Matthew 25 Leadership Community

Questions and Inquiries, Contact:

Dee Lopez, 386-4222
E-mail: lopezd@comcast.net

Matthew 25 Mission Statement

The Matthew 25 Leadership Community shall be concerned with our responsibilities in the world as a people of the Eucharist.  As such, the leadership community shall work with the Prayer & Worship, Faith Formation, Fellowship & Evangelization, and Mercy & Justice ministries, as well as other leadership communities to promote the authentic living out of our Eucharistic faith by seeing Jesus in our brothers and sisters in the world around us.

Purpose

Guided by prayer, the Holy Scriptures and Catholic social teaching, the purpose of the Matthew 25 Leadership Community is to promote mercy and justice.  We will strive to ignite the parish community into action by providing leadership, support and solidarity to the Good Shepherd parish (including pastoral staff, parishioners, and ministerial communities), as well as local and broader communities, as we:

• educate ourselves and our fellow parishioners about the need for justice and the social teachings of the Catholic Church;
• pray for guidance and strength to meet the challenges of the gospel;
• give preference to the poor and those who live on the margins of society;
• stand with those who are oppressed and help them meet their own needs;
• organize efforts to help our fellow parishioners put into practice their commitment to mercy and justice; and
• advocate for those who have no voice or whose voices are not heard.

What is the role of Matthew 25?

• assist the Pastor and Pastoral Staff in the review, prioritization and coordination of social ministry needs as requested;
• support those individuals and groups currently involved, or wishing to be involved, in social ministry;
• develop a family-centered education program, for all ages, which raises awareness of Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Social Justice programs;
• promote and actively participate in activities which support the poor and the marginalized in Tallahassee and surrounding communities;
• partner with the Diocesan Justice & Peace Commission, the Florida Catholic Conference, and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops to educate, motivate, and organize people as they work to affect social change through legislative advocacy;
• promote Global Solidarity, including social justice and peace efforts, environmental stewardship, world hunger and other social development programs; and
• act as a model for Small Christian Communities incorporating the elements of prayer, faith-sharing, learning, mutual support and mission.

Membership

Membership is open to those committed to the full scope of the Social Justice teachings of the Church and who prayerfully discern to participate in the mission, purpose and function of the Matthew 25 Leadership Community.

When available, a member of the Pastoral Staff will attend regularly scheduled meetings as a liaison with the pastoral team as well as other leadership communities.

Matthew 25 Coordinator

A Coordinator will be discerned from the leadership community and will serve a term of one year.  A Coordinator may serve an additional term of one year if felt called through prayer AND affirmed by the leadership community. 

The role of the Coordinator is to:

1. prepare and distribute meeting agenda via e-mail;
2. chair all regular and special meetings of the Matthew 25 Leadership Community; and
3. act as a liaison between the leadership community, the Pastor and Pastoral Staff, and other ministries as needed.

2006-2007 Members

Meetings and Minutes

Matthew 25 meets monthly, usually on the second Thursday of the month, Room 311.

September 13, 2007 (Word)

August 8, 2007 (Word)

June 14 , 2007 (Word) and Diocese of Venice Sustainable Policy & Procedures (Word)

March 8, 2007 (Word)

February 8, 2007 (PDF)

November 16, 2006 (PDF)

October 12, 2006 (Organization Meeting)

Faith Sharing Resource

Group faith sharing materials, based on the upcoming Sunday gospel, are available from ParishLife.com.