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64 Things you can do around your parish

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The following is a list of 64 specific ways you can become involved in your parish. It certainly does not exhaust all of the many other ways to become more involved in ministry. After reading these items, begin to make a list of other positive ways to dig into the ongoing work of your parish. Share your life with others. Then prioritize them and mark the top five choices. Within the next few months, make a "contract" with yourself to work on these five items. Then go on to other action. It's a good way to continue an active role in your parish.
And remember, the Church cannot exist in isolation and neither can you! Look for support from others around you. Talk with them about how you can minister to people through your parish
1.	Take the mission of the Church seriously!
2.	Take the work of Christ seriously!
3.	Don't always take yourself seriously!
4.	Seek support from others. Choose two or three people to get to know better.
5.	Seek support from your priest. We bet he'd be glad to hear your ideas, problems, whatever, and be more than willing to help out.
6.	Find ways for youth and adults to do things together.
7.	See God at work in your daily life. He's really there!
8.	See the parish as a place to go, to get strenghened, to get excited, to learn... check out its Library!
9.	See the Liturgical life of your parish as its strongest point. Participate regularly in the Divine Liturgy, as well as vespers, Lenten Services, etc... Do this as a family and/or with friends!
10.	Don't see the Church as a place to hide, get only "good feelings" as an end in itself.
11.	Volunteer your talents to your priest and parish council.
12.	Volunteer to serve on a parish committee, not as a "token" but as a person interested in sharing and working... you know, I bet the Youth Ministry can use your help!
13.	Share your feelings with others.
14.	Visit an elderly parishioner this week and let him or her know the parish cares. Maybe you can give him or her a helping hand in some way, too.
15.	Start a study group or class and encourage others to join you.
16.	Meet with a few others to discuss how to help the priest in visiting the sick, the shut-ins & elderly.
17.	Organize a retreat. Encourage everyone to come.
18.	Ask you non-Orthodox friends how they are involved in the ministry of their churches.
19.	Smile at others.
20.	Dream dreams of what you'd like to have happen in your parish. Dreams sometimes come true!
21.	Take the initiative to become active in some group or project! Don't wait to be asked.
22.	Get a group together to help clean the Church before the "big" days of celebration.
23.	Listen to the opinions of others. This could inspire you to do something!
24.	Encourage your Church to support the Youth Ministry, both youth and adults.
25.	Worship as a family next Sunday. Discuss the meaning of the Liturgy on the way home.
26.	Be brave and volunteer to read the Epistle some Sunday... check with the Choir Director first.
27.	Tell your priest that you like him He needs encouragement too!
28.	Invite your friends to attend Liturgy with you.
29.	Talk to an "inactive" person in your parish. See what his or her reactions are to your parish.
30.	Set up a Bible study group for those who want some sharing and strength - try a Wednesday night.
31.	Tell the Choir Director that you have a terrific voice and want to join the choir.
32.	Teach Church School. You might even help them with their "arts and crafts."
33.	Encourage and support the Children's Choir, the Bell Choir... all of our angels!
34.	Support the Church library - call the librarian to see how you can help.
35.	Invite your priest and his family over for supper sometime.
36.	If your priest has children, ask his wife if she needs help bringing them to participate in the various programs. (You'll never get a "no" on this one!)
37.	Contribute to the Church regularly, especially through it Stewardship Program - remember it's your Church too! Remember that nothing will be accomplisehd without it being for His glory!
38.	Pray tonight that your total parish will see God at work in the parish and the world.
39.	Observe the major Holy days by at least attending evening Services.
40.	Remember the person who always complains about the parish. A little positive talk might just get him or her to see things a little differently. Speak to them, they're probably looking for someone to listen.
41.	Make two lists, one saying "negative feelings" I have about my parish, and the other saying "positive feelings" about my parish. Make a list of your feelings. Jot down as many as you can. Then share them with someone - a good friend, your priest, parish council member or parent.
42.	Take this list and ask yourself - 1) How can I change some of these negative feelings? 2) Whose problem are the negative feelings, mine, or someone else's? 3) How did I develop the positive feelings I have? 4) Are these feelings similar to the ones I had five years ago?
43.	Volunteer your services around the Church grounds. Just pick up trash (anywhere) and dispose of it!
44.	Volunteer your services around the Church cemetery. This is a sacred place worthy of remembering!
45.	Put signs up on the Church bulletin boards tht would help negative people feel more positively.
46.	Read a few books on Orthodoxy. Discuss them with others who have read them.
47.	Encourage your priest to continue his involvement with the Church School and offer your assistance.
48.	Make a tape-recording of the Liturgy for a shut-in.
49.	Make a tape-recording of an Orthodox book or pamphlet for someone who is blind.
50.	Challenge the youth and adults to a softball, volleyball or basketball game.
51.	Get a group together to have a picnic on the Church grounds... this could be a lot of fun for all ages.
52.	Take a survey and find out the interests of others in the parish. How can these interests and talents be used in building up the parish?
53.	Find out how your parish is structured. Visit with your priest, parish council president, Church School Coordinator, Choir Director, Youth Ministry Director. Offer to help where possible.
54.	Take part in your parish meetings. Don't depend on rumors or gossip to get "the news" on what's happening. Attending a General Assembly is the best place to start!
55.	Make up food baskets for the underprivileged at Thanksgiving, Christmas... anytime.
56.	Offer your help in the Church office with parish mailings.
57.	Prepare for and receive Communion regularly, frequently, weekly!
58.	Offer to help with the worst job arond the parish - like cleaning the kitchen or Church grounds.
59.	Try to get your brain thinking of other specific ways to be involved in the ministries of your parish (go ahead - you can do better than this list.)
60.	Always remember - YOU are the Church, you are important. Because of your Baptism and Chrismation, "I have called you by name; you are Mine!" (Isaiah 43:1)
61.	Arrange to have pictures taken of Church functions and collect these as archives for the parish history.
62.	Get a group together and bake "prosphoron" or learn how to make "koliva."
63.	Hve a "get-together" for the youth of the parish... a picnic, a dance, a potluck dinner, a July Jubilee!
64.	Discuss things informally with your priest.