|  What
keeps a parish alive
A look at parish sustainability
Meeting the everyday needs of people is really what
parish sustainability is all about. Yes, the Sunday
offerings and financial health of a parish are factors but,
so too are the parish’s ability to sustain a volunteer
base, parish staff, facilities, education and formation opportunities
and much more. This month FAITH, looks at the third aspect
of the Parish Evaluation Inventory (PEI) – sustainability.
During the diocese’s scheduled 50-year strategic process
for Planning Tomorrow’s Churches, all parishes –
and the diocese as a whole – are going through a progression
of thorough reflection that will lead toward increased parish
effectiveness within the diocese’s 10-county area.
This article focuses on parish sustainability – one
of the three aspects of the PEI. The other two aspects have
been highlighted in the past two FAITH Magazine issues –
sacramental nature of the parish (September issue) and parish
as disciple (July/August issue).
 What
is parish sustainability?
In essence, it is a parish’s ability to maintain its
mission and facilities, according to Diocese of Lansing director
of pastoral planning, Sister Rita Wenzlick, OP.
How does the Diocesan Coordinating Commission determine
which parishes are sustainable and which are not?
This question gets down to brass tacks – is it all about
the dollars? No, it’s not.
Though the diocese and parishes are non-profit, they must
work in the world – where financial projections and
the ability to maintain facilities and programs are realities.
However, this is not the only overriding consideration when
determining a parish or school’s sustainability. Many
of the programs that carry out the teaching, social and sanctifying
mission of the church rely on capable human resources –
vested parishioners and staff who devote countless hours of
time to ensure that programs offered to the faithful meet
their needs and are successful.
If the programming and the finances are not meeting the parish’s
mission, then that parish or school may not be sustainable.
 Isn’t
the sustainability measurement biased against older parishes
– those with an aging infrastructure and population?
Absolutely not. A building can be a century old, but its parish
can be more vital than a community that was founded just a
decade ago. One important factor is the maintenance of the
facility – are accommodations being made for the deaf
and physically impaired? Sometimes it is the simple things
that factor in, such as keeping the grounds tidy.
“It doesn’t cost much to sweep the floors and
clean the windows,” says Sister Rita. “Dollars
aren’t always necessary. It’s the ways that parishes
bring about change through people that make the difference.
It’s all about the charisma of a community and how they
are meeting the needs in the community.”
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Sustaining a Community
Christ the King – Flint
For the past 18 years, Christ the King Parish in Flint
has opened its doors and the hearts of the neighboring community
through an annual African-American Festival. Its purpose is
an intergenerational sharing of the African-American culture
through food, entertainment and goodwill.
Though the parish is home to approximately 200 parishioners
– 50 of whom participate in the planning and implementation
of the celebration – attendance at the festival averages
between 300 and 500.
“When we developed this program, we didn’t envision
making a profit, we just wanted to cover our costs,”
says Sister Joanne Fedewa, SLW, pastoral coordinator of Christ
the King. “We have always paid the bills, but the festival
isn’t a fundraising affair, it’s about meeting
a parish goal.”
The two-day event begins on the third Saturday in July. It
includes a barbeque – complete with chicken and ribs,
collard greens, corn on the cob, baked and green beans and
a plethora of desserts. The festivities start early in the
day with music like jazz, rhythm and blues, and hip-hop bands.
There are African dancers and gospel singers. There are games
for the little ones – a “moon walk,” an
obstacle course, and limousine rides. Big kids also have games
– there’s a golf tournament thrown in just in
case someone can’t find enough to do. The next morning,
parishioners and community members gather at Mass to continue
their renewal of faith and commitment toward building stronger
bonds.
“This isn’t the only program we do,” says
Sister Joanne. “We offer a multitude of other services
– Bible sharing, adult and children’s choir, Communion
services, ballroom dancing. It is all dependent upon what
the faith community desires and can maintain.”
And, that is what sustainability is all about.
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Sustainability
The parish community has collaborated in developing a clear
vision of what it wants the parish to become, has taken ownership
of that vision and has developed a corresponding clear mission
and pastoral plan to carry out that vision.
PEI criteria:
• Is the lay leadership reflective of the makeup of
the parish, and how does the parish encourage such leadership
to emerge?
• Does the parish have an active parish council that,
under the leadership of the pastor/pastoral coordinator, serves
as a keeper of the parish vision and the developer of the
parish pastoral plan? (Canon 536)
• Is stewardship a way of life and an integral part
of parish spirituality?
• Is the work of the parish supported by parishioners’
active participation through stewardship of their time, talent
and treasure?
• Does the parish have an active finance council to
assist the pastor in managing parish finances?
• Does the parish operate on a balanced budget? Income
should keep pace with the increases in operating costs of
the parish for the next 5 years.
• Can the parish afford to hire professional lay staff?
• Can the parish maintain its operations without depleting
reserves or capital investments?
• Are cash reserves adequate to support parish operations
for a minimum of six months?
• Do the facilities support quality ministry?
• Can persons with disabilities, those who are deaf
or hard of hearing, and elderly access key services provided
by the parish?
• Does the parish have a permanent church building with
enough seating capacity? Is the church aesthetically
appealing and liturgically appropriate?
• Are the facilities without major structural weaknesses
that would limit their long-term use or put the health or
safety of occupants at risk?
• Are any major repairs required in the next five years
identified, and does a funding plan exist to ensure they are
completed?
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