Let the word of Christ in all its richness find a home in you.
(Colossians 3:16)

The Brentwood Diocesan Pastoral Council is one of only a few throughout England and Wales.

It is a consultative body created by the Bishop in October 1987 consisting mainly of lay representatives, the Deans and Heads of Commissions (approximately 140 people).

The three main groups are the Parish representatives, the Deanery Liaison group and the Pastoral Support Team.  The Co Ordinator, Lucy Studham and Sylvia Lanz, the Administrator together promote the work of the council.

The constitutional functions of the council are:

• to support pastoral development and promote co-operation at all levels
• to provide practical advice to the Bishop and undertake specific work at his request including implementing the Diocesan Pastoral Vision
• to facilitate communication and act as a forum for discussion and sharing
• to act as a reference point for other dioceses, churches and religious groups

In practice, the main areas of work include:

• supporting existing Parish and Deanery Pastoral Councils (currently 86 in all) and helping create new councils where old ones have failed or have never existed.  Contact Lucy Studham in confidence....
• providing twice yearly plenaries for the full council membership.  Recent plenaries have focussed on preparing for change, the rationalisation of mass times, the Ordinariate, the priesthood and the selection of a new bishop.
• providing training courses covering assertiveness and influencing skills, communication skills, advocacy, mediator skills and chairing meetings effectively
• working with the Diocesan Committee for Planning and Development by providing updated feedback and information about what is happening across the diocese.  A considerable amount of feedback from the council plenary working groups has been given to the committee to consider on various important and topical issues.