I. Introduction

This 1st draft internal short form plan (Mission, Values, Vision, Goals and Objectives) for St. Mary Magdalen Parish is the result of work accomplished before, during and since the initial Planning Retreat April 25-26.  Two more Planning Retreats are scheduled for September 12-13 and October 24-25.  Several work groups are focusing on the relationship between the parish and the Catholic School, the Adult Center and the Early Learning Center.  In addition, Information Technology and Cultural Competence assessments will be completed.

A final plan will be recommended by the Futuring Team to Fr. Charlie Mitchell and the Pastoral Council for review, amendment and approval in November or December 2008.  An internal management document or long form plan (Goals, Objectives, Action Steps, Measures, Budget Implications and Responsibilities) is also being developed to assist with ongoing implementation and evaluation.

Implementation will be for the five-year period beginning January 1, 2009, the start of St. Mary Magdalen’s 50th anniversary year.  The sections in this draft plan are as follows:

1. Introduction
2. Theme & Scriptural Reflectino
3. Mission Statement
4. Value Statements
5. Vision Statements
6. Goal Statements
7. Goal & Objective Statements

II. Theme & Scriptural Reflection

Theme: Looking back in Gratitude. . . Looking forward in Hope

Scriptural Reflection for the St. Mary Magdalen Parish Plan:

"I thank my God every time I remember you,  constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.  I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ.  It is right for me to think this way about all of you, for all of you share in God's grace with me, in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel.  And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God."  (Philippians 1:3-7, 9-11)

All scriptural reflections are offered as a way to help reviewers of this and future drafts pray with and for this process and have a faith context for the plan. 

III. Mission Statement

Why does St. Mary Magdalen Parish exist?  What is its identity and purpose?  What makes the parish unique or distinctive?  This statement is usually 30 words or less without jargon and is able to be recited from memory. 

Thirteen mission statement drafts, as well as the current mission statement, were reviewed and discussed during the first Planning Retreat.  What follows are the three drafts that were given highest priority at the end of the April Planning Retreat.

St. Mary Magdalen Mission Statement Drafts

• St. Mary Magdalen Parish places God first in all things, proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and grows in holiness through prayer, sacraments and service.
• St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Community, placing God first in all things, comes together to love as Christ loves, and to serve as Christ serves.
• Believing in the supremacy and centrality of Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church of St. Mary Magdalen, we, the parishioners hereby devote ourselves to Jesus in Worship, Gospel, Service, Community, Hospitality.  Amen.

IV. Value Statements

These statements reflect the core values or key beliefs of St. Mary Magdalen Parish.  They are often implicit within organizations, but are most helpful when made explicit.  Values are important for a planning process because they are guiding principles of conduct.  Will living out these values help the parish faith community live out its mission and live into its vision?

Retreat participants developed six lists of possible values and then selected two lists as their preferred starting point for further consideration.  The list below represents a combination of the previous lists.

Draft Value Statement List

St. Mary Magdalen Parish values . . .

• Catholic Education
• Creative, vibrant liturgy
• Empowering and nurturing the family
• Eucharist as the center of our faith
• Evangelization to and respect for all cultural communities and nationalities
• Recognizing the worth of every individual from conception to old age
• Spiritual strength, lifelong faith formation and ongoing conversion
• Stewardship in all aspects
• A welcoming spirit and authentic inclusion into community

V. Vision Statement

What will St. Mary Magdalen Parish look like once its mission is fully realized?  This is a longer statement, usually more poetic, and written in the present tense as if the vision has been accomplished.  This is also a “seeing” statement and expresses the hoped for results of living out a Mission and the achievement of multiple goals.

Draft St. Mary Magdalen Vision Statement

Welcome to St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Community of Saints! We are a prayerful people, a holy people, rooted in Christ and centered on the Eucharist. Every step we take, every action we make is dedicated to praising and thanking God. You will notice how we do this by our fruits – all our Masses are overflowing, as members arrive early to catch-up on each other’s lives, support one another with life’s challenges, and greet newcomers and first-time visitors into our parish family. The music, the lectoring, the homilies, the serving – all aspects of our liturgies nourish our members for the coming week and challenge us to live out our call to be disciples in the modern world. And it continues as we pray 24 hours-a-day, 7 days- a-week, 52 weeks-a-year, for St. Mary Magdalen is known within the Central Florida Community as THE HOUSE of PRAYER.

Yet, the Mass never ends, it is lived as each member brings Christ to everyone we meet. In our quest to be Sacrament to one another – to be the presence of God, we focus on acting justly with our families, with our neighbors, with our fellow parishioners, within our workforce, and with all people we meet. We also care for those beyond these family boundaries to others with greater needs – to the hungry, homeless, lonely and suffering in our immediate neighborhoods, and out to the impoverished in the United States and the world – especially with our adopted “sister parishes” in Biloxi, Mississippi, and the Dominican Republic. We give of our time, talent and treasure with selfless stewardship to improve their lives and by doing so, improve our own..

Our community is like a garden, with a variety of flowers, plants and trees, each one unique and diverse; yet together we make a beautiful and unified flowering arboretum.  We have many viable and accountable ministries that work together toward our common mission.  We speak many languages of the Love of God. We integrate the strengths and talents of each of our members and build a parish that is a life-long “faith center”.  This means that the parish is the gathering space of our lives, where we provide whole-life catechesis – from womb to tomb.  At our core is the promotion of our faith and we do this by embracing God’s gift of technology to communicate Christ’s message. Each of our members is on fire with the faith, and we are not afraid to share it with you (using words only when necessary)!   We love God, walking in all his ways, obeying his commands, holding fast to him and serving him with all of our heart, our soul, our strength and our mind.  We invite you to be a partner with us to complete God’s mission – the Gospel!

Goal Statements

These statements are specific points that St. Mary Magdalen Parish seeks to attain.  A vision usually represents the achievement of multiple goals, while goals are typically stepping stones toward a vision.  Goals are long term in nature and do not usually change during a planning period.

The participants during the April Planning Retreat developed four goal lists and then prioritized a “Top Two.”  From those two lists, Futuring Committee members indicated their “Top 6” goals and offered sample objectives.  The consultants reviewed the “voting” results and have developed the following new draft set of goals for review by the Futuring Committee during the May 29th phone meeting.

New Draft Goal Statements

Goal & Objective Statements

These statements answer the question, “What will St. Mary Magdalen Parish need to do in the long term (goals) and short term (objectives) in order to live into its vision?”  To be useful, objectives must specify goals and action steps need to be SMART: Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Responsibilities Identified; Time-bound.

The process of identifying specific action steps, measurables, budget implications and the people responsible for implementation is important as part of an internal management or implementation plan.

The Futuring Team has suggested scriptural reflections for each goal area.  Readers are encouraged to pray with the specific passage before considering the particular goal and objectives.

Scriptural Reflection for Goal I

And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them.  With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.  Then they said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning (within us) while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?"  So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"  Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24: 30-35)

I. St. Mary Magdalen celebrates God's presence in Word & Sacrament.

1. Ongoing development of quality celebrations
2. Celebration of the different cultures that make up SMM
3. Making the sacraments come alive for the parish
4. Developing outreach to the youth through the Eucharist

Scriptural Reflection for Goal II

That is why I kneel before the God from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name, and I pray that God will bestow on you gifts in keeping with the riches of God’s glory.  May God strengthen you inwardly through the working of his Spirit.  May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, and may charity be the root and foundation of your life.  Thus you will be able to grasp fully , with all the holy ones, the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love, and experience this love which surpasses all knowledge, so that you may attain to the fullness of God.  To God whose power now at work in us can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine – to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, world without end.  Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

II. St. Mary Magdalen promotes life-long faith formation.

1. Deepen the faith experience of our young children.
2. Continue providing faith formation experiences for teens and young adults.
3. Support adults and older parishioners in their own faith journey.
4. Encourage more small group gatherings.

Scriptural Reflection for Goal III

Train children in the way they should go; even when they are old, they will not swerve from it.  (Proverbs 22:6) 

III. St. Mary Magdalen strengthens the relationships between the Parish & the School, the Early Learning Center & the Adult Center.

1. Enhance communication between our parish and the school and centers.
2. Provide stewardship opportunities for parishioners to help support the school and centers (time, talent, & treasure)
3. Increase financial support to families so more children may attend our school.
4. Invite parishioners to be part of the school and centers and provide opportunities to participate in various education and enrichment activities.
5. Educate the parish about the developing relationship with the school and centers.
6. Address the barriers and issues that keep the relationships from being strong.

Scriptural Reflection for Goal IV

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek the same Lord is Lord of all enriching all who call upon him. And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, " How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! (Romans 10 12, 13 & 15)

IV. St. Mary Magdalen welcomes and nurtures a Faith Community of all ages and cultures.

1. Create an open and welcoming environment for these parishioners .
2. Provide opportunities for different age/cultural groups to work together within each parish ministry.
3. Educate parish members about other age groups, cultures and household types. 
4. Offer classes in both Spanish and English.
5. Address the barriers that keep the parish from embracing all cultures. 

Scriptural Reflection for Goal V

Let no one look down on you because of your youth, but be a continuing example of love, faith and purity to believers.  (1 Timothy 4:12)

V. St. Mary Magdalen supports our Youth and Young Adults as active members of the Community.

1. Develop and support a youth (middle and high school) and young adults ministry that will respond to their needs from where they are.
2. Encourage the active involvement of our youth in service to our parish community and the greater community through various service opportunities during the year.
3. Develop and foster learning opportunities for the youth to work with the children and seniors in our parish community . 
4. Track school and faith formation students, as well as other young parishioners even after they graduate from these programs. 
5. Help young people feel connected and encourage their involvement upon their return from upper level schooling.
6. Research successful young adult ministry programs (locally, state-wide and nationally).
7. Explore the feasibility of sharing young adult ministry with other area Catholic churches.

Scriptural Reflection for Goal VI

Everything in the Heavens and Earth are yours, O Lord, and this is your Kingdom. We adore you as being in control of everything. Riches and Honor come from you alone, and you are the ruler of all humankind; your hands control power and might and it is at your discretion that all are made great and given strength.  (1 Chronicles 29: 11-12)

VI. St. Mary Magdalen fosters Stewardship as a Way of Life.

1. Serve as the house of prayer for the Altamonte Springs/Maitland Area. 
2. Empower the Stewardship Council to foster stewardship as a way of life throughout the parish. 
3. Assist parishioners to discover their God-given gifts and to place them into service.  
4. Live within our means as a parish.  
5. Review all existing ministries in light of the parish mission and values. 

Scriptural Reflection for Goal VII

Then the just will ask him: “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you drink?  When did we welcome you away from home or clothe you in your nakedness?  When did we visit you when you were ill or in prison?”  The king will answer them: “I assure you, as often as you did it for one of my least brothers or sisters, you did it for me."  (Matthew 25:37-40)

VII. St. Mary Magdalen calls all to Direct Service and Actions on behalf of Peace and Justice.

1. Demonstrate the Gospel Message through direct action, providing for basic human needs.  
2. Develop an on-going series of educational opportunities to inform and educate parishioners on issues requiring attention and/or action.  
3. Support and participate in regional, national and international outreach efforts to spread the Word through tangible actions.   
4. Promote the role of the parish and of each individual parish member as an active and effective advocate for those in need.

Scriptural Reflection for Goal VIII

We are servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries.  Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)

VIII. St. Mary Magdalen is a Good Steward of all Human, Financial, Technology, and Facility Resources

1. Develop and implement a staffing plan (paid and volunteer) that will support the new parish plan.   
2. Create a long range financial plan to ensure parish viability.   
3. Enhance ministry and communication through technology.    
4. Review and update the comprehensive facilities plan.