The Parish Pastoral Council is an advisory committee to the pastor. They meet monthly from September through June.
Mission
The Council is a vehicle for fulfilling the pastoral mission of the parish through Servant Leadership. We do this by fostering growth within the parish family and the sharing of spiritual gifts and talents; by encouraging positive relationships among all members of the parish; and by collaborating with other parishes and the wider community.
What We Do
The Council, after prayerful discernment, advises the pastor and develops policies to support those activities and programs which foster the spiritual, intellectual, moral and temporal well-being of the parish, and shall contribute to Diocesan goals and policies.
Decision Making
The Council’s manner of decision-making is communal discernment which includes prayerful reflection, gathering of information, dialogue and sharing of conclusions. The usual method of reaching conclusions is a consensus.
What is Servant Leadership
“Just as the son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
The 11 Pillars of Servant Leadership
Membership
The Council is comprised of eight (8) members, all of whom are baptized, practicing Catholics, at least 18 years old, registered members of the parish, and participants in the parish worship life, especially Mass and the sacraments. Members serve for 3 years with a limit of two consecutive terms.
Meetings
The Council meets the second Thursday of each month at 7:15pm.
Current Members
Father McCreary – President
Jesse Martin – ex officio
Regina Bobak – Chairperson
Jim Hicklin – Vice-chairperson
Charlene Sterner – Secretary
Carin Mercurio – Financial Representative
Sherry Wertman
Lara Schmitt
Debbie Argot
Vacancy
Parish Pillars
Purpose
Each Pillar implements parish priorities and goals in its own areas of responsibility in the collaborative spirit of working together to accomplish the parish’s stated mission. All Pillar work leads to building a faith community, proclaiming the Word of God, calling people to prayer and motivating people to serve others. All Pillars are accountable to the Pastoral Council.
Pillar of Worship
This Pillar nourishes and gives direction to the liturgical aspect of parish life. They provide opportunities for parishioners to deepen their faith through a variety of prayer experiences and liturgical celebrations. They identify the spiritual needs of parishioners and maintain an on-going program of education and training for liturgical ministers.
Programs within the auspices of the Pillar of Worship include, but are not limited to:
Pillar of Community Building
Lead: Lynn Pryor
This Pillar focuses on providing the Parish with regular opportunities to bond within our Catholic community. They develop awareness that the parish community has the responsibility for promoting the educational/formation aspect of the mission of the Church. They create in the parishioners a deep and abiding sense of unity which binds the parishioners together in faith and collectively helps them experience what it means to be God’s people.
Programs within the auspices of the Pillar of Community Building include, but are not limited to:
Pillar of Outreach
Lead: Bernadette Crosby
This Pillar discerns needs of persons in the parish and wider community, especially the poor, and identifies resources to meet those needs enlisting the active cooperation of parish members. This Pillar fulfills the justice dimensions of scripture and our Church tradition acknowledging that every Christian is called to service and to work for justice, including Respect Life efforts. The Pillar’s scope of responsibility is two-fold:
1) to meet immediate needs;
2) to work for changes in the structures of society, which are oppressive.
Committees reporting to this Pillar are not responsible to do all of the committee’s work but rather to involve others in actively accepting the responsibility of their baptism. The committees support those in the parish who are already involved in service, advocacy, justice education, and empowerment of people. The committees work with community groups and other parishes to help solve related problems. They keep parishioners aware of issues relating to justice, peace, hunger and homeless persons on local, national and international levels so that appropriate Christian action on such issues can be determined.
Programs within the auspices of the Pillar of Outreach include, but are not limited to: