St. Timothy Parish

Pastoral Council By-Laws

Vision
 We are Saint Timothy Parish, a Catholic community,
  committed to the call of Jesus Christ.



Mission
 We are Christ’s disciples, and we join in the Holy Spirit’s work to make life holy. With grateful hearts, we come together in worship, service, faith formation and community to share and celebrate God’s many gifts.

We the Family of St. Timothy Parish believe our mission is to gather our community for the worship of God, in union with the whole Church.

 

Building on the years of service in the name of Jesus Christ we recognize the needs of this area as our special mission. This Mission is to teach and proclaim Gods Saving word, on all levels, to all people. Through worship, education, prayer and action, we extend the compassion of Jesus Christ to those living in spiritual, material, or emotional need. We declare our willingness to accept this mission and the will of Jesus Christ as it is revealed to us in faith.

 

Our ongoing goal is to foster a Christ centered Community through: 

Worship

Outreach/Evangelization

Faith Formation

Community

 

We, the Body of Christ, ask that the guidance of the Holy Spirit would direct us in all things, that our works may bear witness to the presence and the love of God in this community.

  

 

 

ARTICLE I  - NAME

The name of this organization shall be known as The Pastoral Council of St. Timothy Parish, Union, Kentucky (also referred to as the Pastoral Council).

 

ARTICLE I I – AUTHORITY

All action and authority of this Council is derived from the Pastor in Charge. Nothing herein shall abridge the authority of the Pastor.

 

ARTICLE III – PURPOSE

 

The Purposes of the Council as a Pastoral Body are: 

  1. To provide an opportunity for the Clergy, Religious and Laity to collaborate in the service of Christ and the operation of the Parish.
  2. To identify and assist in meeting the spiritual and temporal needs of the parish and the community by facilitating the following areas of ministry and business. This will be done through the use of Committees and paid staff to work in and monitor the following areas:
  1. Worship
  2. Outreach/Evangelization
  3. Faith Formation
  4. Community
  5. Business Management/Finance

 

ARTICLE IV - PARTICIPATION

 

All regular meetings of the Council are open to St. Timothy parishioners.  Any parishioner who wishes to speak will be allotted ten (10) minutes.  The chairperson may give permission for a visitor to address the Council after prior request from a parishioner.  Requests must be submitted to the executive committee prior to the agenda setting date which is the first Wednesday of the month.  Council chairperson may limit the speaking time of the approved visitor.  The Council may close participation by a simple majority vote of the Council.  The Council chairperson has authority to schedule a closed meeting.  We encourage any parishioner with an urgent need to contact the Pastor or a Pastoral Council member prior to the meeting.

 

ARTICLE V - ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE COUNCIL

 

Part A. The Executive Committee

 

Section 1. The Executive Committee is comprised of the Council chairperson, vice-chairperson and secretary.  The term of office of each officer shall be one (1) year.

Section 2. This committee shall have the responsibility of directing and unifying the work of the Council and the Committee.

Section 3. This committee will meet with the Pastor 7 to 10 days prior to the regularly scheduled Pastoral Council meeting to set the agenda.

Section 4. An un-expired term of the chairperson shall be filled by the vice-chairperson.  Un-expired terms of the other officers shall be filled by Council appointment.

Section 5. This committee is elected by self nomination and approval of the remainder of Pastoral Council voting members. This takes place at the first meeting of each new fiscal year which is held each June.

 

    Duties of the Executive Committee

  • Chairperson

    • Prepare Council meeting agenda with Pastor

    • Conduct all regular and special meetings of the Pastoral Council

    • Be responsible for the basic functions of the Pastoral Council in accordance with its By-laws

    • Ensures candidate discernment meeting is conducted

    • Ensures new member orientation is conducted

  • Vice-Chairperson

    • Act as Chairperson in the Chairperson’s absence

    • Assist in the overall responsibility associated with the basic functions of the Pastoral Council

  • Secretary

    • Take and publish the minutes of all meetings

    • Record attendance at meetings

    • Assist in the overall responsibility associated with the basic function of the Pastoral Council

 

Part B. Structure of the Council
 

Section 1. The Council shall include representation from each of the four pillars and the finance Council that are not members of the paid staff.

Section 2. Each of the four pillars and the finance Council must have stated goals and objectives that should be updated annually.

Section 3. The standing committees are:

  1. Worship

  2. Outreach/Evangelization

  3. Faith Formation

  4. Community

  5. Business Management / Finance Council 

Each of these committees will have an attachment to these bylaws that will reflect their responsibilities, functions and membership requirements (if any are necessary) and be updated and maintained by the individual committees.

 

ARTICLE VI - ELECTION OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AT LARGE

 

Section 1.  Nominations should occur in April so the selected representatives would assume their terms of office at the June meeting.

 

Three members will be selected each year. Total membership of the board will consist of nine(9) voting members of St. Timothy Parish.  Plus the Pastor, total membership will equal ten members. 

  • The discernment process will take place between the 2nd and 4th Sundays of May inclusive.

  • Pastoral Council Terms will be three (3) years in duration with a maximum of two (2) terms concurrently.

  • After serving two (2) terms concurrently, the member must step down for at least one (1) year before nomination for the Council again.

 Election Process – Discernment:

  • Parishioners will nominate themselves or another parishioner.

  • Nominees will prepare a short biography on themselves to distribute to all nominees.

  • An outside facilitator will be brought in to lead the discernment process.

  • Nominees and facilitator all meet to discuss and discern who among themselves would make the best representatives to Pastoral Council by vote.

 

ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS

 

Section 1.  The Council shall meet monthly; however, future meetings may be cancelled by the Pastor or a majority approval of the voting members.

Section 2.  At least annually, Pastoral Council shall convene a meeting to establish long term goals and objectives.

Section 3.  A quorum at any meeting shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting Members of the Council.

Section 4.  The chairperson or Pastor may call a special meeting of the Council.

Section 5.  Proposals for Council consideration and vote must be submitted to the chairperson or Pastor for inclusion on the agenda before the meeting.  A simple majority vote of those present is required for approval.  Proposals not on the agenda must be introduced as new business and may be voted on at the next regular meeting.  A two-thirds (2/3) favorable vote of the voting members present is required to suspend this rule for a particular proposal.   

 

ARTICLE VIII- AMENDMENTS

 

These by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Council by a two-thirds (2/3) favorable vote of the voting members present.  Any proposed amendment must be submitted in writing and read one meeting prior to the meeting at which the change is voted on.

 

New committees may be added as needed at the discretion of the Pastor and the Council.

 

ARTICLE IX - ATTENDANCE

 

Pastoral Council Members who miss more than two (2) consecutive or three (3) regularly scheduled meetings within a twelve (12) month period shall be deemed to have retired voluntarily.  Before a Pastoral Council member is deemed “retired”, the Chairperson and Pastor must determine the reasonableness of the absences.  The affected member may present information pertinent to the issue of voluntary retirement.

 

Any member of the Pastoral Council may resign from Pastoral Council by giving written notice to the Chairperson, Secretary or Pastor and unless otherwise specified therein, acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.  One member of the executive committee (Chairperson, Secretary or Pastor) will see that this resignation is presented to the Pastoral Council.