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Intentional Eucharistic Community Survey - The story of our faith journey! 2-7-2010

Intentional Eucharistic Community Survey - The story of our faith journey! 2-7-2010. A dialogue on who we are and what we believe as a faith and spiritual community. Scott Bowman, Ellen Corwin, Mona Gude, Kevin Pokorny. Respondents. 125 potential respondents 57 completed surveys (46%)

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Intentional Eucharistic Community Survey - The story of our faith journey! 2-7-2010

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  1. Intentional Eucharistic Community Survey - The story of our faith journey!2-7-2010 A dialogue on who we are and what we believe as a faith and spiritual community. Scott Bowman, Ellen Corwin, Mona Gude, Kevin Pokorny

  2. Respondents • 125 potential respondents • 57 completed surveys (46%) • All anonymous

  3. 6 Core Beliefs • All are welcome • Very important: 54 • Important: 1 • I don’t recall Christ ever turning anyone away who believed in him. • I am often an outsider/new arrival and welcoming opens the door for trust, friendship and safety. • Jesus’ life was all about welcoming all, including those who were marginalized or not welcome in his time.

  4. 6 Core Beliefs • Social justice ministry • Very important: 43 • Important: 9 • Not important: 2 • Important to get outside of ourselves. The community is more than nurturing our own spiritual needs. We must take that faith and serve others.

  5. 6 Core Beliefs • Social justice ministry • Very important: 43 • Important: 9 • Not important: 2 • When I read the gospels, the very definition of Jesus’ good news is relationship based – healing, liberating, feeding, clothing, comforting, loving and praying for our enemies. It was about bringing about God’s kingdom, not conformity of belief.

  6. 6 Core Beliefs • Social justice ministry • Very important: 43 • Important: 9 • Not important: 2 • Living life without love and concern for others seems to be like the stories about trees that produce no fruit. It seems questionable that a person has been born again when there seems to be no fruits or works. . . We can not wear blinders and live in complete comfort when injustice and problems exist in our world.

  7. 6 Core Beliefs • Inclusive language • Very important: 41 • Important: 13 • Important to me as a woman; I have been left out far too long. • Words can separate as much as they can gather. Inclusive language is just part of “all being welcome.” • When God created, God called all good. If we are made in God’s image, there is no room for language that identifies God/the divine with one gender only.

  8. 6 Core Beliefs • Vatican II based • Very important: 37 • Important: 12 • Not important: 6 • It is Vatican II that gave us life in our Catholic faith in the last 40 years. Important and meaningful to continue this tradition. • I believe the Holy Spirit began a significant change for us through Vatican II that cannot be undone or swept away. . . Vatican II invigorated me. It encouraged me to be become a thinking Christian.

  9. 6 Core Beliefs • Vatican II based • Very important: 37 • Important: 12 • Not important: 6 • And to proceed PAST Vatican II to issues that go beyond what was covered in the 1960’s!! Come on! The world has changed, and Christ wants us to be present in THIS age and time!

  10. 6 Core Beliefs • Lay-based ministry • Very important: 36 • Important: 16 • Not important: 3 • The people are the church. • If a sympathetic ordained priest were to join us for liturgy from time to time, would he be welcome as a presiding priest?

  11. 6 Core Beliefs • Lay-based ministry • Very important: 36 • Important: 16 • Not important: 3 • We are the church. True disciples of Jesus, whether ordained or lay, are servants of God’s people. We welcome the ordained among us, but also acknowledge our common priesthood by virtue of our baptism. We cannot excuse ourselves from the responsibility of “being church” with or without the leadership of ordained clergy.

  12. 6 Core Beliefs • Catholic, but not in communion with Rome • Very important: 13 • Important: 24 • Not important: 16 • I am not ready to unequivocally break with Rome. • I can’t abide by Rome’s belief system, and couldn’t stay with the IEC if it were an extension of that system.

  13. 6 Core Beliefs • Catholic, but not in communion with Rome • Very important: 13 • Important: 24 • Not important: 16 • It is a rough time, to be certain, and Rome is dysfunctional at best, but I can’t divorce myself from the Church even while I seek to deepen my spirituality and commitment to justice through the Eucharistic Community and otherwise.

  14. Themes – Suggestions for other Core Beliefs All are Welcome Love Lay Ministry Community Ministry/Outreach/Justice Acceptance/Equality Other Christian Focused Prayer

  15. Other thoughts – where we are heading? • I am delighted with the gifts and talents that I see emerging already. There is much to be shared. While I want some structure, I don’t want us to get overly concerned if everything is not perfect. Our most important task is to have prayerful and rich liturgies. Our new adventure is both exciting and scary. We just have to listen to the spirit.

  16. Other thoughts – where we are heading? • I have no doubt this will occur, but I think this IEC should continue to have regular dialogue and meetings with St. Catherine’s resident priest, parish employees and lay leadership/membership. This is essential if this IEC hopes to work cooperatively with St. Catherine’s on social justice issues, such as El Salvador, or hopes to re-merge with St. Catherine’s at some point in the future. This IEC should also attempt to have some regular dialogue with the Bishop and the Diocese. As noted in some of the IEC literature, change in the establishment often occurs from the outside, but only if we continue regular and respectful dialogue.

  17. Other thoughts – where we are heading? • I would like to say how much this community has helped me to express some feelings that I have been struggling with for some time. If this had not happened, I would have quit going to church and lost an important part of my faith. • Keep talking. Those who disagree aren’t against us, they just have different views.

  18. Other thoughts – where we are heading? • I think the most important function we can serve as a faith community is to recognize that we are all on our journeys, that in our quiet moments we are each aware of the destinations we seek. As a community, we can aid each other in our journeys by sharing meaningful readings, thoughts that were “light bulb” moments for us, making a sincere effort to listen and support each other especially during difficult times, and not limiting our caring to our community but seeking opportunities to offer aid and comfort in the broader community and world.

  19. Other thoughts – where we are heading? • I think the IEC effort and experience have been incredibly energizing, empowering and humbling to date. While I commented on the need to avoid new hierarchy, I’d like to stress that I couldn’t be more impressed with those who’ve led these early efforts and with their selflessness. I sense no power trips, but a respect and encouragement for an active role for each member. The IEC is a source of incredible blessings for us all and has prompted a re-engagement on my part – someone who’d fallen into the “show up once a week and let the mind drift” mode. Thanks!

  20. Discussion • Impressions, observations • What needs to happen next – how to facilitate dialogue? • If direction, when? After service or separate?

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