“Many hands make light work.”
– English proverb
 
Almost since the day I arrived to serve as pastor I have heard, “How do you do it, pastor of two parishes?”  The short answer is, “I don’t.”  The somewhat longer answer is, “I have teams of people who minister with me in each parish and across the pastorate.”  Effective ministry only happens with a lot of teamwork.  In this third article on Uniting in Heart, I want to share how the vision of Uniting in Heart calls for pastors to “lead from a team”.  The expectation is that, as pastor, I collaborate with others to build a team that functions in concert with each other, so they can execute a shared vision within each pastorate.  This article shares something about the staff teams serving at the Holy Spirit and St. John Vianney parishes and the pastorate overall. 
 
Both Holy Spirit and St. John Vianney have been active parishes with staff and lay leaders guiding a variety of ministries.  The staff at both parishes are the larger team with whom I rely for assistance to accomplish our mission.  Parish staff serve in particular roles and do various ministries within their particular area of expertise.  They not only help with the ministry or work of the parish, but most oversee and manage volunteer parishioners engaged in ministry and/or service.  As a staff team we meet frequently, both as individual parish staffs and as the overall staff of the pastorate.  The staff is the team that help the parishes operate and help me in my role as pastor.  I am grateful to them for their professionalism, commitment and faith. 
 
Within the overall staff, there are two teams with whom I rely on most directly as pastor.  The first is the team of priests.  With two priests assigned as parochial vicars (associate pastors) and one in residence, I have a lot of help.  Besides providing sacramental ministry, the priests are engaged in a variety of other ministries. The priests offer suggestions, input and assistance in addressing the immediate pastoral issues.  We meet weekly to stay abreast of the many programs, to work out schedules, and to make sure the sacramental needs of both parishes are covered.  I could not do my job as pastor without their help.
 
The other team that is part of the Uniting in Heart vision is new to the pastorate.  It is called the Pastorate Leadership Team.  The Pastorate Leadership Team (PLT) are staff members with whom I rely for both implementation and input.  The PLT consists of staff from both parishes and I will meet with them weekly.  This helps to facilitate communication among all the staff, since I can’t possibly meet with all staff weekly.  I still meet with staff individually as needed.  As part of Uniting in Heart, the PLT members will participate in training to optimize our skills and teamwork dynamic.  This team, as well as the team of priests, are those with whom I most rely for day-to-day administration of parish life and ministry. 
 
There are two positions within each pastorate that serve on this PLT.  Those positions are Director of Operations and Director of Evangelization, Family Life and Pastoral Ministries.  The titles are new to both parishes, although the ministry is not.  Persons in these roles help me by overseeing staff in both the business and operations areas of the pastorate as well as the pastoral or ministry areas of the pastorate.  For these positions we are not adding staff or hiring from outside the pastorate.  These positions will be filled with current staff.  We will make adjustments to job responsibilities over time, especially as we return to a fuller schedule of parish ministries, post pandemic. 
 
Finally, if you have read much of the material on Uniting in Heart you may have noticed that pastors are referred to as “Missionary Pastors.”  In my official letter of assignment, I am assigned as “Missionary Pastor.”  The title “Missionary Pastor’ is used to indicate my engagement in the New Evangelization.  I am to see myself as the principle missionary of both parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and take up their call to become Missionary Disciples.  All the administrative structures (leadership teams) are established to help me keep the missionary focus of my call in the forefront.  I also take part in ongoing formation to assist me with this task.
 
The only way I can fulfill my ministry is with a lot of help from others, and a lot of prayers.  I do appreciate all your prayers.  Together, with God’s grace, we can build up the Body of Christ here in the Holy Spirit and St. John Vianney Pastorate.
 
“And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,”
~ Ephesians 4:11-12
 Yours in Christ,