Structure & Guidelines of the Commission

Membership criteria for the Christian Service Commission should model inclusivety, solidarity and collaboration to give witness to Gospel values. The Commission will include Pastoral Staff person(s) as resource, interested members of the Parish and a spokesperson from each Christian Service Committee. Members from various ethnic, cultural, socio-economic and minority groups present in the Parish communion should comprise the membership of the Commission.

Guidelines Commission

The Christian Service Commission exists as a model and resource to enable the entire Parish communion to put the social teaching of the Church into action. The Commission empowers the members of the Parish to fulfill the Church's mission of love, justice, freedom and peace by communally responding, in an organized way, to societal and individual human needs. (Archdiocese of Detroit, Parish Pastoral Council Guidelines, 1992).

While the needs of parishes will differ, the Christian Service Commission should include standing committees to address these issues:

• Justice and Peace
• Disability Concerns
• Life Issues
• Parish Service (Information is also provided herein for additional committees, which have been found to be beneficial in many parishes.)
• Legislative Concerns
• Health Advocacy