General Rules for prioritizing Parish Hall use
Implemented by the Pastoral Council in 1997, adapted by Pastoral Council March 2012
1. Based upon the foregoing theological reflections, the events at St. Anthony parish can be broken down into five levels: A, B, C, D and E.
Level A events are general ministries initiated by the parish and are serving the whole parish. The staff persons or volunteers carrying out the ministries have a mandate from the pastor for their ministries.
Level B events are specific ministries initiated by the parish and are aimed at the whole parish, or at certain layers of the parish. The staff persons or volunteers carrying out the ministries have mandate from the pastor for their ministries.
Level C events are group gatherings initiated by parish-sponsored groups and are serving only the goals of the groups. Though some group events are occasionally aimed at the whole parish; basically, the groups are ministering to the special interest of their members. This group also includes events sponsored by the Archdiocesan offices for the support of the greater Church of the Archdiocese of Seattle.
Level D: Independent Collaborators in Ministry –These events are group gatherings initiated by groups that are not parish sponsored groups and are serving the goals of the group. Though some group events occasionally are aimed at the whole parish, basically the groups are ministering to the special interests of their members.
Level E events are sports and recreational events.
2. A lower level has to yield to a higher level. Level B events yield to level A events; level C events yield to both level A and level B events; level D events yield to all other events belonging to higher levels.
3. Events within the same level are scheduled on a first-come-first-served or on a fixed-time basis. An event can have a fixed time slot if it occurs regularly on the same day and at the same time of the day. Within the same level, a fixed-time event may have priority over a non-fixed-time event.
4. Before requesting a lower level event to yield, organizers of a higher level event have to exhaust all other alternatives. Bumping a lower level event should be only the last resort.
5. Events of any kind taking place in the Parish Hall, in the Multi-purpose Room of the School, or in the Music Center do not have to yield to an event of a higher level if the number of the participants of the higher level event is low and the higher level event can be accommodated in a smaller room.
6. Large events, like dinners, sales, lectures, and performances, advertised in advance and/or attracting a large crowd do not have to yield, after already being scheduled, to events of a higher level.
7. If the classification of an event is contested or if a dispute arises regarding scheduling events of two different levels, the arbitrator is the pastor or the designee of the pastor. If a conflict arises between two events belonging to the same level, the conflict can be diffused through negotiation. If these negotiations fail, the arbitrator is the pastor or the designee of the pastor.
8. No private celebrations are allowed.
Level A
Level A events are ministries initiated by the parish and serve the whole parish. The staff persons or volunteers carrying out the ministries have a mandate from the pastor for their ministries.
Liturgical celebrations:
Masses
Communion or prayer services
Other liturgical celebrations
Events tied to liturgical celebrations or to the ecclesiastical year:
Funeral receptions
Soup suppers
First Communion receptions
First Reconciliation receptions
Easter Vigil reception
Confirmation receptions
Coffee and donut hours
Breakfasts after Masses
Money counting
All-parish events:
Town meetings
Parish missions
Volunteer appreciation celebrations
All-parish picnics, gatherings
Parish based fundraising
Level B
Level B events are specific ministries initiated by the parish and are aimed at the whole parish, or at certain layers of the parish. The staff persons or volunteers carrying out the ministries have a mandate from the pastor for their ministries.
Faith formation events:
Religious education classes
Essentially Catholic
Living Your Faith groups
Youth ministry gatherings
First Communion classes, gatherings
First Reconciliation classes, gatherings
Confirmation classes, gatherings
RCIA sessions, gatherings
Returning Catholics sessions, gatherings
Marriage preparations
Baptismal preparations
Lectures, events with guest speakers
Bible classes
Sonshine Days
Other Faith Formation activities
Liturgical training, practices:
Lector training
Cantor training
Eucharistic minister training
Ministers of hospitality training
Altar server training
All Choir practices
Meetings of consultative bodies:
Pastoral Council meetings
Finance Council meetings
Hispanic Commission meetings
Filipino Commission meetings
Stewardship Commission meetings
Liturgical Commission meetings
Faith Formation Commission meetings
School Commission meetings
All-school events:
Classes, including PE classes
School Masses
School prayer services
Theatrical plays, performances
Octobearfest
Graduation celebrations
School dances
PTC general meetings
All-school sports events
ASAPP meetings
Ministry to the homeless and needy:
ARISE
Level C
Level C events are group gatherings initiated by parish-sponsored groups and are serving only the goals of the groups. Though some group events occasionally are aimed at the whole parish, basically, the groups are ministering to the special interest of their members. This group also includes events sponsored by the Archdiocesan offices for the support of the greater Church of the Archdiocese of Seattle.
Spiritual, social, and ethnic groups:
Small Christian Community gatherings
Legion of Mary meetings
St. Anthony Prayer Group evenings
Hispanic Prayer Group meetings
Fund raiser events:
ASSAP spaghetti dinner
Barrio Fiesta
Rummage sale
Other fundraiser events
Level D
Level D: Independent Collaborators in Ministry –These events are group gatherings initiated by groups that are not parish sponsored groups and are serving the goals of the group. Though some group events occasionally are aimed at the whole parish, basically the groups are ministering to the special interests of their members.
St. Vincent de Paul meetings
Knights of Columbus Meetings & events
SERRA Club
Association for Catholic Childhood
Scout meetings:
Girl Scouts
Boy Scout Troop 448
Cub Scout Pack 448
Marriage Encounter Worldwide
Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women
Western Washington Catholic Charismatic Renewal
Alcoholic Anonymous Retreat Day
Level E
Level E events are sports and recreational events. Gym usage rules in effect.
CYO practices, games, and gatherings
Men’s Evening Basketball
Other sports events of particular groups
Recreational events