Vision
The Mission Support Centers organize the Archdiocese of Denver to know each person and promote their flourishing so that in Jesus Christ, all might be rescued and have abundant life, for the glory of the Father.
Mission
Regionally grouped cross-functional teams who serve as extensions of a defined group of parishes or ministries to give mission LIFT to our pastors, leaders, and their staff.
Introducing Mission Support Centers
The Archdiocese of Denver has launched Mission Support Centers to empower pastors and ministry leaders by providing dedicated teams that serve as extensions of their own parishes or ministries. These are not Archdiocesan staff deployed from a central office, but rather parish and ministry specific teams committed to walking alongside pastors and leaders in their mission. The goal is to offer high-quality, cost-effective support that strengthens relationships and allows pastors and leaders to focus more fully on leading others to Jesus Christ and making disciples. Following a successful pilot program, Mission Support Centers are expanding to serve more parishes and ministries. Each team is coordinated by a Team Lead, who serves as the primary point of contact to ensure integrated, mission-focused support tailored to each parish or ministry’s unique needs. These services are:
HR
IT
Server & Network Support
Mission Advancement
Payroll Services
Accounting Services
Financial Analysis & Planning
Communications
Enrollment Marketing
Teacher Recruitment
Tuition Management
Admissions and Enrollment Counseling
COMING SOON: MISSION SUPPORT CENTERS FOR SCHOOLS
Frequently Asked Questions
We have developed a simple and straightforward onboarding process for parishes so that you can hand-off those administrative tasks to the Mission Support Centers and start doing the critical mission work that only happens at the parish!
MSC Transition Stages
Upon inquiry, it’s a three-step process: 1) Discovery meeting 2) Finance Council Presentation 3) MSC Integration Strategy
The Mission Support Centers are a transformation of the operational structure of the Archdiocese so that our parishes can focus on what matters most. Our current structure requires parishes to do most of the administrative work independently, while relying on the Pastoral Center after a situation spirals out of control.
Recognizing the increasingly complicated business and regulatory environment we are in, well-intentioned people would suggest that business classes should be part of a seminary education, or that pastors attend business classes at a local college. We believe this misses the point of the priesthood, which is to make saints, not balance the books.
By signing up with Mission Support Centers, you can be assured the operational and administrative work of running your parish is being handled by vetted professionals who share your goal of a thriving parish, working toward the Great Commission.
The goal of the Mission Support Centers is to free up our parishes to fulfill their mission i.e. their role in the Great Commission. If your pews have empty seats on Sunday, the hope is that by alleviating the administrative burden, you and existing staff will be able to prioritize connecting with your community, the surrounding neighborhoods, and others, to invite them into a relationship with Jesus Christ. We recognize that there are innumerable factors that impact Mass attendance; the goal of the MSC is never to close parishes.
With the Mission Support Centers, the MSC staff does the work (not assisting like the Pastoral Center).
Our parishes are full of skilled staff members with a heart for Jesus’ mission and the Mission Support Centers want to hire these types of professionals. However, it’s common for parish staff to “wear many hats” and get burned out, especially when parish compensation plans fall short of market rates for skilled pros.
However, Mission Support Centers staff are shared across parishes which allows them to be paid fairly and focus on the work they love doing, while being part of a larger team equipped to handle the operations of a parish.
Occasionally, some existing parish staff may be encouraged to find opportunities outside the Church that better match their skillset.
Currently the Mission Support Centers are paid for by the Archdiocese of Denver and a fee from the parish. The fee is variable.
The expectation is that once a parish joins the Mission Support Centers, they will utilize it fully. There will necessarily be an onboarding period, where urgent needs are prioritized and others delayed until after the onboarding period or in line with an agreed upon timeline for the MSC team taking on the work for the parish. The goal of Mission Support Centers is transformation of the way parishes operate to free our pastors and their staff for mission, not simply “covering necessary administrative work” at a parish. Additionally, the different services are intentionally chosen so that, through integrating all of them on one team, the best ideas, efficiencies, and proactive outcomes emerge. A-la-carte services don’t enable that proactive wholistic view to support the strategic direction of the parish.
Mission Support Centers staff are thoroughly vetted against the demands of the role. They are accountable to the MSC Team Lead as well as have the oversight and support of the relevant department(s) at the Pastoral Center. If a new or one-off project becomes more than they can handle, they can draw on additional MSC staff or the Pastoral Center for assistance. In addition, the MSC staff receive ongoing training and can look to relevant Pastoral Center directors for strategic guidance when faced with new or challenging projects.
Onboarding State vs. Ongoing Mission State
The early stages of joining the MSC requires a significant investment in time from the MSC Team, pastor, and parish staff as work is offloaded form the parish to the MSC. Expect frequent check-ins and a “high level” experience.
Once processes are in place, and the parish and MSC Team have settled into a “mission state,” you and your staff will be freer to focus on missional priorities while leaving day-to-day and tactical work to the established routine of the MSC Team.