The Mission Strategy Drafting Team is meeting weekly over the summer to create a draft of a new mission strategy for the Diocese of Massachusetts.
The team is taking input and data from listening events held around the diocese earlier this year, as well as from the bishops, demographic studies, Diocesan Council and other sources.
The draft mission strategy will be available in early August. After its release, the team will hold multiple forums around the diocese, inviting members of the diocesan community to imagine how the mission strategy might give shape and life to the shared ministries of the diocese in the near future.
Forums will be held on:
• Sunday, Aug. 14, 3-4:30 p.m. at St. Cyprian’s Church (1073 Tremont Street) in Roxbury;
• Monday, Aug. 15, 7-8:30 p.m. at Grace Church (385 Essex Street) in Salem;
• Tuesday, Aug. 16, 7-8:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church (3055 Main Street) in Barnstable;
• Tuesday, Aug. 16, 7-8:30 p.m. at All Saints’ Church (121 North Main Street) in Attleboro;
• Wednesday, Aug. 17, 7-8:30 p.m. at Christ Church (12 Quincy Avenue) in Quincy; and
• Sunday, Aug. 21, 3-4:30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Church (7 Faulkner Street) in Ayer.
Phone and online surveys also will be available for those who cannot attend a forum in person. The surveys will be open Aug. 8-22, online at tinyurl.com/draftforum and by phone, toll free, at 855-208-5877.
A bulletin insert is available here to help spread the word in congregations.
Areas in the draft needing strengthening or retooling may be adjusted after the August forums as the team readies a proposed mission strategy for the Diocesan Council in September and then for final approval by the annual Diocesan Convention in November.
The team asks members of the diocesan community to plan to participate in one of the forums or a survey, and to continue to hold the team and the whole diocese in prayer during this process.
Questions may be directed to diomassmission@gmail.com. Additional information and updates, as they become available, are posted at www.diomass.org/new-mission-strategy.
August forums set for feedback on mission strategy draft
July 05, 2016