Plan Writing Team

The collaborative plan-writing team, ideally, should include 10-12 people. Fewer than that is likely too small, while more than that will likely be too many to move forward at an appropriate pace. The plan-writing team should include the pastor.

The plan-writing team should include staff members, parish council members, finance council members, school board members (if applicable), and parishioners from each parish in the collaborative. Because plan-writing team members serve as representatives of these larger groups, each plan-writing team member should be in regular communication with the larger groups about the progress of the plan-writing process.

We propose the following steps when formulating this team:


• Pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to give guidance in the choosing of those who will be a member of this team.
• Discuss. Pull together a small group of trusted advisors to talk about potential members.
• Avoid. Try to avoid adding people to the team who may approach the process with a strong agenda.

We strongly discourage an open-ended approach of choosing potential team members.

Staff members on the plan-writing team should solicit suggestions and information from the staff regarding the feasibility and implementation of plan priorities, goals, and strategies.

Finance council members on the plan-writing team should discuss the practicalities and budget ramifications of plan priorities, goals, and strategies with the finance councils.

School board members on the plan-writing team should work with the school(s) to determine their role in the collaborative pastoral plan.
 
Throughout the process, parishioners should see drafts of the pastoral plan and be able to understand and view how the priorities, goals, and strategies are constructed and how they will be implemented.
When selecting members on the Writing Team, consider these criteria:

• Strategic thinkers who are agenda-free
• Faithful disciples who are comfortable speaking of the faith
• Valuable experience or perspective
• Committed but not overcommitted
• Highly engaged and newly engaged