Moving to a new form of Pastoral Council requires learning new skills and practices, particularly in listening to the Holy Spirit and to one another. Yet not everyone's experience of church pastoral councils have been positive, or easy!

The School for Synodality offers a 'reimagined style' of Pastoral Council, enabling us to walk with Christ along the road together, with listening and talking, and being moved by the Holy Spirit.

These videos are from our 'Pastoral Council Starter Toolkit', a free resource you can download from our website, along with many other resources, events and programmes about synodality.

Session 1

How we can reimagine our Parish Pastoral Councils as a 'group tuned into divine music?’

Part 1 of session 2 with Dr Avril Baigent looks at a distinctly Catholic style of decision making and how we can reimagine our Pastoral Councils.

"Our world is rapidly changing , and we need parish communities that are rooted in faith but can be dynamic in mission."

Part 2 of session 1 explores some practical considerations when creating or reimagining your Parish Pastoral Council, such as - Are your meetings rooted in prayer? Are you driven by mission? Are you reading the signs of the times? Are you transparent and accountable?

"What kind of a church do we dream of being part of?"

Vron Smith from the Jesuit Institute introduces reflections for a Parish Pastoral Council retreat day, exploring ways to prayerfully reimagine your PPC.

Session 2

Part 2

Vron Smith from the Jesuit Institute leads us to understand more about communal discernment in a Parish setting, and how it is a slow uncovering of God’s will that gradually moves us from where we are to where God wants us to be.

"Where is the Spirit leading us?”

Learn about ‘Conversations in the Spirit’ - an ancient practice of the church which has emerged through the Synod process as a method for deep listening to one another, and to the Holy Spirit.