Create compassionate congregations
Social justice and outreach ministries make parishes vital
Photo from Photos.comIs your parish considering becoming more involved in social outreach? If not, perhaps it should. A recent study by the Hartford Institute for Religious Research found that congregations emphasizing social justice and offering a variety of outreach ministries report higher levels of vitality. In other words, the more involved in justice and outreach programs the congregation is, the more vital and alive it is likely to be.
The study, titled The Compassionate Congregation (PDF, 144 KB), is one in a series of topical explorations produced by the Faith Communities Today (FACT) project using data collected from a national sample of congregations belonging to a variety of denominations and faith traditions (Catholics included). In addition to facts and figures, the study also includes tips and resources to help congregational leaders become more actively engaged in compassionate social ministry.
The key to a vital parish
According to the study, almost 90 percent of congregations and parishes with a strong commitment to justice programs are vital, compared to 75 percent with a moderate commitment and 46 percent with a low commitment. Similarly, almost 80 percent of those congregations with a great deal of involvement in outreach show high vitality, compared to 56 percent of those with low involvement and 46 percent of those with limited involvement.
Another important finding is that congregations and parishes with a strong commitment to social justice and direct participation in community-outreach ministries also are more likely to increase their membership than other congregations. Fifty-seven percent of those congregations highly involved with social justice are growing compared to 44 percent of those minimally involved. (Source: The Compassionate Congregation, p. 3.)
Likewise, 60 percent of those engaged in a wide variety of social ministries are growing while only 40 percent of those without a wide variety of outreach programs are growing.
Connect with young adults
Numbers aside, it makes sense that being active in social justice and outreach ministries improves congregational growth and vitality. Such ministries reach beyond parish walls to expose more non-members to the parish and offer more opportunities for parishioners to become involved and committed. Even more encouraging is the fact that parishes offering a variety of outreach opportunities are attractive to young adults looking for ways to connect their faith with social responsibility.
Are you ready for more outreach?
If your parish is contemplating more involvement in social outreach, the authors offer a series of questions for you to consider:
1. Which level do you most wish to impact: local, national, or international?
Or if you want to pursue multiple levels, what are your priorities? What can your parish do on one or more of these levels?
2. What are the needs and issues in the area you wish to serve (local, national, international)? Get to know your wider community and its needs. What are the root causes of these issues? Demographic studies and other sociological data gathered by the local, state, and federal agencies may be helpful, as might interviews with relevant people and agencies.
3. Which of the types of congregational outreach (social service, education on issues, social witness, or political action) is your parish interested in pursuing? Does the parish want to pursue multiple types? What is your vision?
4. What length and intensity of involvement do you want? Some types of outreach are crisis-care with brief, low investment contact and some are longer-term, heavy commitments. Be sure not to get involved beyond your capacity to sustain the project.
5. What are the resources available to you in terms of time, money, and human resources? How many people in your parish might be interested in donating time or money to this effort? What is the extent of their commitment?
6. What other services already exist to address these needs, and which organizations are currently addressing them? What gaps might there be in current services? If there are gaps in the services being offered, these may be the best focus for your parish. If no gaps exist, determine if current programs fully address the needs. You may decide to start your own program or to partner with an existing program, depending on the answer to these questions.
7. Should your parish partner with other congregations or organizations or go it alone? While this might be determined primarily by the resources available, it may be influenced by your parish’s vision for the project.
Making the switch from a parish where members are used to getting their needs met to one where they are involved in meeting the needs of others may generate some initial resistance, but in the long run may prove to be a blessing for your parish and community.
The term “congregation” throughout the document refers to congregations that are Catholic, Protestant, and interfaith.
David DeLambo, PhD, is the associate director of planning for the Diocese of Cleveland.
