“He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two .....”
- Mark 6:8
It seems that from the beginning, the followers of Jesus were not meant to
work alone.
Groups of people can accomplish things that they could
not
accomplish
as
individuals. Working in groups requires the ability to cooperate
and
collaborate in order to achieve desired goals. The Pastoral
Councils,
committees and other organizations of a parish operate like
most working
and decision making groups.
There are many advantages to working in groups.
Research
on group
process indicates that groups provide:
- a broad range of experiences
- many points of view
- mutual support of members
- an opportunity to share perspectives, which can bring about a richer understanding of a situation or issue
- an opportunity to build on the energy of others
- the ability to divide work that must be done
- support for decisions made in the group
function like similar working groups in communities, institutions and
businesses, they are different because of the mission and call that their
members received at baptism. Each member of a parish group received the
Spirit of God and a call to holiness in Baptism. This shared call and mission
should guide the nature of the discussions and decisions made in a parish
group.
For additional information see: Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills by David W. Johnson and Frank P. Johnson.