Every parish wants to reach more people, but where do you begin? In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson sits down with Fr. John Sullivan, pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Chatham, Massachusetts, to talk about how defining a clear target audience can transform the way a parish approaches ministry.
You may have heard of “Timonium Tim,” the persona developed at Church of the Nativity to help guide evangelization efforts. Fr. John shares how he adapted that concept for his own parish and created “Chatham Chuck,” a simple way to keep the mission of evangelization front and center in parish life.
Throughout the conversation, Fr. John explains how understanding the people in the pews shaped his preaching, hospitality, and leadership decisions. He also offers practical encouragement for parish leaders who feel discouraged by slow progress, reminding us that renewal in the Church is often a long and faithful work.
Want to know if your parish is ready to reach more people? Take a few minutes to reflect on where your parish stands with this free Grow Wider Self Evaluation.
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00:00 Introduction
00:03 Meet Fr. John Sullivan from Holy Redeemer Parish
01:56 What “Timonium Tim” Means for Parish Evangelization
02:11 How “Chatham Chuck” Was Created
04:47 Understanding Your Parish Community
06:15 Leading Through Criticism and Change
06:43 Using Message Series to Reach People in the Pews
09:54 Who Is “Chatham Chuck”?
12:33 Why Parish Renewal Takes Time
15:57 Hospitality and the Weekend Experience
17:18 Avoiding Mission Drift in Parish Leadership
19:02 Helping Parishioners Evangelize Their Families
20:36 Staying Faithful in Ministry Leadership
22:16 First Steps for Identifying Your Parish Audience
24:32 Final Encouragement for Parish Leaders
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