Together in Ministry

If you are a new member of Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), you have made a generous commitment of your time and talents to the parish, in the service of Christ and his Church. Now what can you expect?

It’s important first to understand your role and responsibilities on parish council so that all your gifts and talents will be put to the very best use.

The Archdiocese of Edmonton has developed a continuing program of formation and support for all PPCs called Together in Ministry. It consists of workshops delivered throughout the Archdiocese, with guidance and reference provided by the Parish Pastoral Council Reference Handbook and the Together in Ministry Manual.

These workshops are designed to include council input, and offer opportunities for dialogue and personal reflection. Facilitators of the workshop will not come out and tell council how to solve all the problems in the parish, but they may be able to help your PPC discover some of the possible options available to them. Workshops are presented by teams of trained volunteer facilitators, and take about six hours. For information, please contact Lucy Kaakyo at 780-469-1010 ext. 2134 or by email at lucy.kaakyo@caedm.ca.

Together in Ministry (TIM) Workshops:

Two different workshops  facilitate Goal Setting (at the invitation of the deaneries or parishes) and TIM Information (Deanery level only):

• TIM Information Workshop – DEANERY LEVEL ONLY

  • Explains the structure and leadership of the Universal Church, the Local Church, the Parish, and the role of PPCs
  • Relates the archdiocesan priorities and volunteer management program to the mission of the universal Church
  • Provides an opportunity for PPC members to become familiar with the Together in Ministry (TIM) Manual
  • Reviews and renews our commitment to our shared mission

  All participants are requested to read The Reference Guide as well as Policy #1105 in preparation for the workshop. A good resource for information can be found in the Reference Guide on pages 7 & 8, and in Archbishop Smith’s September 14, 2011 Pastoral Letter (Pastoral Priorities).

• Goal Setting Workshop – FOR PARISHES

  • How to be leaders who are good stewards of  God’s gifts
  • The work of our parishes
  • The concept of consensus decision-making
  • Visioning the future of our parish
  • Setting goals to reach this vision

  All participants are requested to read pages 5 & 6 of The TIM Manual in preparation for the workshop

Tasks for the Chairperson of PPC to Book a Workshop

• Establish two possible dates, when members of the council can attend via Zoom. Your parish pastor and/or associate pastor’s attendance is required: workshops are subject to rescheduling or cancellation in the absence of a pastor or associate pastor. Leaders of all parish staff, Ministry leaders, and Finance Council members may be invited to attend.
• A parish survey prior to the workshop maybe conducted to gather input from the community/parishioners.
• Confirmation of your booking will be sent when facilitator(s) have been confirmed.

BEFORE EACH WORKSHOP

Parishes are to have a copy of both the TIM Manual and Reference Guide with them at the workshop. The Reference Guide and Together in Ministry Manual are available at top right. Parishes or individuals can print these at no charge. For the workshop, please arrange for:

• Someone to introduce and welcome the two facilitators
• A contact number of a PPC member in case of emergency

Resources

These resources are free to download. Printed copies can also be ordered through the Office of the Lay Apostolate.