PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL

The Parish Pastoral Council is the primary advisory body to the pastor. Twenty parishioners make up the council, each serving a three year term. Each of the five commissions discerns two members to represent them on the council. The Pastor appoints four at-large members to the council. The council operates in a collaborative manner and is committed to a consensus model of advising the Pastor. The Parish Council is responsible for the overall mission of our parish community, the continuing development of our parish vision, reviewing long-range capital projects and policies pertaining to parish life.

CORE STAFF

St. Raymond has a large, talented, and dedicated professional core staff. The core staff serves as animators for the five commissions, and include the Pastor, Associate Pastors, Pastoral Associate, Director of Worship, School Principal, Co-Directors of Religious Education, Director of Music, Care Ministry Coordinator, Business Manager and Communications Coordinator. The core staff meets twice a month for prayer, business, planning and coordination of activities.

COMMISSIONS

There are five commissions in the parish that represent the five areas of our parish life. They are Worship, Adult Formation, Youth Formation, Human Concerns, and Parish Life. Each commission is made up of the various coordinators and representatives of the different ministries and organizations within that distinct area of parish life. Working in conjunction with the Pastor, the parish council chair, two core staff animators, two parish council representatives and commission members meet quarterly to oversee the development, evaluation, planning and growth of the various ministries and organizations that make up a particular commission.

OFFICE OF THE PASTOR

• The Office of the Pastor exists as a leadership steering committee:
• To facilitate, encourage and enable the work and ministry of the five commissions of parish life.
• To act as the final oversight body regarding parish financial accountability, stability and development in our aim to be good stewards of parish resources.
• To work to maintain the beauty and upkeep of our parish buildings and grounds, the scheduling of the parish calendar and the supervision of the parish maintenance staff.

The members of the Office of the Pastor meet quarterly and include the Pastor, the Parish Council Chair, the Business and Operations Manager, the Communications Coordinator, the Finance Council Chair, the Stewardship Council chairpersons along with four at large members of the Parish Council.

FINANCE COUNCIL

The Parish Finance Council works closely with the Pastor, who is accountable for the administration and stewardship of the temporal goods of the parish. The Finance Council advises and collaborates with the Pastor and the Business Manager in ensuring that we meet these obligations.

The full sharing of financial information, developing the preview of the annual parish budget and the sharing of wisdom regarding the financial operation of the parish are keys to the work of the council. Both the Pastor and the council members discern membership on the Finance Council. Terms on this Council are two to four years.

STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL

The Stewardship Council, working closely with and under the direction of the Pastor, is a group committed to instilling in the hearts and minds of St. Raymond parishioners, to gratefully receive Gods gifts, cultivate them responsibly, share them lovingly in justice with others, and return them with increase to the Lord. Our goal as a consultative body is to interface with over 100 ministries to carry out the Stewardship effort of time, talent and treasure on an annual basis so that Stewardship becomes a way of life at St. Raymond. Members of the Stewardship Council spend 2-5 hours per month in their involvement with various ministries. The Stewardship Council meets once per month.

ALMS

The Alms program strives to raise the consciousness of the parish community to the diverse needs of the disadvantaged. It provides an opportunity for parishioners to live out the Gospel command to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide shelter and comfort those who have nowhere to turn. The Alms Committee researches and selects groups or agencies with tangible needs which come to its attention. The committee provides focus to our parish almsgiving. Where possible, the committee works to tie-in the time and the talent of St. Raymond parishioners along with their financial support. This five-member committee is also responsible for communicating the needs to the parish.