As part of an on-going effort to communicate the renewed focus and efforts of our Parish Mission, I wanted to continue a series in our bulletin, Getting #ToKnow Our Staff. We will spotlight a staff member here at St. John, including some of their responsibilities and background. That way, if you have a question, or need some assistance, you can put a name and face to those that will be helping you.
As part of last week’s discussion on the importance of the Front Office here at St. John, we have also been re-imagining the functions and capabilities needed by both our volunteers and staff so we can provide the best possible experience for our Parish Family. It has become clear that the person we have been looking to lead this major renewal has actually been right here all the time. Tricia Schwarz has dedicated the last 4 years of her life to our Parish Family as Father John’s Assistant, but her skill set and experience contains more abilities and expertise than she has utilized in that position. Father John and I both agreed that promoting Tricia to the Front Area, and fully utilizing her to re-shape the entire engagement model of St. John would be a tremendous opportunity for both her and our Parish Family. Luckily, Tricia has accepted this new role and we can all look forward to this new environment under her leadership:
As a long time parishioner of St. John, I know first-hand how very important that moment of encounter is when we walk through the door of a parish. I look forward to breaking down barriers so that we can meet face to face while we accompany you on your journey through Sacramental preparation, assist you in joining one of our programs, or simply answer a question you may have. I am excited to enhance and grow our volunteer group to ensure that their talents are best utilized in order to better serve our parishioners. I intend to organize our processes to be user-friendly so that we can spend more time getting to know all of you during your visit.
With this transition, we have the opportunity to truly transform the operation of St. John on several levels. Tricia’s experience with sacramental processes will allow us to centralize those functions under her direction and help her be a face of the church when it comes to some of the most important engagement points of our faith. Her time leading customer service-focused organizations will enhance our volunteer training function and ensure we all stay positive and focused on the needs of our Parish Family while we serve. We are very blessed to have this opportunity to harness the skills already within our staff.
I am grateful for this opportunity to live out our parish mission through my work. SJE is home to me and I value the relationships that I have built over the years. I await the chance to meet each of you!
Please join me in congratulating Tricia on her promotion and leadership for our Parish Family!