St Anne's & St Bernard's, Liverpool: Parish Relationships

The Parish Assembly, Working Groups, and the Coordination Group

The parish has tried hard to avoid the perils of over-organising, with committees and councils running things rigidly, or of under-organising, with no clear lines of responsibility or action for getting things done. The parish has tried to achieve a balance between things being tight and them being loose. Informality, consensus, and openness to all are the keynotes of how we like to do things.

The word `structure` is used to describe the web of relationships that exist in any organisation. At the heart of our structure or relationships is the Parish Assembly. Out of this there are a number of Working Groups, the work of which is overseen by a Coordination Group.

Set out below are the main features of these groups.

Parish Assembly

The Parish Assembly meets three times a year. It is open to every parishioner. It considers the reports of the Working Groups, and any other business parishioners wish to discuss.

Working Groups

There are four Working Groups. They aim to cover all areas of parish activity. Currently those areas are: Liturgy and Pastoral; Property and Finance; Social and Community; and Administration and Communication.

The Working Groups meet every six to eight weeks, before and after every each Parish Assembly, and report to the Assembly and Coordination Group. All parishioners are invited to join the Working Groups to support the parish.

The Coordination Group

The Coordination Group meets regularly, every two - three months, between meetings of the parish Assembly and the parish Working Groups, to coordinate and promote the actions and efforts of the parish. Dates are published at least half yearly in advance.

Functions and purpose of the Coordination Group: its terms of reference

1 To receive reports and recommended actions from the Working Groups

2 To consider the wider parish implications of any reports and proposed actions

3 To agree actions

4 To set out the implementation arrangements for any actions agreed

Membership of the Coordination Group: the Group will include

The Parish priest, Deacon, and Administrator as standing members – ex-officio

Representatives of the Working Groups: members nominated from each working group prior to the meeting of the Coordination Group, as follows:

Administration and Communication Working Group – 1 representative

Property and Finance Working Group – 2 representatives

Social and Communication Working Group – 2 representatives

Liturgy and Pastoral Working Group – 3 representatives, comprising

Liturgy/pastoral - 1 representative

Justice and Peace Group - 1 representative

Messy Church Group – 1 representative

Protocols

The Chair is elected by the Coordination group annually, with a maximum of two terms for any one person. The role of the Chair is to prepare the agenda for forthcoming meetings, and action, as appropriate, any resolutions from meetings. It is recommended that for the purpose of consistency and continuity the chair of the Coordination Group should also chair the Assembly.

Decisions of the Coordination Group are arrived at by consensus, or if necessary by a majority vote of the members (but not attendees) present. There is no casting vote in the event of a tie, any resolution failing if it does not gain a majority.

Attendance: any member of the parish may attend the Coordination Group meetings, and may speak only by invitation. There is no right to vote.