August 2024

Pastoral Council Minutes, August 20, 2024 @ 7:00 p.m.
Present: Elizabeth Amsberry, Nathan Heitz, Val King, LuAnn Scallon, Mary Jo Stromberg (ZOOM), Joe Barber, Sandy Risvold, Fr. Doug Wathier
 
Call to order: Nathan Heitz at 7:00 p.m.  Prayer: Fr. Doug Wathier
Welcome to our new member – LuAnn Scallon!
We reviewed the Pastoral Council minutes from 5/21/24. Motion to approve by Joe Barber, second by Sandy Risvold. Motion passed.  We reviewed minutes from 5/21/24 Finance Council, 5/7/24 and 8/8/24 Faith Formation Commission, 6/13/24 Parish Life Committee, 6/13/24 and 7/11/24 Peace and Justice Committee. Motion to approve by Joe Barber, second by Luann Scallon. Motion passed.
Finance Council
Joe Barber reported that by the end of FY2024, we closed the gap in the budget with operating income and an increase in the offertory collection. The operating shortage of $21,00 was covered with unrestricted savings and endowment funds. A significant increase in utility expenses was the main reason for the shortage.
The Finance Council postponed the election of a new chair until the September meeting.
Phase 2
Fr. Wathier reported that we have received the proxy from the Archdiocese to go ahead with the project. With the updated lower bid from Huff Contracting, Inc. and the funds we have raised, we have enough funds to start the project this fall with an estimated finish in the fall of 2025. The contracts still need to be signed after Archdiocese approval. Kurt and Building Committee will coordinate the project.
We plan to coordinate some of the parking lot repairs close to the building site with the building project. The installation of the drainage tiles and the retaining wall on the south end of the parking lot will go ahead as planned.
As there were no further items for discussion, we adjourned at 7:25.
 
The next meeting is Tuesday, September 17, 2024.                                   Minutes prepared by Val King
 
 Finance Council  –  Aug 20, 2024
Present: Becky David, Joe Barber, Joe Barber, John Holden, Adam Losey, Fr Doug Wathier. Also present: Deacon Phil Paladino, Dixie Jacobs.
Election of Officers: Tabled until Oct. Welcomed new members Adam Losey and John Holden.
End of Fiscal Year 2024-25:  Offertory was about $13,500 above budget due to the generosity of our parishioners and 53 weekends in the fiscal year. The budgeted withdrawals from the endowment and unrestricted savings were taken. Utilities were higher than expected for the second half of the fiscal year. The year ended almost $15,000 better than budgeted.
Monthly Financials - July: Offertory was above budget. No unusual expenses to report.
Building & Grounds Committee – Parking Lot: The parking lot retention walls to be installed below ground on the south edge of the lot will be installed in the next couple months. The tiling of the lot to improve drainage will be postponed until spring. The same contractor will be doing work around the new canopy at the south entrance. There will be a cost-savings to have the drainage work completed at the same time.
Building Update: With the cost-savings and additional gifts/pledges during the mini-campaign the ground breaking will be this fall with building completed by the fall of 2025.
Sept Meeting: Chair and vice election, building update, parking lot update, monthly finances


Peace and  Justice Meeting Minutes, August 15,  2024 @ 7:00 p.m.
 
The Peace and Justice Committee seeks to mobilize the St. Mary community to care for the  poor and marginalized in the name of Jesus through the lens of our Catholic faith.
Attendance: Lindsey Kuhlmann, Wayne Green, Teresa Moerer,Phil Paladino, Val King
7:20 Opening Prayer :  Teresa
Habitat for Humanity - no report, summer break.
 
Walking with Moms - Val and Anna Raewerts met on Sunday, August 11. Summary of discussion:
1.    This is a process that could take a year or more to implement. Do we need a program this formal and extensive? We concluded that we do not.

1. We do not have the resources for this. Anna is not interested in being the project manager. Parishioners are busy.
2. We do not need to recreate resources/programs that already exist.

 
2.    Identified need in the parish is EDUCATION.  Every parishioner should know how to respond if approached by someone struggling with an unplanned pregnancy or the aftermath of an abortion. What resources exist? Where can one get needed help?
 
3.    EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE AND OUTREACH
#1 Identify Resources
a.  Diocese
b.  Alternatives Pregnancy Center
c.   Guiding Star
d.  Birthright
e.  Maternity Homes (Dubuque, Des Moines)
f.   Catholic Charities
g.  Rachel's Vineyard (Dubuque)
h.  Other (Sisters of Life, Let them Live, Secular Profile, etc.)
#2  Reach out to Resources

1. Who do they have relationships with?
2. Hours?
3. Contacts?

#3  Build Relationships with Resources
#4  Create and distribute list of Resources with Education to Parish

1. Next steps? Possible “Lunch and Learn”? Audiences include college and high school?
2. Identify issues that arise through research of resources.

 
Committee members discussed and agreed with proceeding with creating a list of resources by contacting various agencies that provide services to pregnant women. Val will begin with Diocese and Alternatives. Teresa expressed interest in going with Val on visits.
 
Food Bank Work Day
1.    Mariah  Stauffer talked with Lindsey about doing the Saturday volunteer sessions with the Food Bank every month instead of quarterly. Mariah will promote this through Faith Formation, encouraging families to participate.
2.    We agreed to the first Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. The Food Bank can accommodate 10 - 30 volunteers at a time.
3.    Lindsey will arrange with the Food Bank:

1. September 7        b.  October 5                      c. November 2                   d. December 7

 
Bread for the World - In the past we have written letters to legislators following the Bread for the World format. We discussed and decided we would not do this project this fall.
 
Tithing
Val updated and formatted the Charity Rating Info spreadsheet to fit 8½ x 11 sheets of paper for easier review. This is the list of the organizations we support through tithing. All agencies were looked up and the ratings updated. The committee reviewed and accepted the list as our guiding document. Val will present to the Pastoral Council in September as our yearly report.
 
A parishioner asked for support for “Sidewalk Advocates for Life” in tithing. We reviewed and decided against this organization being included on our list. We are already supporting Mary’s Inn, Birthright, and Guiding Star.
No tithing done as we did not have the tithing report.
Peace and Justice education
Val presented and led discussion on Catholic Social Teaching #7 – Care for God’s Creation:
-     The goods of the earth are gifts from God. In Genesis, we learn how God created the sun and the stars, the water and the earth, and every creature.
-     We have a responsibility to be stewards of these gifts from God.
-     Care for the earth is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect creation. We live our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation.
-     We believe that Christ is the redeemer of all Creation.
-    How do we as individuals and as a Catholic community answer the call to protect our shared home in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world?
Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical  Laudato Si’ and his follow-up letter Laudate Deum support this Catholic Social Teaching. In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis brought together decades of Catholic teaching in understandable terms. He invites all of us to consider how our actions affect the earth and the poorest of people. We are to protect the environment and be considerate of future generations who will inherit this earth from us. Everything is interconnected. All creation praises God.
 
Related to this, is the ecumenical “Season of Creation” celebrated by faith communities all over the world from Sept 1-Oct 4. Val will provide articles for the bulletin for the Sundays in September.
October is Right to Life Month. There are many resources available to be reviewed, adapted, and submitted as deemed appropriate for the bulletin/website. We will review at our September meeting.
Phil is scheduled to discuss Social Teaching #1 Life and Dignity of the Human Person.
Closing Prayer. Meeting adjourned 8:15.  Next meeting is Thurs, Sept 12 at 7:00 p.m. Minutes prepared by: Val King