FOCUS Parish Outreach at Saint James

“Every Christian is challenged here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization: indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love.” (The Joy of the Gospel #120)

The FOCUS Parish Outreach model is based on the belief that the most effective method of sharing the Gospel is to follow the model which Christ Himself taught His Apostles. To this end, FOCUS missionaries invest deeply in the lives of men and women, accompanying them and teaching them how to invite others to know Christ in a deeper way. And then, parishioners are sent out to continue sharing the Good News with others and to live out the Great Commission to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …” (Matthew 28:19-20)

FOCUS missionaries are here at Saint James working with parishioners through one-on-one or group discipleship, small groups and outreach events.

FOCUS missionaries are here to walk side-by-side with the St. James community …

To Know, Love and Serve God | We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.

To Build Virtuous Friendships | By building genuine friendships, we accompany parishioners on a deeper level .

To Teach Others to Share Christ | We teach parishioners how to share the gospel, who in turn teach others how to pass it on.

If you are interested in taking the next step in your discipleship or would like to learn more, please contact Matt Marcheschi at 224-345-7210 or mmarcheschi@stjamesah.org.

SMALL GROUPS

One of the most important things we can do to experience God is to read His Word on a consistent basis. It is just as important as experiencing it with others. Joining a small group is for you whether you have no idea where to start, crave spiritual friendships or you know a lot and want to go even deeper.

GROUP OR
ONE-ON-ONE DISCIPLESHIP

By building parishioners in faith and growing in spiritual friendship through accompaniment, missionaries teach them to become leaders in evangelization. By sharing their faith, they learn how to serve as missionary disciples and to lead others to Christ.

UPPER ROOM

The Apostles gathered together in the upper room at Pentecost and regularly afterward to pray and encourage each other on mission. Similarly, missionary disciples seek to regularly meet to pray, build each other up and refocus on why we have said ”yes” to being a missionary disciples of Christ.

NATIONAL
EVENTS

The five-day SEEK and SLS events that FOCUS hosts on alternate years allow participants to encounter Christ, learn more about their faith and experience the fullness of the Church with other parishioners and alumni. Join us this February 4-7th, 2021!

https://seek.focus.org/

www.sls20.org

“FOCUS has the passion for Jesus Christ that people are seeking. The missionaries at our Parish are reaching the hearts and souls of our parishioners with the fervent faith of missionary disciples.”
“Over the past year of study and fellowship in our small group, we have been reinvigorated in our faith and our relationship with Christ has deepened. FOCUS missionaries bring to the table strong faith, a depth of knowledge, and firm commitment to lead parishioners towards discipleship. Through this movement, our parish is building missionary disciples and reviving the Church’s mission to make believers of all people. We can’t wait to see how our parish evolves in the coming year!”
“SEEK was a wonderful, life-changing experience that helped to focus me on what was truly important, my relationship with Christ. I was inspired by attending mass, listening to brilliant talks, and sharing in conversations that helped me to understand my faith on a deeper level. Overall, it was a tremendous experience that I will not forget!”
“SLS18 was an inspirational, thought-provoking, and powerful experience that provided guidance, encouragement, and helpful direction on how to become better disciples of Christ…our lives can all be transformed if we simply Follow Him and let Christ show us the Way… friendships and prayer will lead us all back Home to our Heavenly Father…”
“If we strive to imitate Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with Him, others will want to know Jesus too. We are on a lifelong mission of discipleship; there is joy in perseverance; despair is of the enemy.”
“It is important for us to grow in our faith through prayer, spiritual reading, and frequenting the Sacraments, but it is not good enough simply to be faithful, we must also be fruitful. God is calling EACH of us (not just priests, FOCUS alumni, or parish leaders) to be missionary disciples and bring people into closer relationship with Him. If we all invest in just a few others through Christ centered virtuous friendships then each person on Earth can be truly known and known by God!”
“The Marcheschi’s introduced themselves to us after Mass, invited us into their home for dinner and we joined their small group Bible study, which has helped us grow our relationship with Jesus! I now understand the importance of sharing my relationship with Jesus with those also aching in their hearts for relationship with Him. My life has been changed. My whole perspective on the role I play in the church has been rocked. I have been blessed with this gift and know it is my turn to do the same. When a heart is ready, I too can be a conduit for Christ.”

St. James parishioners representing at SEEK 2019! They all came back to the St. James community transformed and eager to be on mission!

St. James parishioners representing at SLS18! They all came back to the St. James community transformed and eager to be on mission!

FOCUS Parish Outreach at Saint James

SMALL GROUPS

GROUP ORONE-ON-ONE DISCIPLESHIP

UPPER ROOM

NATIONALEVENTS

GROUP OR
ONE-ON-ONE DISCIPLESHIP

NATIONAL
EVENTS