Parish is the smallest and the basic unit of our Church. It is a local church community of baptized people. The members of the congregation have the right and are obliged to benefit from the Word of God through participation in services and Sacraments. Members are obliged to provide the parish with spiritual and material growth. The parishes in the dioceses are independent church units with their own legal entity.
Pastor (Administrator) is the spiritual supervisor of the parish. He is the servant of God’s Word and a counsellor. He protects the clearness of teaching, morality and Christian discipline. He is obliged to proclaim God’s Word and provide Sacraments in accordance with Christ’s proclamation. The pastor is the organ of the parish. There can be also other positions within one parish as the Assistant Pastor, Vicar and Deacon.
The parish is governed by the Parish Council, chosen by the Parish Gathering. It consists of all the pastors and 6 to 25 members chosen by the Gathering. The Parish Council is mainly responsible for protecting the clearness of the Church’s teaching, supporting pastors in prayer, cooperating with all the members in building the parish, ruling the possessions etc. It is the organ of the Parish.
Parish Gathering is the highest authority in the parish. It consists of adult members who are confirmed and have paid the church fee for the previous year (1% of the income). The Gathering chooses the pastor, Parish Council, Revision Committee, and delegates to the Diocesan Synod. It is the organ of the Parish.
Diocese (Greek diokesis – board) is the administrative unit of the Church, focusing on the nearest area. Its aim is to coordinate and control the work in congregations, organizing cooperation between parishes on the religious and charitable levels and service to all the members in their area. The authorities of the Diocese are Diocesan Synod, Diocesan Council and Diocesan Bishop. There are six Dioceses in Poland.
He is the spiritual supervisor of the Diocese and “the pastor of the pastors” (Latin “pastor pastorum”) of his Diocese. He supervises the proclamation of God’s Word and distribution of the Sacraments in his Diocese, he protects the unity and is responsible for it. The Diocesan Bishop oversees nurturing the congregations of believers, is responsible for the spiritual life in the Diocese, and supervises all the pastors. The cadency of the Diocesan Bishop lasts for ten years.
The Diocesan Council consists of four people and directs the work of the Diocesan Synod. Its task is to govern the possessions of the Diocese, introduce resolutions of the Diocesan Synod and take care of the tasks received from the Church authorities.
This is the highest authority in the Diocese. It consists of all the pastors of the Diocese and the representatives of each parish. The aim of the Diocesan Synod is to take care of the cooperation between the parishes, resolving the issues concerning religious and church life of the Diocese and electing the Diocesan Council, Diocesan Bishop and the representatives to the Church Synod. Its cadency lasts for five years.