1. [n]  a local church community
2. [n]  the local subdivision of a diocese committed to one pastor

PARISH is a 6 letter word that starts with P.

1. \Par"ish\, n. [OE. parishe, paresche, parosche, OF.
   paroisse, parosse, paroiche, F. paroisse, L. parochia,
   corrupted fr. paroecia, Gr. ?, fr. ? dwelling beside or near;
   ? beside + ? a house, dwelling; akin to L. vicus village. See
   {Vicinity}, and cf. {Parochial}.]
   1. (Eccl. & Eng. Law)
      (a) That circuit of ground committed to the charge of one
          parson or vicar, or other minister having cure of
          souls therein. --Cowell.
      (b) The same district, constituting a civil jurisdiction,
          with its own officers and regulations, as respects the
          poor, taxes, etc.
   
   Note: Populous and extensive parishes are now divided, under
         various parliamentary acts, into smaller ecclesiastical
         districts for spiritual purposes. --Mozley & W.
   
   2. An ecclesiastical society, usually not bounded by
      territorial limits, but composed of those persons who
      choose to unite under the charge of a particular priest,
      clergyman, or minister; also, loosely, the territory in
      which the members of a congregation live. [U. S.]
   
   3. In Louisiana, a civil division corresponding to a county
      in other States.
   
   

2. \Par"ish\, a.
   Of or pertaining to a parish; parochial; as, a parish church;
   parish records; a parish priest; maintained by the parish;
   as, parish poor. --Dryden.
   
   {Parish clerk}.
   (a) The clerk or recording officer of a parish.
   (b) A layman who leads in the responses and otherwise assists
       in the service of the Church of England.
   
   {Parish court}, in Louisiana, a court in each parish.