COMMUNICATIONS AT ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH – PART 2

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

    On December 15, I wrote in the Carpenter about communication here at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The parish uses many communication platforms to convey messages to our community. Some examples of these are social media platforms, the website, e-newsletters, and the bulletin. To offer the best information and opportunities to our parish, we need to continue to improve our communication.

In December, the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) approved a proposal to improve communications in the parish. This proposal created three new ministry committees: the Communications Advisory Committee, the Communications Ministry, and the Media Ministry.

First, the Communications Advisory Committee will be formed by 5-7 parishioners who have experience in the area of communication. The purpose of this committee is to:

• Meet quarterly to evaluate the effectiveness of the communication plan and measure the results.
• Make recommendations for changes in communication tools.
• Annually create the parish-wide communication plan.
• Conduct a 6-month review of the communication process.
The Advisory Committee is led by Janine Wilson, a parishioner who helped the parish create a communication plan in 2012. It is time to update that plan in order to integrate new technologies and initiatives in communication. Janine will be a great leader for this committee.

Second, the Communications Ministry will be formed by leaders from each of the six commissions here at St. Joseph’s as well as parish staff members who work in the area of communication. The six commissions are Accountability, Community Building, Faith Formation, Prayer & Worship, Social Justice & Service, and Youth Ministry. Each commission will have one member represent them in the Communications Ministry. In addition, the Parish Communications Coordinator, School Communications Coordinator, Bulletin Editor, the Director of Technology, and a clergy delegate will be part of this ministry. The purpose of the Communications Ministry is to:
• Meet monthly to assist with the execution of the communication plan.
• Execute on the creation of the messages.
• Coordinate and approve all communication from ministries.
• Create a 90-day communication plan for review.
The Communications Ministry is led by Anna Roeser, the Parish Director of Administration and Staff Lead of the
Accountability Commission. She will be a wonderful leader for our ministry.

Third, the Media Ministry will be formed by volunteers from the parish who want to help us improve media outreach. The purpose of this ministry is to support St. Joseph Catholic Church in the execution of:
• Photography
• Social media content
• Live streaming 
• Video production

We are especially seeking help during weekend Masses. The Media Ministry is led by Lindee Katdare, the parish Communications Coordinator. She has been with the parish for several years and will be a tremendous leader for this ministry. If you have skills in graphic design, communication, digital media, marketing, public relations, or any related field, or if you are willing to learn, I invite you to contact us. We are open to anyone who will help us move beyond our parish walls through this initiative. Call the parish office at 847-362-2073.

The only way our parish will move forward is if we all work together. This communication plan will bring life into our parish and provide valuable information to our community. 

May the Lord bless our parish and all people who come in through our doors. May the Lord also bless all the people who cannot join us in person, but who remain connected to their parish through our communication platforms.

Happy New Year, St. Joseph Catholic Church parishioners!