Our Discipleship Pathway
Our vision at Hemel East is to bring people to Jesus, form disciples, and send them to transform the world.
This guides all of our actions, the decisions we make, and where we concentrate our efforts.
We are a parish dedicated to helping people become missionary disciples, and the Discipleship Pathway is how we strive to do that.
Worship and coming to Mass should be the highlight of our week, as we gather as disciples of Christ who belong to his church and are growing in the Lord in service of him.
We believe that each of us is on a continuous journey of faith, and within that journey, there is always a next step to take. Our discipleship pathway serves as a guide, empowering us to embrace these steps, fostering personal growth, and nurturing our transformation into committed missionary disciples of Christ.
-
Someone who belongs and engages in a faith community, actively grows their faith through learning and participation, serves alongside others to the benefit of the community.
We celebrate Mass together as a community of disciples gathered around Jesus.
-
We are excited for each member of Hemel East to take some time to ask the Lord to show them where they are on this pathway.
Seeing the next step you can take will help bring clarity to how your friendship with Jesus can grow.
The pathway, as with the spiritual life, is not an exact science, and each person’s journey is different.
The Pathway invites you to mature as a missionary disciple through regular formation and spiritual growth with other committed disciples.
This will look different for every person.
-
The simple answer, no.
The Holy Spirit moves in our lives in different ways.
Someone may first become involved through serving but then respond to an invitation to Alpha through a fellow volunteer.
Or someone may start in a Connect Group in search of community.
People may participate in the pathway the way they feel led.
But as a parish, when we look at our hopes for someone first beginning at Hemel East, we believe going through the pathway outlined can bear tremendous fruit as it follows the general journey of a maturing disciple.
-
A parishioner or even a new member does not have to start with Alpha. For some people a first step might be to join a Connect Group or other steps along the Discipleship Pathway.
We do hope that every parishioner will experience Alpha at some point. Even for the most spiritually mature Catholic, part of growing in mission and holiness is learning to walk with others who don’t have faith and leading them to Jesus.
Alpha provides a method that equips committed Catholics to better evangelise and disciple others.
-
Browse our website and explore the possibilities to Grow and Serve.
You can register your interest online or simply chat to one of the Welcome Team at a weekend Mass.
Belong
“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
We are so very glad that you are here.
As human beings created in God’s image, we are built for community and that is just what you will find at Hemel East Parish - a faith community that wants to know you, support you and walk with you on your journey.
Our first step in getting to know you is to meet you at one of our Welcome+ events. These fun and engaging events typically take place every 3 months on a Saturday at midday and focus on welcoming you to our parish, learning about you, and helping you find meaningful ways to connect with the faith community.
Our Welcome+ events are opportunities to meet others in our faith community and feel a sense of belonging!
Make sure that when you register at our parish using ChurchSuite that you tick the box that says ‘New Parishioner’. We will then be in touch to welcome you and invite you to the next Welcome + event.
Remember we all have a part to play in making people feel welcomed, from the way you introduce yourself to a new face to the way you help them feel welcome in the pews, even if they are sitting in our favourite seat.
If you have any questions, speak to a member of the Welcome Team on a Sunday or email hemeleastwelcome@rcdow.org.uk
Grow
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Sacramental Growth
The Catholic Church has seven Sacraments entrusted to her by Jesus Christ.
There are three Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion), two Sacraments of Mission (Marriage and Holy Orders), and two Sacraments of Healing (Confession and Anointing of the Sick).
Each Sacrament is used by God to strengthen our Christian life. The Sacraments have a visible element ('sign') and a supernatural element (whereby God gives us his life). To benefit most fully from the Sacraments we need engage with our faith and actively participate in Christian life.
Your personal faith journey
The journey of faith is not like most trips.
There is not a set starting point, designated route, or predetermined destination.
Whichever route you are taking, it’s better to share that journey.
We offer groups that share life together and catch up. Some groups share a meal, though that is not an obligation.
Groups focus on a relevant faith topic through content or group discussion. Each Community Group chooses its own content either from the parish’s content library or personally chosen material.
The group takes time to share about life, discuss their faith journey, and pray with one another for their concerns and needs. Every night closes with a short time of prayer. The type of prayer varies in each group, from times of worship to personal prayers of intercession.
Not sure where to start? All a bit daunting?
Speak to one of the Welcome team on a Sunday to learn more, or use the buttons below to explore the possibilities for your journey.
Serve
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
You Can Make An Impact
One of the ways that we grow in following Jesus is by serving.
We cannot do everything, but everyone can do something.
We have lots of different ministries that are either community focused (mission) or church focused (ministry). We would love you to take a look at what’s on offer and volunteer your time and talents.
We believe that serving others shows the true heart of who we are. Serve is a step in our discipleship pathway to remind us that a disciple’s heart seeks to share the Gospel message and encounter a world that needs compassion, healing, and relief from suffering. God has prepared good works for us to do!
Imagine the transforming impact if our entire faith community abandoned their comfort zones and intentionally set out to encounter the world around us.
We are called to be His ambassadors who put their faith in action and seek the good for others.
Worship
“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Gathering around Jesus in worship, we discover the heart and soul of our Catholic life. It is within this sacred communion that we encounter the Divine intimately, expressing our gratitude, reverence, and love. As devoted disciples, we find strength and solace, bound together in harmony, and united in our shared faith.
Worship nourishes and transforms us, drawing us closer to Jesus and inspiring us to live out our faith zealously. Through this profound connection, we become better disciples, radiating His light and love to the world.