Simple Evangelizing

Details: 19 August 2011

Evangelization: now there’s a word that many people do not understand and many are even afraid of!

Why? Most often it is because evangelization is not understood, and most folks do not feel they have developed a foundation firm enough to answer the questions of inquirers.

We really need not be afraid of this word, but we do need to learn about evangelization and just what it is because we otherwise will miss opportunities each day to share with others what God is doing in our lives. We are first and foremost sons and daughters of the Living God. Being a member of God’s family through Baptism is a most precious gift, and it can lead to quite an exciting adventure!

There are many kinds of evangelization: teaching, preaching, inviting someone to an event in the parish, meeting your neighbors, talking with someone on the job, sharing how God has answered your prayers, praying for those in need, offering understanding and truth to another…and the list goes on. A chance to evangelize could be presented to us at any minute of the day if we are open to the opportunities that the Holy Spirit offers.

One way to evangelize is to work at being a welcoming parish. This is happening at my parish, St. Michael Church in Cheney. This small parish always has been considered friendly, known by some as "The Little Church with a Big Heart." Today, our little parish finds itself growing rapidly, so it has become more difficult to know our fellow parishioners.

For this reason, the pastor put together a team of parishioners to visit the homes of newcomers and invite them to become active in the parish. He sends a note to each new family soon after they register. Then the home visitation team delivers information about the parish and personally extends a hand of friendship.

The new parishioners are invited to various events and told about the daily life of the parish. They are encouraged to become involved in some aspect of parish life and are given a Bible, a Catechism of the Catholic Church and a history book of the parish. The purpose of the home visit is to meet each family face to face and open the door to friendship and fellowship as they become part of the parish. Each home visit seems to be as meaningful for the visitors as it is for those being visited. The visitors have a renewed interest in meeting all the parishioners they don’t know and themselves have learned more about the goings-on in the parish.

Our relationship with Christ grows as our relationship with the Body of Christ grows. We bring Jesus to newcomers in the act of welcoming them to the parish and they return Jesus to us as we get to know them. Our parish home visits have been a blessing to all involved and it is something that many can do in their parishes informally as much as I am doing it at the behest of my pastor.

As we receive Jesus in the Eucharist and are "sent out" by Him to tell others the Good News, parishes are strengthened and the "joy of the Lord" is experienced. Happy visiting! Happy evangelizing!