Over the last two Sundays, the newly written Mission Statement for St. Anastasia’s Parish has been published in the weekly Bulletin and has also been accessible online at www.stanastasia.info. Developed by the Parish Pastoral Council and required of our faith community by the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Mission Statement clearly and concisely outlines the focus and direction of St. Anastasia for the future.

St. Anastasia is a Roman Catholic Parish which has served the community of Little Neck and Douglaston since 1915. The Parish endeavors to live and demonstrate Christian values through Catholic education, faith formation, service through parish ministries, and outreach to those in need. We are dedicated to enriching and uniting this community through meaningful dialogue and welcoming interaction with all.

An essential outgrowth of crafting a mission statement is the use of that powerfully concentrated paragraph to identify and define the future goals of the Parish, and the opportunities that lie before us as a united body of Catholic believers. These goals, brought forth from the Parish Assembly held in June are as follows:

• Strengthen Catholic education through a vibrant school and CCD program.
• Advance faith formation through nurturing our relationship with Jesus and Church.
• Expand parish ministries through recruitment and development.
• Promote community outreach through connection with local communities and people of other faiths.

Now the time has come for the next phase of moving our Parish forward, and turning these goals into a reality in our lives. The Parish Council is pleased to announce that Reflection Groups will be forming and meeting in the next several weeks to brainstorm and dialogue about these goals. The groups will be moderated by Council members, and all members of the Parish are encouraged to pick one goal that they would like to work on and contribute their time and talents and ideas towards. In this way, the ongoing work of the Parish will have the input of many of our members and we can make great strides together in achieving mission in our community.

Sign-up cards will be distributed at all Masses over the next two weeks and members of the Parish Pastoral Council will give a brief description of the structure and expectations of the Reflection groups. All parishioners are asked to prayerfully consider joining on of the groups and bringing their energies and spirit into helping St. Anastasia’s Parish grow and prosper.