Parish Council Members	Position
John Denny	President
Elaine Johnson	Vice President
Doc Bryan	Secretary
Marina Bishop	Member
Jeff Haynie	Member
Fr. Kevin Mues	Pastor
Josh Adams	Member
Emily Hahn	Member
Luz Martinez	Member
Paula Martin	Member

Standing Committee Functions
The basic functions of each Pastoral Council standing committees are to:

• Identify the needs of the parish within the areas of mission and responsibility.
• Prioritize the needs and recommend ways to respond to the Council.
• Plan for the development of activity in the area of ministry by formulating goals, objectives, timelines and determining who will be responsible for implementation.
• Study new program developments or strategies and assess their potential for use in the parish.
• Submit proposals for new programs or significant changes to programs to the Council.
• Assist the Council in the study of particular issues as requested.
• Promote the activities and programs of the committee and communicate to the parish leadership and parishioners.
• Follow Diocesan guidelines in the area of mission, consult with Diocesan offices, and use the resources available through the offices and agencies.
• Provide opportunities for the ongoing formation of members.
• Develop a budget for the area of ministry.
• Conduct ongoing evaluation of existing activities and programs.

Committee Descriptions
Buildings & Grounds:
The Building and Grounds Committee regularly inspects the physical needs of the parish complex, seeks bids for scheduled maintenance and works in collaboration with the Director of Facilities, the Finance Committee and Council to determine funding for each. This committee, along with the Pastor and Council, plans for long-range improvements.

Communication & Community Relations:
The purpose of this committee is to keep the parish informed of events and happenings around our church. It is also responsible for providing the parish with opportunities to get involved with the Ruston/Lincoln Parish community as a whole.

Education:
The primary responsibility of the Director of Religious Education is to administer (design, develop, direct, communicate and evaluate) the Parish Religious Education Program for the parish and to keep the Pastoral Council informed.

Liturgy & Music:
Primary functions of the Liturgy Committee are to help make the Mass experience smooth and cohesive, working with the trainers for Lectors, Ushers, Eucharistic Ministers, Servers, Sacristans, and Music Ministry. All these individuals are part of the Lay Ministry that assists and serves a vital function alongside of our Ordained.

Men’s Club: The Men’s Club at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church is designed to bring the men of the Parish together in an environment that is built around service and camaraderie. The Men’s Club meetings are every third Monday of the month.

Safety & Security: This committee’s responsibly is to develop of policies and procedures for the safety and security of our parish along with training volunteers to serve on this team.

Spirituality:
This committee nourishes the communal prayer life of the community. The members collaborate with the pastor and staff to provide opportunities for parishioners to grow spiritually outside of the weekly Mass.

Ways & Means:
The purpose of this committee is to develop and host fundraisers for the sole purpose of paying off the Luffey Catholic Life Center.

Women’s Guild: The goal of the Women’s Guild is to grow friendship and provide fellowship for the ladies of our parish, to encourage and equip women to faithfully and fully use their God given gifts and talents to glorify God, and to provide an opportunity to serve our faith community. The Women’s Guild meetings are every second Tuesday of the month except during the summer months.
Volunteers are needed and wanted for each of these committees. If you would like to volunteer, please contact the Committee Chair listed.