“...Advise and assist the Pastor in matters of importance to the Parish.”  With this simple mission statement, the St. Andrew Parish Council was formed in 2000.  The Parish Council was initially formed by having seven representatives from each of the major church organizations, serving a two-year term. Additionally, there were five at large members appointed through the Finance Council from a number of candidates who applied for a position. 

 

The Council spent its first year creating the infrastructure of the organization, authoring a constitution and by-laws. With the adoption of the Constitution, Council membership was expanded from eight to twelve and all members  are elected at large.  The decision to elect all at large members was to ensure that each member of the Council could independently exercise his or her  best judgment on matters of importance to the Parish. Council members must be registered members of the Parish and have received the sacrament of Confirmation. Members of Council are elected to three-year terms with one-third of the Council being up for election every year. 

 

The St. Andrew Parish Council in the last five years has assisted the Pastor in establishing important Parish policies and goals.  The Council is the ultimate arbiter of conflicts between or among Parish organizations and further it has the authority to establish temporary or standing committees.  In addition, an important function of the Parish Council is to act as a sounding board for ideas generated by other organizations of the church or by the Pastor.