Parish Vision Statement

Growing in Faith, and Building for the Future, through Christ our King.

Parish Mission Statement 

With the Parish Pastoral Council at Christ the King Church, our mission is to enlighten and share our faith in God by welcoming and reaching out to all persons so that we can all grow closer to God in the sacramental life of the church. Together we respond with compassion to the spiritual and corporal needs of all; sharing wisely the gifts and treasures given to us; and having the wisdom to meet the challenges of today’s world.

Christ the King Parish Pastoral Council Bylaws

Preamble: Canon Law 536

“A Pastoral Council is to be established in each parish. The pastor presides over it, and through it the Christian faithful along with those who share in the pastoral care of the parish in virtue of their office give their help in fostering pastoral activity. This Pastoral Council possesses a consultative vote only and is governed by norms determined by the diocesan bishop.”

Article I

Name, Purpose and Function of the Council

Section 1. Name. The official name of this organization shall be the Christ the King Parish Pastoral Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council. 

Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of this Council shall be to foster pastoral activity in Christ the King Parish according to the norms of church law, the directives of the Bishop of Joliet and the needs of the parishioners of Christ the King Church. 

The Council provides a forum for addressing three aspects of parish life:

1. Communication and coordination among the various parish groups and activities,

2. Consultation between the pastoral staff and the various parish organizations, and

3. Long-term strategic planning and policy direction for the parish as a whole.

Section 3. Function. In order to fulfill this threefold mission, the Parish functions in three overlapping and synchronized areas:

1. Ministry: Individual parish groups and other related organizations engage in pastoral activity for their members and the whole parish, in accord with the nature of their ministry or service.

2. Commission: The commissions coordinate pastoral activity in their areas of ministry. A special at-large commission or core teams may be developed, that will serve multifaceted tasks as the needs are defined by the Council on an annual basis.

3. Council: The Pastoral Council fosters pastoral activity in the parish as a whole, with an emphasis on long-term goals and strategic planning, rather than the day-to-day operation of the parish and its ministries.

Article II

Commission Membership and Leadership

Section 1. Commission Membership. Commission membership is comprised of representatives from the basic ministry groups, along with their respective staff resource persons. Commission membership is discerned each year at an annual parish leadership meeting. Commission members may serve for a three-year term, which is not renewable on the same commission. Employees and members of their families may not serve on a commission that is related to the employee’s role in the parish. 

Section 2. Commission Leadership. The work of each commission is guided by a commission leadership structure that may consist of co-chairpersons or a chairperson, a vice-chair, and /or a secretary. The leadership structure and individuals are selected annually by the commission. Commission leaders serve for one year, and can only directly succeed themselves in office once. Commission meetings are held as part of a bimonthly parish leadership evening, and whenever else is deemed appropriate by the commission. Consensus and shared wisdom should be the goal of all commission deliberations.

The Governing body of Early Learning Academy is the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is a separate and autonomous body that has a representative on the Faith Formation Commission; but will primarily report directly to the Pastor.

Section 3. Commission Concerns and Representation.

A. The Worship Commission shall be primarily concerned with liturgical ministries and spiritual development. Members of this commission may include, but are not limited to representatives from the following liturgical ministries; lectors, communion ministers, liturgy planners, altar servers, ushers, church musicians, and sacristans.

B. The Faith Formation Commission shall provide opportunities to learn, experience and grow in faith by uniting every household into the parish community through study, Eucharist, service, Generations of Faith, religious education for all ages and an Early Learning Academy, in order to more fully participate in the Sacraments and in the greater faith community after the model of Christ the Teacher.

C. The Service Commission shall be primarily concerned with: general parish membership needs, parish organization activities, and pastoral services to parish members and the community at large. Members of this commission may include, but are not limited to representatives from the St. Vincent DePaul Society, the Knights of Columbus, P.A.D.S., CCW, Ministers of Care, Martha’s Circle, and Newcomers.

Article III

Council Membership and Leadership

Section 1. Council Membership. The members of the Pastoral Council shall consist of the pastor, and two representatives from each commission who are selected annual by their commissions. Also, each core team shall be represented at Council by one member. Additionally, the Parish Council may, at its discretion, add up to two (2) “at-large” members. These at-large members come from the congregation, and are not representative of any specific commission or core team. Council leadership consists of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a recording secretary, each selected by the Council and the pastor. The Council is assisted in its deliberations by a staff representative.

Section 2. Selection of Council Members. Eligible for election are all registered members of the parish in good standing, ineligible are employees of the parish and their families. Also, no two (2) members of a family may serve together on the council. If a Council member leaves the council, the respective commission shall appoint someone to complete that term. Council membership is for two (2) years, with a, option for a third year. Terms of membership should not be consecutive. Council members will be selected as needed each year by the discernment of each commission, core team or the council.

Section 3. Pastoral Council Leadership. The work of the Council shall be guided by a chairperson, assisted by the pastor. The chairperson shall be selected annually by the council at the beginning of the first regular Council meeting after June 1st each year, when new members are seated. After the selection of the chairperson, the Council shall also select a vice-chairperson and a recording secretary, at the beginning of the first regular Council meeting after June 1st each year. All Council members are eligible for selection to the offices of chairperson, vice-chairperson, and recording secretary, with the provision that they can only directly succeed themselves in the same office once. Upon selection as Council Chairperson, that individual should be deemed a member at large. If that person was on the Council as a representative of a Commission or Core Team, then that Commission or Core Team should select another representative to maintain its allotted number of positions at the Council.

Section 4. Duties of Council Leadership. The chairperson shall conduct the meetings of the Council and prepare the agenda in consultation with the pastor. The vice-chairperson will conduct the Council meetings in the absence of the chairperson, and assist the chairperson in whatever duties are deemed necessary. The recording secretary will take notes at the meeting, be responsible for the distribution of the minutes to the members of the Council, of drafting a notice of each meeting for the congregation, and a summary of the Council’s meeting for distribution to the congregation.

Section 5. Council Meetings. The Council shall meet in the course of bi-monthly parish leadership evenings and whenever else seems appropriate to the Council members. The agenda and the minutes of the prior meeting shall be distributed at least one week prior to the Council meeting. A simple majority of Council members is necessary to conduct a meeting. Each Council member has one consultative vote, but consensus should be the goal of all Council deliberations. Council meetings are usually private, but on given occasions, the Council leadership may invite someone else to make a presentation to the Council.

Article IV

Amendment of the Council Bylaws

These Parish Pastoral Council Bylaws may be amended after two (2) Council meetings of discernment, consensus and with the consent of the pastor. These Bylaws were last revised in February 2013.