Ask yourself, “What do I need?” (This is a little like a job description), “How much time am I talking about?” and “How many people do I need?”
Acknowledge your need for God’s help, remembering that you are inviting others to share in a ministry. In a real way, you are partnering with Christ, who ultimately is the one that invites. Ask others to join you in prayerful discernment of whom to invite to this ministry. “Others” should include folks you know who have a sense of openness and outreach and who know other people who may wish to get involved.
Now, together, you engage with the “Four Easy Steps.”
1. Personal Reflection: each person is asked to prayerfully reflect on what is required and on whom they know who might meet the need. Ask each person to make a list of the names and qualities of candidates.
2. Communal Reflection: each person, in turn, shares a the name and qualities of an individual man or woman until all the suggestions have been presented. Have newsprint or a similar medium ready to record these suggestions.
3. Discernment: the discernment group prays for guidance from the Holy Spirit in determining whom will be invited to ministry. Make a list that reflects the priorities that surfaced through prayer.
4. Invitation: you or other members of your discernment group begin to invite those who have been identified as candidates. Let each person know how he or she was chosen, let each person know the task at hand, ask each invitee to prayerfully consider the call, and then tell each one you will be in contact for a response in a week.
Continue this process of invitation until you have the number of people you need for the ministry at hand.
Have a gathering for all who said yes. Begin with introductions, offer a prayer with faith sharing, talk briefly about the ministry, and have some social time with refreshments.
Thank God.