection. More than anywhere else, Jesus is present to us in the Eucharist. During this Presence Small Group series, we will explore the Eucharist through the stories of six people who see God’s presence in this sacred meal. In the Eucharist, Jesus gives us his time, attention, and affection, to help as grow as disciples, and to equip us for Christian mission and service. Join one of our Presence Small Groups and invite a friend too!
Small Groups are where our Parish Community grows together in Faith and strengthens their relationship with Christ. Groups are 6-10 people who meet in person or online to discuss faith. You will go deeper into the weekly message heard in the Sunday Mass and support each other in your relationship with Christ. This is the place to care for others and be cared for; a place to impact our community and the world.
The groups will meet for 6 weeks – beginning April 21 through Pentecost for Presence Small Groups series. Sign up online. We will match you to a group based on your day/time preference. Each group is hosted by a fellow parishioner.
Questions? Contact Kathleen Staunton 860-233-4580 x111 KathleenS@stastm.org
If you would like to join a Small Group, sign up on this FORM. Signups can also be made at weekend Masses.
HOW ANYONE CAN EVANGELIZE
Every one of us has the opportunity and the duty to evangelize. So exactly what does that mean? Evangelize simply means to share your faith with others. You can do this by words or by actions, but always look for a way to let others know how important your faith and your relationship with Jesus Christ is.
HOW TO EVANGELIZE
Here are some things you can do before, during, and after the weekend Mass:
Join our Greeters Ministry program (which includes ushers, and lectors and Eucharistic ministers) on weekends where we do our best to provide the warmest greeting we can, especially to those who may be visiting for the first time or who only come occasionally.
Even if you are not a part of our Greeters’ Ministry, be as friendly and supportive as you can especially of people you have not seen in church before or maybe only occasionally.
Slide over if people want to sit in your pew
Give people a friendly greeting at the beginning of Mass as well as during the sign of peace.
Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself before or after Mass.
Here are some simple things you can do outside of the Church to share your faith with others:
Let people know through your words and actions that you are a Catholic and that your faith is important to you.
When someone talks about a problem or an upcoming operation it is so easy to say- “I will say a special prayer for you” or “I will put you on my prayer list.
If you or a family member or friend did well with an operation or some big project or some big event or test, don’t be afraid to say “Thank God” or “God answered my prayers” or “without God’s help I don’t know what I would do.”
Treat everyone with respect and don’t be afraid to say that God is everyone’s Father or that the Bible teaches you to try your best to love or at least try to understand everyone.
If you were involved in a church activity don’t be afraid to bring it up in conversation. Talk about how participating made you feel and how it may have helped others.
Think about your friends and relatives and neighbors who may have stopped attending church or who only come a few times a year or you have never been a part of church. Pray for them to rediscover their faith or perhaps to discover it for the very first time, and when the time is right don’t hesitate to invite them to attend Mass or to attend some other church function that you think might benefit them.
Form good relationships with others by how you treat them and when the time is right ask them to come to church.
Remember that God does the real work but we have to play our role by inviting people to attend and by how we share our faith with others by the way we talk and act.
Remember even if someone says no at least you did your part and you never know when the seed you planted can make a difference to someone in the future.
When you receive something on social media that is spiritual in nature share it on your own social network or by email or by word of mouth.
Don’t get into arguments with people about religion. If someone acts in a negative way just step away from it. You might say for example, I am sorry you feel that way. My faith is so important to me and has helped me in so many ways that I wanted you to have the benefit of that also.
PRAYER FOR EVANGELIZATION
Gracious and merciful God, we pray that through the Holy Spirit all Catholics may hear the call of the New Evangelization and seek a deeper relationship with your Son, Jesus. We pray that the New Evangelization will renew the Church, inspiring all Catholics to “go forth and make disciples of all nations” and transform society through the power of the Gospel. We pray for all members of the Church, that we heed the words of Christ—“do not be afraid”—and strengthened by the Holy Spirit’s gift of courage, give witness to the Gospel and share our faith with others. We pray that we may become like the father of the prodigal son— filled with compassion for our missing brothers and sisters—and run to embrace them upon their return. We pray that all people yearning to know Christ and the Church may encounter him through the faithful who witness to his love in their lives. Loving God, our Father, strengthen us to become witnesses to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen