If you are interested in joining any of these ministries, want more information or want to receive service from one of these ministries please contact Dawn Burdick at  (585) 622-4594 or via email at dawn.burdick@dor.org.

Pastoral Council
 

Purpose

A parish is a definite community of the Christian faithful established on a stable basis within a particular church; the pastoral care of the parish is entrusted to a pastor as its shepherd under the authority of the diocesan bishop (c. 515).
Because it is a community of the Christian faithful, it is essential that the parish structures serve the community in carrying out the mission of the Church: to proclaim the Gospel, to form community, to worship and to serve especially those in need. The parish organizational structures must never be simply needs in themselves, but should always work to promote the mission of the parish, the diocesan Church and the universal Church.
The Pastoral Council is a consultative body to the pastor.

The specific purposes of the Pastoral Council are:

* to develop a common vision and purpose, actively advocate for the poor and the powerless, and to extend Christian commitment to the surrounding neighborhoods and communities;
* to provide recommendations for parish priorities, directions and policies through pastoral planning for worship, evangelization, outreach, stewardship, etc.;

Pastoral leadership is a ministry of service. Pastoral leadership and authority cannot be separated from the action of service which builds up community and empowers its members to reach their full individual stature.

Because its purpose is to give him advice, the Pastor ought to be present at the Council meetings.

Membership

The Council should reflect parish membership. Members should be inclusive of the demographic realities of the community (e.g., minorities, the aged, persons with disabling or handicapping conditions, etc.) This does not mean that members represent a particular constituency, but rather that the Council should reflect the diversity of the parish in terms of age, race, and length of membership in the parish.
Unlike the parish staff, the Pastoral Council is not a group of experts in catechesis, liturgy, pastoral care or education. The Council’s primary gift is practical wisdom. The Council is made up of parishioners who have a vested interest in the life and development of the parish and want to help the pastor (or parochial administrator) in this regard.
Council members should possess the following gifts necessary for pastoral leadership:
* a desire for spiritual growth in oneself and in the parish;
* eagerness to participate in parish decisions about its direction;
* willingness to listen, speak openly and honestly, and to work toward consensus;
* integrity in articulating what one has heard and what one believes;
* the ability to inspire and empower others and to delegate; and
* cooperation, flexibility and openness with people and ideas.

Parish employees are not members of the Parish Pastoral Council; they support the Parish Pastoral Council. Parish employees should be available to answer questions regarding matters discussed.

Size

The size of the Council should range from seven to fifteen members. The size should be small enough to allow for and elicit active participation from each member. The complexity of the Council’s agenda should also be a factor in determining its size.

Term of Office -- Policy

The term of office is three years. Terms should be staggered so Council membership rotates. A member may serve for two consecutive three year terms. After one year of a break in service, a new cycle may commence.

Selection

A significant number (at least two thirds) of the Council’s members should be from the parish-at-large. Additional members (one third) may be appointed by the pastor (or parochial administrator) as a way to be sure that the Council reflects the larger parish community.

Executive Structure

Every Council should have an executive committee composed of chairperson, vice-chairperson, and secretary. These members are normally elected by full membership of the Council. The executive committee also appoints chair­persons of task forces. The task of the group is to develop an overall-working plan for the year, which identifies the issues facing the Council and estimates when the Council will be dealing with the issue. In addition, the executive committee should meet with the pastor (or parochial administrator) before each Council meeting to prepare the agenda and design processes for each meeting to facilitate the agenda. The agenda should be sent out in advance with the date, time and location of the meeting.
A typical agenda should include:
* Opening prayer and reflection
* Revisions and approval of the agenda
* Approval of the meeting minutes from the previous meeting
* Items to be discussed (old and new business) along with recommendations and actions necessary
* Planning for the next and future meetings

Minutes

The secretary prepares summaries of the meetings of the Council, maintains their membership roster, assures the preparation and dissemination of materials for the Council meetings, and is responsible for all Council correspondence.
Effective meeting minutes should include:
* Date of the meeting
* Members who were present, excused and absent
* Items discussed with special attention to all recommendations of the council and decisions of the pastor
* Open Action Items
* Date, time and location of the next meeting.

Meetings

The Pastoral Council should meet at a minimum of four times per year. Additionally, the Pastoral Council should determine its annual meeting calendar prior to the fall of each year.

Council Relationship to Finance Council, Committees and Lay Trustees

Neither the Pastoral Council nor the Finance Council is subordinate to the other; rather they are both advisors to the pastor (or parochial administrator). While each operates independently to the other, it is imperative to have good communication between the two.

Finance Council
 

Purpose & Nature

The Council assists in the administration of the temporal affairs of the parish by offering counsel and guidance to the Pastor and Parish Pastoral Council. 
While the Council has significant responsibility for the stewardship of parish financial resources, it is the role of the Pastor and the Pastoral Council to discern the directions and priorities that will advance the mission and life of the parish.

Membership

The Council’s membership must include individuals who have knowledge and expertise in the areas of accounting, business, administration, law, and financial management. In so far as possible, the membership of the Council should reflect the parish population in terms of gender, age, race and cultural background.
Members must  be aware of and comply with the Parish Conflict of Interest Policy.
Parish employees are not members of the Council; they support the Council. Parish employees should be available to answer questions regarding parish programs, accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, etc. The Council should be provided relevant and timely information including financial reports (balance sheet, income statement, actual to budget comparisons, loan balance payments and interest payments, investment of surplus funds, status of fundraising drives, etc.) to review.

Size

The Council should be large enough to include a broad representation of the required expertise, but not so large as to inhibit planning and the development of recommendations. A group of five to seven members is recommended. 

Selection

The Pastor selects Council members.

Term of Office – Policy

The term of office is five years. Terms should be staggered so that some Council members change each year. A member may serve for two consecutive five year terms. After one year of a break in service, a new cycle may commence.

Organization

As a mandated consultative body, the Council is a distinct body. While both the Parish Pastoral Council and the Parish Finance Council have shared concern for the mission of the parish, each council has distinctive competence. Care must be taken to integrate the Finance Council into the consultative structure of the parish, receiving input from and providing assistance to the Parish Pastoral Council as requested; while offering advice to the Pastor as requested or required. It is strongly encouraged that minutes of each council meeting be shared with members of the other council.
The officers of the Parish Finance Council shall be a Chairperson and a Secretary.
While by Canon Law the Pastor presides over the council, he does not chair it. The members shall elect (or the Pastor shall appoint) the Chairperson after the members have gone through a period of discernment. He/She will chair all meetings and, in consultation with the Pastor, will be responsible for selecting the hour and location of meetings, preparing the meeting agenda, notifying members of upcoming meetings, and any other duties so assigned by the Pastor. Meeting agendas should be prepared by consultation between the Pastor and Council Chair and mailed or emailed to members in advance of the meeting (two weeks is recommended). The agenda should list the major items for discussion. A typical agenda should include:
* Opening prayer
* Revisions and approval of the agenda
* Approval of the meeting minutes from the previous meeting
* Disclosure of any conflicts of interests members may have regarding agenda items
* Items to be discussed (old and new business) along with recommendations and actions necessary
* Quarterly budget vs. actual analysis
* Budget review and approval (annually)
* Financial statement review and approval (annually)
* Review of “audit” report, if applicable
* Planning for the next and future meetings

Supplying supporting materials with the agenda in advance will lead to more productive meetings.

The Secretary will be responsible for the recording and distribution of minutes, maintaining a permanent record of each member’s tenure and of business conducted by the Council, and any other duties so assigned by the Chairperson. Meeting minutes should contain all recommendations of the councils and decisions of the Pastor as well as open Action Items.

Meetings should be scheduled at least once a quarter or more frequently if required. Meeting times and dates should be predictable, such as a day and week of each month. Because its purpose is to give him advice, the Pastor ought to be present at the Council meetings.

Members should maintain confidentiality on those matters designated as confidential. Materials such as agendas, meeting minutes, and review materials should not be disclosed to others if designated as confidential.

Council meetings are typically not open to the parish community. Reports to the community will be shared once decisions are finalized. Communication with the parish should also occur at the onset of studying an issue to solicit needs and concerns, gifts and resources of the parish community. The primary purpose of the Council is to provide open and honest advice to the Pastor; if the meetings occurred in a public forum, the discussion might be too limited. The Council should advise the Pastor on the best ways to keep the parish at large informed and involved in key issues and decisions facing the parish.

Buildings and Grounds

Each parish has a Buildings & Grounds Committee  as a standing committee of the Parish Finance Council. This body serves in an advisory role to the Pastor or Parochial Administrator on matters relating to parish facilities. The mission of the committee is:
To assist in maintaining and developing appropriate facilities for the mission of the parish including assessment of conditions, maintenance plans, repair and construction and safety issues.

Because its purpose is to give him advice, the Pastor ought to be present at the  meetings.

Some the Committee’s duties include:

* Advise the Pastor regarding the results of regular inspections of all parish facilities
* Recommend repairs or replacements based on priorities established by these inspections
* Tracking of minor repairs (broken window, leaky faucet, missing downspout, etc.)
* Anticipate needs for upcoming season (seasonal maintenance, etc.)
* Assess campus from a Risk Management and Aesthetic standpoint
* Assist staff with approximate cost of projects 
* Develop a 5 Year Plan of anticipated capital expenses to keep parish facilities in good working order.
* Work with Finance Council to match project funding with scheduling of projects.
* Develop a detailed inventory of all parish physical assets and update the inventory on an annual basis.
* Assist in the development of guidelines concerning use of parish facilities.
* Assist in the development of parish energy conservation programs.
* Develop teams of parishioners who will donate time and talents for parish maintenance tasks, taking note of the extent to which such work is allowed to be performed by volunteers under the guidelines of the diocesan risk management and insurance programs.
* Review the parish’s risk management and loss prevention reports in order to insure corrective action is taken where necessary.
* Ensure that the safety and security of the parish campus is addressed and reviewed regularly.

Membership

The Committee’s membership should include parishioners with building design (architect or engineer) and/or building trades (electrician, plumber, carpenter, etc.) experience.

Size

The Committee should be large enough to include a broad representation of the required expertise. 

Selection

The Pastor selects Committee members through an open search process that will include input from staff as well as the Pastoral and Finance Councils.

Term of Office

There are no terms of office for this Committee. Members serve at the Pastor’s pleasure.

Organization

As a standing committee of the Finance Council, it is recommended that someone on the Finance Council should also be a member of the Committee. If that is not possible, the Committee needs to offer feedback to the Finance Council on a regular basis.
It is recommended that this Committee meet at least quarterly to tour the campus(es) to denote any damage done in the prior season and plan for seasonal maintenance and/or capital projects in the upcoming season.
 

Liturgy Committee

We are currently in the process of developing a vision for our Liturgy Committee, find more about that here after August 1st.

Because its purpose is to give him advice, the Pastor ought to be present at the meetings.

 

Social Ministry Committee

We are currently in the process of developing a vision for our Social Ministry Committee, find more about that here after August 1st.

Because its purpose is to give him advice, the Pastor ought to be present at the meetings.