Presenters: Jeff Korgen, Secretariat for The ROUNDTABLE of Diocesan Social Action Directors Jan Jamroz, Director of Catholic Charities, Parish Social Ministry in Rockville Center

In a room full of parish and diocesan leaders, they were asked “What works in “recruiting, engaging and education new leaders” and here are the best practices:

• Bring social justice programs into sacramental life of the church
• Organize small groups that meet regularly on a theme such as “Woman in faith”
• Keep focused on what the church community is focused on, not what you want the parish to do.
• Engage young families through summer camps, Baptismal preparation, or organize a child care ministry for married folks.
• Incorporate pictures and stories in the bulletin
• Bring celebration into the ministry so it is not all work, but a celebration of each other and the great work for God being done.
• Create follow-up discussions on the parish website.
• Organize Pastoral Institutes and engage social ministry there.
• Teach “Two Feet of Charity and Justice” as a both/and approach.
• Teach and provide a discussion group for Deus Caritas Est and “Social Charity”
• Incorporate citizenship responsibility into all aspects of social ministry, such as Bread for the World, Oxfam, CRS, SDWP, CCUSA.
  • Educate people on the social encyclicals
  • Encourage the social ministry committee to choose the issues, not a staff Member.
  • Organize an Institute around legislative advocacy and CST
• Create assessment to discover the diversity of ethnic groups and do not mistake thinking they should be recipients of help, but in fact, that they are a rich source of leaders and organizers.
• The key to social ministry is relationship building.
• Provide small grants for social ministry programs.
• If a social ministry program has low or little energy, you can close the program.
• Make sure people meet Jesus in every event or program.
• Constant attention needed in training and formation of new and old volunteers.
• One catalyst for Social Ministry is an intergenerational event.
• Do not forget to train the liturgical ministry leaders in social ministry.
• Get JustFaith into your parish or diocese.
• Organize a “Time, Talent, Treasure Fair”.
• Seize opportunities to respond to parishioner interest, rather than your own interest.
• Highlight the “Joy” of service…community, learning new things etc.
• Train and encourage volunteers to be the recruiters for new volunteers.
• Use “word of mouth” to invite in addition to strategic invitations.

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