Family Form – This Form should be completed by the Pillar Group during the Activation Phase using all Parish Form input. Use this as a checklist for major topics to be discussed and documented.

Suggested Meeting Template: Pillar meetings should always have the following:

• Agenda – Topics to be discussed
• Date of meeting – Has everyone been informed? 
• Have minutes from prior meetings been provided to each attendee?
• What has been decided? What still needs to be decided?
• Any outside vendors/speakers/Subject Matter Experts required for meeting?
• Once a major topic discussion is completed, use this form to fill in the final determination under each topic 

1. Communications
   • Contact vendors to help determine internet bandwidth requirements for Family functionality (considering voice, data, audio & video)
     • We are currently receiving discounted value pricing from Vaspian in Buffalo, NY. Direct contact information for Vaspian Technical Advisor, Jay Stroehlein: 716-923-4121
   • Discuss how to represent all parishes in the Family of Parishes via website (i.e. combining all parish websites into 1 single website for the Family)
2. Central Office Logistics
   • Consider and determine best options for the Central Office for the FoP
   • Determine Central Office:
     • Functions
     • Personnel – Onsite / Remote (have you considered more productive remote options?)
     • Equipment needed
     • Cut-over date (launching new site)
   • Complete “PDS Church Office and Ledger Transition” Form located under the Resources section of this app – this will help IT determine when your FoP is ready to transition to the new site, so they can help move and set up equipment, to ensure everything is functioning properly 
3. Finances / Budgeting
   • Begin by identifying all efficiency opportunities with the parish and the Family
     • For example, better pricing programs on utilities
   • Identify what will be shared Family expensesDiscuss parish participation percentage in joint expenses
   • Determine the parish reimbursement process that will be set for the Family
     • Refer to the Business Managers Training Resources 
4. Human Resources: Principles, Functions / Positions / People
   Non-Negotiables:
   • Abide by both Canon and Civil law 
   • Construct: Leadership Teams and Functional Area Org Chart
     • Establish One Family Leadership Team
       • As a reminder, a Family Leadership Team (FLT) assists and complements the pastor by adding their unique skillsets to help monitor current realities, create plans for improvement, and evaluate results. They act like an executive committee—i.e., they are made up of individuals delegated to make decisions or execute specific responsibilities in the interests of the FoPs and can be made up of parish member trustees, lay leaders, lay ministers, priests, and deacons, but should not be dominated by clergy. It is recommended that the FLT meets at least once a month.
     • Establish One Family Finance Council
       • In addition to the parish finance councils, a Family Finance Council will need to be implemented. This is a consultative body that provides counsel to the pastor on the finances of the Family.  It is an expert group of people specifically selected from each of the parishes in the Family who are designated to be responsible for prudent and disciplined management of all Family finances. There will be one overarching Finance Council for the Family of Parishes with a minimum of one representative from each parish
     • Establish One Family Pastoral Council (FPC)
       • The Family Pastoral Council is the consultative governing body to guide the work of the Family of Parishes. Each parish within the Family is required to have representation on the Family Council. It is recommended that the representative be from the individual parish council, but this is not required. The work of the family council is meant to guide the decision making of the Pastor of the Family of Parishes.
   • Functions / Positions / People
     • Prescribed Family Leader Positions: (can be paid or volunteer; descriptions provided in the Family of Parishes Playbook)
       • Business Manager
       • Director of Discipleship
       • Director of Worship & Music Ministry
       • Director of Mission
       • Facilities Manager
       • Don’t panic! We recognize that there will be other positions/functions that will be found under other Pillars.  
     • Are there any support positions, either paid or voluntary for the Family that need to be considered? 
     • Begin to outline general Family Governance structure:
       • Rules / procedures, accountabilities, responsibilities, decision-making, and operational processes
5. Family Action Plan Management
   • Purpose: Moving to a culture of operating using a Family Action Plan, which is a strategic plan that defines goals, strategies, expected outcomes and the methodology for achieving a vibrant future with vitality and fiscal responsibility. The Family Action Plan will be strategic for short-term planning and long-term goal achievement for the Family with clearly defined outcomes. 
   • Create the Family Action Plan (FAP), using the template that will be located under the Family Action Plan Button on the app. This will assist you in tracking and documenting
     • Goals, decisions, actions, measurements and timeframes for each Pillar 
     • A schedule for the year: monthly, quarterly, and annual evaluations

Need a form to gather all your parishes’ data in your Family in one document? Download the Administration Snapshot Worksheet here.