Parish Assembly Sample Outline
The following is a sample timeline and outline for the Parish Assembly. The room is usually arranged with round tables where parishioners can sit comfortably and interact with one another.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 6:00 | All PPC members, pastor, staff and greeters arrive and prepare for the evening |
| 6:30 | Gathering Time – registration, name tags, time to view history display |
| 7:00 | Assembly Begins – pastor welcomes everyone and introduces leader |
| 7:10 | Leader introduces history group and they make presentation |
| 7:20 | Leader provides overview of assembly including the next steps |
| 7:25 | Prayer is led by prayer planners (hymn, prayer, scripture reading, sharing question, petitions) |
| 7:35 | Leader introduces first of three questions (see below) for the mission statement. Each question is on a separate color-coded card and preceded by a brief lead in statement by a council member. Two minutes are given for a written response (silence). Leader invites participants to share their responses with others at the table for three minutes. One person from each table report to the entire group ONE idea that came up at the table. All cards are collected and the next is distributed. The first three questions are: If Jesus were here today, what words would he give us to direct our future? Why do you think the universal Catholic Church exists? What makes our parish unique and special? |
| 8:00 | Break |
| 8:10 | Leader calls the group back |
| 8:15 | Data Group presents summary of statistics and provides simple handout |
| 8:20 | Leader asks next three questions using a similar process to the first questions. The questions are: What do I as a member expect of my parish? How should we reach out to the broader community from our parish? What do our demographics and data suggest that we do for the future? |
| 8:35 | A council member reviews the essential areas of parish life (This is not the first occasion that the parish has heard of these. Parishioners should have heard of these before the assembly!) |
| 8:40 | Leader asks last question: Which of these essential elements do we need to focus on AND WHY? |
| 8:45 | Leader concludes by: * Summarizing the evening * Explaining next steps (council will draft mission statement and goals) * Promising continued communication * Offering thanks for participation * Extending invitation to next gathering |
| 8:55 | Pastor adds thanks, hopes and blessings to all |
At the conclusion of the assembly, all cards are gathered together. Volunteers within the parish are needed to transcribe the cards into a computer. Once the responses are tabulated they are distributed to the Parish Pastoral Council members for their review before they attend the next meeting. The next meeting will be the first planning session.
The assembly concludes the first listening component of the Pastoral Planning Process. The next stage will be the writing of the actual parish pastoral plan.