From Fr. Tom Gramc, Dean of the Central Deanery:

I am pleased to announce the formal establishment of the Central Deanery Advisory Council. This newly formed body represents a significant step forward in our efforts to foster collaboration and strategic vision across the ten parishes within our deanery.

As our parishes continue to navigate the unique opportunities and challenges of ministry in the Central Deanery, the Advisory Council will serve as a vital resource for the dean and the pastors. While each of our parishes maintains its own local Pastoral Council to address parish needs, the Deanery Council is tasked with a "big picture" perspective. Its primary goals include:
 
Advising the Dean: Providing grassroots insights and representing the diverse needs of our various parish communities.
 
Fostering Collaboration: Encouraging our parishes to work together on common initiatives, such as evangelization, faith formation, and charitable outreach.
 
Resource Sharing: Identifying ways to share staff, volunteers, and facilities more effectively to enhance ministry for everyone.
 
Strategic Planning: Envisioning long-term goals for the deanery to ensure the spiritual and pastoral vitality of the entire deanery.
 
It is important to note that this council is designed to support, not replace, the work being done at the parish level. By focusing on issues that affect multiple parishes or require collective action, the Central Deanery Advisory Council allows local councils to remain focused on the specific life of their own faith communities. Together, we seek to ask: How can we best combine our resources to enhance our mission?
 
The following individuals have generously agreed to serve as the initial members of the Central Deanery Advisory Council. We thank them for their commitment to the future of our Church:

Tom Bainbridge
Nathan Burt
Thao Dinh
Lisa-Joy Finch
Sarah Gallagher
John Girata
Amy Hartman
Toni Jester
Dave Sanchez
 
The Council held its inaugural meeting on Thursday, January 22, and will continue to meet monthly. Please keep these members and our shared work in your prayers as we begin this journey of strategic collaboration.