VISION 2000 is an extension of God's plan of how we live our gift of Life from God. The understanding of planning and how it is part of everyone's life is rooted in our Baptism. Planning almost always takes two forms. It is an ongoing process and at various times results in a concrete plan of action including objectives/initiatives and time tables for implementation. The latter is the document VISION 2000.

The process of planning can become very involved. It must begin with a clear statement of MISSION. In general terms the MISSION STATEMENT tells us the basic rationale for the existence of the organization with a sense of vision and challenge for the future. The circular process of activities, namely, planning, analysis, decision making, implementing, and evaluating is continuous. This circular process is important to understand as it will often assist members of the organization to be more comfortable in knowing that a certain level of change will always be present. In most organizations this continuous process moves forward in a relatively routine manner but almost always with a need for acceptance of change and uncertainty.

However, some would say the Church is not an organization. It is people. People in community on a pilgrimage to the Lord, striving as far as humanly possible as servants to support one another with unconditional love, a habit of forgiveness, and concern for the less fortunate. This is the challenge of the Christian life to follow the two great commandments in relation to God, self, and neighbor. Perhaps in each generation there has been more of an emphasis on each of these three. As Jesus asked, "Who is your neighbor? " The Scripture direction is quite clear.

Some may ask, "How does VISION 2000 involve me?" It is for all to realize that God gives everyone some gift to contribute to the endeavor of building the Kingdom. But things do not just happen and there are risks involved. We must work on becoming fully human and respond to the call of the Lord. By our Baptism all are called to the planning process of building the Kingdom. This often entails the activities of organizations as outlined above. When, in the planning process, we have achieved a better understanding and practice of balancing the human and the Divine then we have put ourselves on the path to the destiny for which God has intended for us and this is a source of hope for all.

We must remember in planning that Life happens while we are making other plans. There is a need to emphasize with all involved in the planning process that by its nature it is a process of continual reflection, reevaluation, and renewed commitment. Change is ever present and we live with it in the security of the stability of the present moment.

We must be ever mindful that planning is action. Participative action generates commitment and energy. This participation is community. Our participation creates an environment in which we are active and it is in this environment that we plan and change. It is out of this environment that we have created that we reflect and plan insofar as we do it in little steps that eventually lead to quantum jumps. Our reflection process must be watchful in that we tend to support and even defend what we create. The environment we create must be open to the bigger environment of all creation. Our little steps may change direction at any time but they are ever mindful of the history and identity of our faith. These little steps are the movement we experience in that Christ is risen and in our midst.

 

Details of the Planning Process