Parish Council Strategic Plan Update
2020-21


 
The Parish Council is excited to update parishioners regarding the five Parish Council Strategic Plan Goals.
Liturgy
Youth Engagement
Education
Communication
Financial Health
All goals have been developed by the St. Peter Parish Council. Each goal’s related activities are being enhanced and implemented by the St. Peter Parish Staff and volunteers. The Parish Council studies each goal’s productivity to ensure relevancy, accountability and transparency with all activities associated with each goal.
 Our Mission Statement is our guide in developing activities to address each goal.
It reads as follows:
 “St. Peter Parish is a welcoming community of different backgrounds living the joy of Catholic Faith in the Diocese of Colorado Springs.
The following are our Strategic Plan Goals and related updates from this past year. 
  1. Liturgy:
Goal: To retain and grow our faith community through a vibrant, joyful, consistent Catholic Mass and special services experience.
Updates:
  • Additional Meditation Time was incorporated into Masses.
  • The projection screens were fully used for prayers and music during masses.
  • A Liturgy Volunteer Retreat is scheduled for the spring.
  • Announcements before Mass have been kept to a minimum.
  • The St. Michael Prayer is recited after each Mass.
  • Christmas Eve and Christmas Masses were held in the church observing state COVID-19 regulations and streamed in the Parish Ministry Center for parishioners to accommodate their personal comfort level.
  • Triduum and Easter Sunday Masses were held in the church and St. Peter gym to accommodate state COVID-19 regulations.
  • Adult/children choir rehearsals and Mass participation were held in observance of COVID-19 and Diocese regulations.
  • Volunteer Ministry Training is on-going, which includes
     conferences, workshops, and seminars.
  • Stephen Ministry Training was held and nine new Stephen Ministers were commissioned by Father Gregory on February
     27,2021.
  • Hospital/Hospice visits have been made by 15 volunteers. 
  • Communion to the Homebound was distributed by four commissioned EMHCs.
 
  1. Youth Engagement:
Goal: To increase and sustain youth participation in the sacramental life, service, and socialization in church related activities.
Updates:
  • A High School Leadership Team has been established to provide plans, input and support for developing the high school teen youth activities.
  • A Youth Council, consisting of five to eight high school teens, is in place to provide input and direction to the Leadership Team to enhance and grow the youth programs.
  • Savio Teens (meaning knowledge) was chosen for the name of the high school youth group.
  • Savio Teens’ game and social nights, Catholic faith enrichment programs, service and related activities are ongoing with an average of 15-25 high school students currently participating three to five times per month.
  • A Praise and Worship Night, open to the parish and sponsored by Savio Teens, on April 17 including live music, testimonies and prayers. Future events as this are under consideration.
  • A variety of communication platforms, now including Flocknote texting capabilities, are being utilized to communicate with teens. 
  • Summer activities for teens will continue.
  • Middle School youth groups meets bi-weekly, separately from Savio Teens, for Catholic faith enhancement and social engagement.
  • Develop a team to continue the discussion to develop and implement ongoing social and educational programs for parents during faith formation classes to begin in the 2021-22 school year.
  • A Graduation Mass is being planned in May to honor our high school and college graduates.
  1. Education:
Goal: To provide engaging, relevant, and dynamic Catholic Children’s and youth faith formation, education, and adult continuing faith education.
Updates:
Faith Formation:
  • Faith Formation classes K-6 were held using a digital subscription along with a workbook.
  • Sacramental support was given to students via Grace Books.
  • Provided support for Homeschool Families through the regular curriculum or using the digital subscription.
  •  Vacation Bible School will be held the week of June 14, 2021.
  • All program volunteers have participated in VIRTUS Diocese Safe Environment Training.
  • Students participated in the following Service Projects: Sock Drive, Penny Wars, Jesse Tree, Advent Activity and the “All Saints Day” Guessing Game.
Confirmation:
  • A 1st and 2nd year retreat for Confirmation students was held in September.
  • Super Bowl of Caring food collection service project for Tri-Lakes Cares was held in February 2021.
  • Created a data base of 11–14-year-old students in our parish to communicate about the confirmation program and encourage attendance. 
School:
  • Provided Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level 1 and 2 for students in Pre-K-4.
  • Purchased new materials that will support the Religion Curriculum.
  • Separate retreats were held for grades 6-8 and K-5 students during Holy Week.
  • A separate retreat was held for just 8th grade students at the end of the school year.
 
  1. Communication:
Goal: To establish “central communication system” of consistent, integrated messaging outreach.
Updates:
  • “Flocknote” messaging application was purchased to communicate with parishioners via email and text messaging. This communication program replaces the phone app. 
  • Vimeo is now being used to live-stream and record Masses.
  • The St. Peter Parish website is updated. Input, updates and photos from ministries are encouraged.
  • Photos and personal stories are being placed in the weekly bulletin, on the website and on social media.
  • Phone calls were made to parishioners along with email messages of encouragement leading up to the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday Season. 
  • Implemented the use of an online calendar to schedule events and coordinate meeting rooms via our parish website.
  • Continue to keep vital communication statistics regarding the reading of the online bulletin, Facebook followers, website visits and Flocknotes usage.
  1. Financial Health:
Goal: To develop a relationship with parishioners that brings them back to Church and makes them feel like a true Owner of this parish and responsible for the over all financial health of St. Peter Catholic Church.
Updates:
  • A quarterly Finance Report has been placed in the bulletin.
  • QR Codes have been applied to church pews, front door, hand sanitizers, PMC, Chapel, School, weekly bulletin, and the school newsletter (“Crusader”).
  • Webinar regarding RMD & IRA contributions has been made available to parishioners. Also, RMD and IRA information has been placed in the weekly bulletin and on the St. Peter Website.
  • Continue to work with St. Peter Staff to gather and maintain accurate email addresses for all parishioners.
  • Provided in the weekly bulletin “Lives Touched” by ministries that require financial backing from the parish.
  • Continue to promote online giving and focus on 2nd collections and non-Sunday Holy Days of Obligation.

***All Strategic Plan Activities that require funding from the Parish are included in the financial statements of the St. Peter Parish Annual Budget.