For the vision is a witness for the appointed time; a testimony to the end; it will not disappoint. If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.
—Habakkuk 2:3
Vision is an image or picture of what could be and should be. It is a preferred future in which life is better. Vision says that that the status quo isn’t good enough any more; there is a better way. If you’re serving in a parish, then there are probably lots of things you see that should or could be, even though they’re not actually there. That’s vision.
Vision matters. Your vision can inspire you, but first of all, it is probably going to anger you. Good. Feel the anger; it can be fuel.
Look back over the book and your notes. Refer to the chapter resource pages in this website.
What have you learned in Rebuilt?
You are not alone in your heartbreak as you watch people walk away from the Church in droves. You are not alone in your sadness to see it drift into irrelevance in the lives of so many people, including your own family and friends.
You are not alone in wanting things to go better. You are not alone in believing that the Church should be a place where people connect with their heavenly Father, come to know their Savior, and learn to walk in step with the Holy Spirit. You are not alone in seeking to help lead people into a joyful and loving celebration of the Eucharist. You are not alone in your desire for the Church to provide meaning, purpose, and direction in people’s lives.
You are not alone in expecting life-changing outcomes from the incredible work you’re already doing. You are not alone in wanting your congregation to have a greater impact on your community, connecting more people to Christ.
You are not alone. God is with you.
God desires these changes even more deeply than you do. And perhaps he has placed you exactly where you are, “for such a time as this.”
We are called to give leadership to a movement whose moment has arrived: to rebuild parish life in the Catholic Church in the United States. It is a movement of the whole Body of Christ as well, to take back our Church from casual consumer Christians and put it in the hands of humble and bold believers transformed by their faith and transforming society.
This book is not just about doing church differently. This is about being part of a movement to change people’s experience of the Church so that our society is more and more transformed by Christ.
Join the movement. Share with us your stories. Tell us how your rebuilding is going.
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