General
Organizing A Parish Social Ministry Coordination Team
Organizing A Parish Social Ministry Coordination Team
Building a successful parish-based social ministry effort of the kind envisioned in Communities of Salt and Light requires tapping each and every able Catholic’s baptismal call to serve. There is much ministry to do but the good news is that there are plenty of baptized sisters and brothers to invite to participate. One important challenge is to create an effective structure for carrying out this important work. The vision for parish social ministry outlined in Communities of Salt and Light has profound implications for the way we organize and structure social ministry in our parishes. In the past, the group responsible for social ministry, often called the social concerns committee, was often made up of the very few people who stuffed the Thanksgiving baskets and volunteered at the homeless shelter. Communities of Salt and Light challenges us to completely rethink the role, focus and structure of the parish social concerns committee (from this point forward, the “Coordination Team”).
An important starting point for building or strengthening a “Coordination Team” is the pastor, the parish staff, and the parish council. While some may want to be more involved than others, it is essential that the pastor, staff, and leaders of the parish be kept informed at all times.