Goals for the Year Ahead

The Year Ahead

At our parish/ Rebuilt's home parish, Church of the Nativity, we measure our years from Labor Day to Memorial Day. Within that time frame, we also mark major weekends or seasons that correspond to the Church’s Liturgical year and our parish’s strategic initiatives for the year.

Here’s how the coming year is shaping up.  Do you have a similar planned rhythm of the year determined in advance at your parish?

• Kick Off Weekend | September 7 & 8
  Our first major milestone is the Kick Off Weekend, including the reintroduction of the 5:30pm Sunday evening Mass. This weekend is not just a date on the calendar; it’s the launch of our year-long journey. Kick Off Weekend is when we lay the groundwork for everything that follows. It’s a time to rally our community, cast a bold vision, and awaken the passion that will fuel our efforts for everything to come.
  
  
• Stewardship Sunday | November 23 & 24
  Next comes Stewardship Sunday, where our primary goal is to encourage participation in the stewardship of our parish. This isn’t just about financial contributions but about fostering a spirit of generosity that reflects our shared commitment to our mission. This is also the weekend we celebrate the parish and our parishioners.
  
  
• Advent | November 30 – December 23
  As we enter the season of Advent, our goal is spiritual preparation for the Nativity. Through our weekend Liturgies, daily devotionals, opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration and Confession, and service projects we aim at an environment of lively hope.
  
  
• Christmas Eve | December 24
  A major achievement of this past year was our wonderful return to the Cow Palace (at the Maryland State Fair), an evening of real joy. Once again this year our aim is that this service be a beacon of hope and light, for our parishioners, the larger north Baltimore community and everyone joining us on line or on Catholic TV (where the Mass is broadcast each year).
  
  
• Lent | March 6 – April 16
  A beautiful season of penance and prayer will begin with 40 hours of prayer and adoration on Ash Wednesday. Besides all the usual Lenten offerings, we are in the early stages of planning something very different and quite special this year, so stay tuned.
  
  
• Holy Week | April 12 - 20
  Easter is the pinnacle of our Liturgical year because the resurrection is the pinnacle of our faith. Our goal is to make this celebration, and the whole week leading up to it, powerful and transformative. We want to create worship experiences that deeply resonate with our congregation, renewing them in the hope found in the resurrection of Christ. Additionally, we aim to use this season as an opportunity to reach out to those who may have drifted from the Church, offering them a pathway back, an open door, and a sincere welcome.
  
  
• Rebuilt Conference | June 2 & 3
  The Rebuilt Conference will be a key event of the year ahead where our goal is to inspire, encourage and equip Church leaders from across the county and further afield. We want to share our journey with authenticity and transparency, offering practical strategies and real insights that others can apply in their own ministries. Our vision is to be a catalyst for Church renewal, helping parishes go wider and deeper in evangelization and discipleship.

Overall, we have a very excited year ahead, and none of this can be accomplished without the vision and dedication of our amazing parish staff. They’re excited about what’s ahead and we want our parishioners to be too! 

As we pass Labor Day and enter this new year, we hope you also will consider what your parish's year looks like in advance - where you will draw parishioners and newcomers alike into your community for evangelization and discipleship.