Adult Education

Spring Cleaning

by Lorene Hanley Duquin

It’s the Easter Season — a time to celebrate new life in Christ. There is newness all around us in nature. There is newness in our liturgical celebrations with readings, music, and lots of alleluias. There is newness in the blossoming trees, spring flowers and green grass.

It’s a time when we are naturally drawn to refreshen and renew. So why not take a little time during the Easter Season for some “spring cleaning” in your parish?

Spring cleaning can take you in a lot of different directions. Here are some suggestions:

If you don’t have a parish garden club, start one with your “green-thumb” parishioners. Let them brainstorm ideas on how to spruce up the parish landscaping. They could plant some trees. Or start a Mary Garden. Or a memorial garden. Or create a special space for outdoor meetings during the summer.
Ask your liturgy committee to “spring clean” the closets, drawers and boxes where banners, candles, ribbons and other seasonal items that are used in creating a prayerful environment in the church.
Encourage your adult education committee to take a serious “spring cleaning” approach to evaluating the programs and projects from the past year.
Ask your outreach committee to plan a spring food and clothing drive so parishioners can clean out their pantries and closets.
Suggest that your church cleaners take a special “spring cleaning” look at the church. Chances are they will find a few cobwebs, dried wax on the pews from candles at the Easter Vigil, broken kneelers, carpet stains, dusty statues and dirty windows.
Encourage your volunteers to “spring clean” the parish library. Do you need to order new pamphlets, books or magazines? Do you need to have a used book sale with duplicate copies? Maybe you want to invite parishioners to donate new or used spiritual books.
Take a “spring cleaning” approach to parish office routines. Does your way of registering new parishioners need updating? How about your website? Or the bulletin? Or the parish newsletter? Do you need to take a look at how the phones are answered, the procedures for when someone comes to the door, the way special requests from parishioners are handled, or the way parish staff members relate to each other?
Last, but not least, encourage everyone in the parish to do some emotional spring cleaning by letting go of grudges, affirming others, and taking the opportunity to refreshen and renew their relationship with God and one another.