“Please share your time and talent by getting involved”

When Jesus ascended into Heaven, he commissioned his disciples to go, and make other disciples. That command is the defining mission of the Church, whereby every member of the Church does not keep the gift of faith to him or herself, but shares it. That is what it means to be a disciple. The prospect of sharing one’s faith can be an intimidating one, and yet, as St. Francis is credited with reminding us, the spreading of the Gospel is often less a matter of words and more a way of life: “Preach the Gospel always. When necessary, use words.” The Mission of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, as stated proudly on the front cover of our bulletin, is “to bring our community into a living relationship with Christ.” As such, “Every Member a Minister” is the goal toward which we strive: that every member of OLGC, commissioned by Christ in Baptism and filled with the Holy Spirit, would not keep the light of faith to themselves, but willingly share it through a commitment to loving Christian service, thereby incarnating the Risen Christ in the world today, being living sharers of the Gospel. It is my hope that this Guide to Ministries at OLGC aids each of us in fulfilling our Lord’s command to go and make more disciples. I ask you, if not already involved with some form of ministry, to ask the Lord in prayer where He is calling you, and to boldly accept His invitation. “And may God, who has already begun this good work in you, bring it to fulfillment.” (Phil. 1:6) Sincerely in Christ,