Small church community convocation
to be held in Greenwood

By Sean Gallagher

The third annual Small Church Community Convocation, sponsored by the archdiocesan Small Church Community Commission, will be held at Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish in Greenwood on Jan. 28.

According to John Valenti, the archdiocesan evangelization coordinator, the convocation will be helpful for those already active in small church communities and those either just getting started or interested in them.

Valenti said that for veterans of such communities, the convocation will be a chance to “refocus and maybe get a different perspective [and] to share their stories with others.”

He also said that there are people unfamiliar with small church communities who could benefit from them and could learn about them at the convocation.

“For those who want a closer walk with Christ, for those who want a greater sense of belonging to a community, and for those who feel called to grow in their faith—that’s what this is for,” Valenti said.

The theme of the one-day convocation is “The Church on the Move: Forward, Deeper, Onward.”

It will feature several speakers from around the archdiocese, including Jean Galanti, pastoral associate at St. Monica Parish in Indianapolis; Peggy Clegg, pastoral associate at St. Jude Parish in Indianapolis; and Father Clem Davis, pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish in Columbus.

The convocation’s keynote speaker will be Father Robert Hater, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and professor emeritus of pastoral and systematic theology at the University of Dayton.

Father Hater is an internationally known speaker on topics relating to Church ministry, evangelization, catechesis and spirituality.

The registration cost for individuals is $30. If parishes send four or more members to the convocation, the fee is $25 per person. The convocation, which starts at 8:45 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m., includes lunch.

The registration deadline is Jan. 20.

(For more information or to register for the convocation, call 317-236-1432 or 800-382-9836, ext. 1432. Those interested may also find more information or register online at www.archindy.org/oce by clicking on the link at “Third Annual Small Church Communities Convocation.”) †