The Parish SCC Project Coordinator
Keeping in view that the parish priests are involved with so many disparate activities on an ongoing basis, it was found desirable to have a lay person work alongside the parish priest and working under his authority, at the helm of the project, so that he could share a considerable portion of the responsibilities and offer as much support to the parish priest, as he can. While the parish priest and clergy direct the movement, the project coordinator will see to its day to day functioning and implementation. He would be an extended arm of the clergy. He is neither a substitute for the clergy, nor will he be independent of the pastoral set up. However, he has a key role to play and hence needs to be given much leeway, encouragement and support, to develop his leadership qualities and contribute according to his full potential.
The functions of the Parish SCC Project Coordinator would be
- To coordinate between the clergy team and the communities with respect to communication, dissemination of information and feedback through a system of reporting.
- To ensure proper functioning of the communities by attending monthly meetings, as far as possible.
- To ensure timely submission of quarterly reports by the communities.
- To arrange for regular Steering Committee and Parish Animation Team meetings (agenda, minutes, etc.) as also periodic meetings of all animators.
- To ensure timely submission of the Quarterly Parish SCC Report to the office of the Director of SCCs (Bishop Bosco) along with the Quarterly Reports of all Core Groups.
- To maintain proper records as applicable as also to generate and collate the necessary parish level data that would be necessary (through the network of communities/animators)
- To keep himself abreast of the training programmes being organised and training literature made available from time to time and to ensure that the parish obtains benefits from these.
- To be responsive to the problems and difficulties being faced by communities/animators and be able to guide them, motivate them and maintain a high morale.
- To give a direction to the SCC movement in the parish, to set clear goals and make necessary plans for growth and advancement.
- To attend the coordinators meetings at the diocesan level.
- To take the lead in formulation of the Parish Annual Plan for SCCs, in cons&.tation with the Parish Animation Team/Steering Committee and to guide the individual SCCs in formulation of their Annual Plans.
The ideal tenure of a Parish SCC Project Coordinator would be two years, renewable at the end of the term.
The Community Coordinator
The community coordinator has a very specific role to play since he is the one who has to guide and coordinate the activities of the individual SCCs alongwith the animators. He has to clearly understand the concept of Christian leadership viz: to serve — not to dominate, hanker for power or publicity, or promote his personal interests. His position is to be the first among equals within the community set up.
The Community Coordinator’s functions would be
- To hold the monthly core group meetings with regularity and with advance intimation to the Project Coordinator, the priest in charge as also the FILMC resource person, if any.
- To plan for these meetings in detail, with an agenda that may include
- Opening prayer/Gospel sharing
- Minutes of the previous meeting
- Reporting by individual members, on their visits
- Review/feedback of activities conducted
- Planning forthcoming activities/distribution of tasks
- Communication of Steering Committee/Parish Council decisions/plans and other SCC related information (eg. Training programmes/parish animators meetings, etc.)
- Short formation/training session based on available handouts.
- Fixing the date/time/place of the next meeting
- To ensure that proper minutes and attendance of each meeting are recorded.
- To ensure that each core group member has a set of families for regular visits and that these visits are made regularly and a record of visits is maintained.
- To encourage formation of peer groups like children, youth, couples, senior citizens as also interest-wise groups (music, drama, liturgy, cooking, etc.)
- To represent the SCC at Steering Committee meetings and report on community activities.
- To encourage, appreciate and motivate fellow animators to take on responsibility/tasks as also to attend diocesan level training programmes.
- To take the initiative, alongwith animators, to make definite plans for activities during the year to involve all the families in the community. Gradually, the range of activities should widen and should move towards civic issues and social problems of the locality.
- To periodically review the progress of the community with respect to goats to be achieved, reflect on problems being faced to find solutions, review the reasons for success/failure and reconsider methodology or approach, if something is not working out.
- To maintain proper records of families, talented persons, funds, etc.
- To motivate people to come forward to join the core group — is always on the look out for talent.
- To maintain unity and a spirit of cooperation within the community and the core group.
- To ensure communion with the parish and involvement of his SCC members, in alt parish level activities.
- Timely submission of Quarterly Reports, Community Annual Plans and any other data that may be requested from time to time by the parish priest or the project coordinator.
- Liaison with the parish priest, project coordinator and FILMC resource persons (if any) on all matters relating to his community.
- To be in tune with the diocesan VISION for SCCs, the goats set by the parish and tries to align the activities of his SCC, to fit in with the overall direction of the SCC movement in the parish.
- To upgrade his own skills and talents by attending training programmes, studying all available literature and observing other communities in action.
IDEALLY THE POSITION OF COMMUNITY COORDINATOR SHOULD BE HELD IN ROTATION BY DIFFERENT ANIMATORS OF THE COMMUNITY. IT WOULD BE A HEALTHY PRACTICE FOR THE COORDINATOR TO STEP DOWN AFTER A TENURE OF ONE YEAR SO AS TO GIVE OTHERS A CHANCE. HOWEVER IF IT IS THE COMMON WISH THAT HE CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER TERM, HE MAY DO SO.
Role of the Core group
The members of the Core Group are responsible for animating the Small Christian Community. They meet regularly to plan, implement and evaluate programmes for the growth of the community.
ALL CORE GROUP MEMBERS:
1. Attend meetings once a month:
- to evaluate any recently completed task
- to exchange data collected at visits
- to plan a bI-monthly function and allot duties
- to reflect on any problem that may have arisen
2. Visit the families allotted to them once a month:
- to develop a caring relationship
- to invite them to bi-monthly functions
- to collect feedback and suggestions regarding the community
3. Attend training sessions at the parish level.
4. Be on the look out for talented persons and try to harness their potential for community activities.
5. Consider the possibility of having subsidiary groups e.g., children’s group, youth groups, women’s groups...
