push such people to become more involved, for they often have other commitments or issues that keep them from doing so. Other volunteers can naturally also become involved in the one-day projects, but it is important for the once-in-a-while volunteers to feel that their contribution is just as valuable or the will not return.
There is a saying of Jesus of Nazareth that when you do good, your left hand should not know what your right hand is doing . This describes the state of parish service very well, but for the wrong reason. The purpose of the saying is to mean that you should not brag, even to yourself, about the good that you are doing. In the parish right now it means that each group works independently without any idea of the goals and projects of the others.
The new communication system would include several resources that parishioners could access to learn about programs in the parish. There would also be a parish calendar where events, meetings, and projects could be posted to inform the parishioners and prevent conflicts. Finally, a parish ôbulletin boardö would help individuals and groups to contact each other.
Americans are easy recruits to help people. Our family histories all include times when people had to either pull together and help each other or perish. However, self-reliance is also a very American trait. We like to be heroes, not victims. All too often in American Parishes there are more hands to d
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