Evangelization!  What does it mean?  According to Webster’s dictionary evangelization is the noun for the verb to evangelize which means to preach the Gospel to, or to convert or seek to convert someone to Christianity.  The immediate results of a quick online search states that evangelization means bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel.

    In the Catholic Church, evangelization is the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others, using words and actions, with the goal of converting people and society to follow Jesus and join the Catholic Church. It is considered a central mission of the Church and a calling for all disciples of Christ.

    If we are truly in love with Jesus and surrender our lives to serve Him, then we have a strong desire to evangelize.  Nothing brings us more joy than sharing our faith and witnessing others coming into the faith of the church.

      In Northwest Five we have seven parishes with around four thousand faithful attending Sunday mass every week.  Each and every one of us has a responsibility to serve our brothers and sisters in our parishes, our communities and beyond.  There are many different situations, stories, and life experiences that need healing, forgiveness, support, and love.  There are so many opportunities for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people that God calls us to serve in a large variety of ways.

    I am excited, enthusiastic, and humbled as the Evangelization Coordinator for our Family of Parishes.  I see that the Spirit of God has already raised up so many wonderful ministries in all the parishes here in Northwest Five, and is calling us forward together to grow these ministries and to initiate and raise up new opportunities in order to serve all people womb to tomb, so that they may encounter the love of Jesus Christ in their lives. 

    I am at your service to support you in any way that I can.  In the coming weeks I will be sharing with you here in the bulletin some of the ministry efforts and some of the evangelization challenges that we are facing.  There is so much to be thankful for, yet there is so much work to do.

     "For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"-Jeremiah 29:11.  God is calling all of us out of our comfort zones to share our gifts in building the kingdom of God.  If you have questions about or feel called to volunteer for existing ministries, or have ideas for new ministry possibilities and new evangelization efforts, do not hesitate to contact me.  You can email, text, or call.  My email address is [email protected].  My cell# is (937)638-0969.  

    I am your direct link to Father Ned who is extremely busy with all the responsibilities of being the Pastor of seven parishes.  Alone it is easy to feel overwhelmed and think that there is very little we can do in a culture that pushes back against faith and family.  However, when we join together to move forward in our evangelization efforts, suddenly our eyes can be opened up to a wide variety of new and exciting possibilities.  

    Lord, Jesus, help us to open ourselves up to the outpouring of your Holy Spirit and inspire in us new life, love, and unity.  Help us to serve each other and bring many more people into new life in Jesus Christ and into the sacramental life of the church.  Help us Lord, to evangelize!