RENEW Glossary

RENEW GLOSSARY

RENEWInternational

RENEWisofficiallydesignatedundercanonlawasa“privateassociationofthefaithful.”Itcanbe describedas“aministrywithintheChurchattheserviceofbuildingSmallChristianCommunities.”

RENEWProcess

ThistermdescribesthecentralactivityofRENEWInternational.Itincludesinvitingparishleadership— thepastor,parishcouncil,andotherkeyleaders todiscernmembersforacorecommunitythatwill, inturn,inviteparishionerstoexperiencefaith-sharinginsmallChristiancommunities.Asapartofthe Process,RENEWpersonnelprovideformationoftheleadersofthesmallcommunities.TheRENEW Processisthesameregardlessofthefaith-sharingresourcethesmallcommunitieselecttouse.

RENEWCoreCommunity

ThistermdescribesthegroupofparishvolunteerswhoimplementtheRENEWprocesstoinviteas manyparishionersaspossibletojoinsmallChristiancommunitiesforthesixweekseasonsandwho discern,inviteandsupportsmall-communityleaderstoleadthesecommunities.

Post-SeasonCelebrationandReview

Thistermdescribesagathering,heldaftereachseasonoftheRENEWProcessinaparish.The gatheringincludesmembersoftheRENEWCoreCommunity,theleadersofthesmallcommunities, andasmanymembersofthesmallcommunitiesaspossible.

Resource

Thistermdescribesabookorotherdocumentthatcontainsthematerial prayer,scripture,reflection, questions,andactionexamples usedbyasmallChristiancommunityatitsfaith-sharinggatherings. ThereisoneRENEWProcessandvariousfaith-sharingresources,eachwithitsownfocus.

RENEW GLOSSARY

SMALLCHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

Thistermdescribesthe smallgroupof parishionerswhogather forfaithsharing.

SMALL-COMMUNITY LEADER

Thistermdescribesthe personwholeadsasmall Christiancommunityand participatesinitsprayer andfaithsharingasone member.

INVITATION

Thistermdescribes activities,beforeSign-Up Sunday,designedto generateparishioners’ interestinjoiningasmall Christiancommunity.

SIGN-UPSUNDAY

Thistermnamestheday onwhichparishionersare askedtocommitto joiningaSmallChristian Community.

GATHERINGS

Thisterm,ratherthan “meetings”or“sessions,” describesthoseoccasions whentheCoreCommunity orsmallChristian communitiesassemble.

FAITHSHARING

Thistermdescribesthe conversationthattakes placeatasmall-community gatheringaboutGod’s presenceinourlifeinspired byquestionsrelatedtothe scripturepassageand reflectionsinagiven resource.

CONVERSATION

Thisisthegenericterm forthefaithsharingthat occursata small-community gathering.

SESSIONS

Thistermdescribesthe individualcomponentsof afaith-sharingresource.

FORMATION

Thisterm,ratherthan “training”or“teaching,” describesthepreparation theRENEWpastoralteam providesfornewleaders ofsmallChristian communities.