March Meetings

Pastoral Council Meeting 3 – 19 – 19
Attendees: Renee Aschbrenner, Ruth Schluter, Mary Ann Hinders, Trent Lockard, Elaine Lawler, Phil Paladino, Father Ambrosy, and Dan Dufner from Finance Committee.
February 19, 2019 minutes were reviewed and Trent moved to approve the minutes. Elaine seconded the motion and the motion was approved.
Finance Committee Update: Offertory is below budget and below where it was last year at this time. Overall, we are doing okay.
Task Force Update: The task force shared a draft of the vision statement. The statement needs to be reviewed and approved at the task force meeting to be held on March 26th. The next step will be to determine 3 to 5 goals.
It was mentioned that when talking about youth, there should be clear communication on what is meant by youth and the age groups that are being referenced.  
If the desire is to build more programs for families with children, it is important to provide childcare. An example was given with the Financial Peace program and how providing childcare helped increase participation in this program.
A new opportunity for the high school aged youth of the parish was shared with the council. The program is called LOTEC, which stands for Life On the Edge: Colorado. There are 7 students from the parish participating. The participants will meet once a week for 13 weeks preparing for the experience. They will then go to Colorado and participate in physical activities such as hiking and white-water rafting. Students will also take on leadership roles while participating in spiritual activities.
Coordinator of Faith Formation: An advertisement was placed in the bulletin. It is difficult to find qualified individuals for this position due to several factors.
Mary Ann motioned to adjourn the meeting and Renee seconded the motion.
 
 
Finance Council – Mar 19, 2019
Present: Penny Toay, Steve Phyfe, Kelly Flege, Dan Duffner, Scott Danner, Kelly Willis,  Fr Dave Ambrosy. Also present: Deacon Phil Paladino, Dixie Jacobs.
Monthly Financials: Offering was about $17,000 below last year’s giving at the end of Feb. However, the last weekend of Feb, the Sunday Masses were cancelled due to a blizzard. Some of this deficit has been made up in March. In addition, some parishioners did a double donation the end of 2017 (combining 2017-2018 giving in one year) due to tax changes. These gifts were about $10-12,000. The council discussed the expected offertory giving, and project about a $15,000 deficit this year. The council decided no changes need to be made to the current budget as expenses are coming in under budget.
Motion – Endowment Withdrawal: Last fiscal year’s endowment withdrawal of $12,500 (4%) was delayed until this November to fund the furnishings of the new Catchesis of the Good Shepherd program this year.  This fiscal year, a $13,930 (4%) withdrawal from the religious education endowment is budgeted. With the shortfall in offertory, the council agreed to proceed with the withdrawal. Steve made a motion to withdrawal the budgeted $13,930 from the endowment, and to repay the general savings withdrawal of $7408 taken in the fall. Kelly F. seconded the motion; the motion passed unanimously.
Staffing: A search has begun for a director of faith formation. The council recommended keeping the salary within the previous budget range.
Long-Range Planning: A draft of the vision statement was distributed. It will be included in the bulletin when it is finalized. The council members were asked to send 3-5 long-term goals for the parish to Tab Ray, long-range committee chair, by next week. 
Motion - 2019/20 Budget: The COLA is 1.9%. The priest retirement assessment will resume next fiscal year, after being waived for several years. The committees/staff will have their budget requests available for the April meeting’s draft budget. Scott made a motion to increase staff salaries and cafeteria plans by 1.9%. Penny seconded the motion; the motion passed unanimously.
April Agenda: budget, financials. Meeting adjourned.
 
 Community Meal Planning Meeting April 2019
Attendees: Jim O’Donnell, Tom Singewald, Nancy Carlson, Dolly Kreger, Jan Kriener, Jim & Sue Aburey
Last month we served 205 meals of goulash, bread & butter, jello with fruit, bars and ice cream.  The meal cost $79.12 and took 87 hours to prepare and serve.
This month we will serve beef stew, rolls and butter, jello with fruit, ice cream and cookies.
In May we will serve pork chops with mashed potatoes, green beans, bread and butter, ice cream and bars.
We reviewed the Mission and Vision statements as adopted by the leadership committee with an update on the progress they are making.
Susan Kraus from the Northeast Iowa Food Bank arrived for a kitchen inspection and spent time talking about the role the food bank plays in solving the hunger problem in the 16 counties they serve.  She was very complimentary of the work Saints Café does for the residents of Waverly and surrounding communities and offered help in any way the food bank can.  The produce and fruit the food bank sends each week is appreciated by our guests and supplements their food. 
The kitchen inspection went quite well, but we need to record the temperature of the freezers where we store meat that we have received from the food bank going forward.
There is a large group meeting on April 25th, 6:30 PM at St. Paul Church and everyone is encouraged to attend.
The next meeting will be May 1st, 9:30 AM at the conference room at St. Mary Church.
 
 
Faith Formation Commission - April 9, 2019
Present:  Michelle, Wayne, Bill, Amy, Andrea
Absent:  Terri, Julie, Sigrid
 
Proposal -   ($70-80K)

• Part-time director position
  • activities in IV, V, and some from I
• CGS (Children and Family Ministries)
• Youth Formation
• Adult Formation (Adult Small Groups)

 
Importance of Work-Life balance
Enormity of task

Faith Formation Commission - April 2, 2019
Present: Andrea (left early for LT Planning Mtg), Sigrid, Michelle, Julie, Wayne, Amy
Absent:  Fr. Dave @ Long Term Planning Mtg, Bill, Terri
Opening prayer – Stations of the Cross @ 6:30
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd lesson on Jerusalem
Faith Formation Update – Michelle
Continuing with on-going programming
Totus Tuus for summer 2019 (first full week after 4th of July)
Should we pass this year?
Michelle’s pending departure
Difficulty filling Archdiocese team
Possibility of it being hosted in W’loo / CF and sending kids to their program
Possibility of hosting it on our own without team
Youth Ministry Update – Julie
EDGE met on 3/27.  Our recent class was on God’s ultimate creation, Humankind. The additional Bible story was Noah and the Ark. Genesis 6:13-8:19.   The adult leadership met Thursday, 3/7 and has completed going through the remaining planning for lessons.  At the April 24 class the lesson for Keeping Children Safe will be done.
Confirmation/Chosen class meets 4/7.  At the next class small groups will be going over the lesson for Keeping Children Safe. Fr Ambrosy will be hearing confessions, as well.  April 4 is available to go over the KCS lesson.  I will be gone for the April 7 classes.
NCYC 2019 The Silent Auction ended Sunday, 3/31 and raised $3579.  We had our Kick-off meeting on 3/24.  Archdiocesan required paperwork was filled out, the choosing of roommates was begun and we explored the theme of NCYC BLESSED-BROKEN-GIVEN.
 jOURney  Advertising for teen sign up for the Good Friday Stations of the Cross began the weekend of 3/30-3/31.  On April 14, the lesson for Keeping Children Safe will be done.
LOTEC (Life on the EDGE:Colorado) has a squad of 7 teens, 2 adults.  Deacon has set the Kick-off meeting for April 14 at 7pm.  Funds are beginning to come in.  Currently we have $750 of the $1750 that the teens are responsible for collected.  Parishioners have donated $1050.  We owe a total of $6750 and we have $1800 collected so far.  April reminders went out to the teens April 2.
Budget thoughts will be presented at our meeting.
Adult Formation Update – Sigrid
4 groups / 30-35 ppl participating weekly
“LOTEC” Update – Julie
See Above
Evaluations
Budget - Numbers due in May
Long Term Planning Discussion - Update from Andrea
Faith Formation Position - 3 applicants
Possible start date??? June 1
Faith Formation Terms – Elections in May                                                                          
Wayne Green (2016-19)  - willing to continue for another 3-yr term depending on nominations
Sigrid Brus (2015-17, 2019) - off FCC one yr. for temporary staff position at parish - need to step away
Amy Kangas (2016-19) - need to step away due to work commitments
Andrea Dufner (2017-20)  
Terri Cruise (2018-21)
Bill Flege (2018-21)
Any other items. Closing Prayer
 
 
Liturgy Committee Meeting - March 12, 2019
Called to order by Ellie Hilbert at 6:30 p.m. on in the Office Conference Room.
Members present: Fr. David Ambrosy, Mollie Muntefering, Ellie Hilbert, Donna McNulty, Ruth Schluter, and Bev Brus.
The opening prayer and reflection was presented by Ellie Hilbert – Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18, and the March 11 reflection was used. The minutes of the last meeting were read silently. The minutes were approved as read.
 
Old Business
Update on Reschedule for Retreat: The retreat will he held on October 5th from 2 - 5.
Usher Coordinator: Mollie is asking people about this position
Long Term Parish Planning
Ellie and Ruth explained a paper (see below) they had brought with them from the meeting.  At the top of our Agenda is the parish mission statement.  They took the mission statement and broke it apart to make the vision statement.  Following is the rough draft of the vision statement.
St. Mary’s is a growing community that strives for open communication for the entire community.  Communicating and living the gospel.  St. Mary’s does this by reaching out and taking care of physical and spiritual needs of the parish  Our educational programs are for all ages.
St. Mary’s strives to serve others by helping the less fortunate.   Tithing is local, national, and international and meets social, economic and other cultural needs. Fostering vocations.
St. Mary’s worships together by engaging all members to participate, using our time and talents to create community and discipleship.  Through sacramental participation, supporting liturgical ministers and forming small faith groups.
If there is any feedback let Ellie know.
Comments on  Ash Wednesday: Ash Wednesday went well.  At the noon service, need to take out the Sign of Peace and discuss when to have the collection.
Use of name tags on the weekend: Name tags went well.  Will make a sign to have people put first and last name and town.
Liturgy for First Week of Lent: Mollie will call for help to help with decorating.  She needed help with ironing the altar cloths.
Reconciliation Service: Only about 100 people.  There were more First Reconcilian at Christmas time.  Didn’t know if the ice in the morning kept people away.
 
New Business
Review Budget: Will ask to  increase the budget for bread and wine.  Everything else looked ok.
Holy Thursday
Server practice: Server practice will be at 5:15.
Reception of Oils: Mollie has the script.  Mollie will ask Angie to carry the Oil of the Sick, Sara Heiz to carry the Oil of the Catechumens, and Mary Foy to carry the Oil of Holy Chrism.
Rice Bowl Collection : Will start collecting Rice Bowls on Palm Sunday and will end after Easter.  It was suggested to publish a goal for the Rice Bowl and to push toward the end.  Mollie has materials to mention the Rice Bowl in the beginning and Prayers of the Faithful.  Some suggestions were to have tubs in back of church to collect the Rice Bowls or to put them up on the altar.  The staff would make sure they got to the office.
Washing of feet: Mollie is going to ask 6 families or some of our youth Confirmation and college students to help start.  It was suggested to sing Lord Jesus song at this time.
Transfer of Blessed Sacrament to area of repose
Adoration – Classroom: This will be set up in Classroom B.  Mollie will make a worship aid for this service and will have the words to the last song.  Last year people didn’t sing.  Father will process the same as last year.
Prayers for Missal: The Apostles Creed will be added to the front of the missal.  She asked about the Vocations Prayer. 
It was suggested to put a blurb in the Bulletin to look in the Missal for certain items in the Missal.  Just to let people know what is in the Missal.
It was suggested to put in the bulletin about when to bow and genuflect when coming into church.
Good Friday: The servers will have training 20 minutes before the service.  We will have St. Peter’s Fire this year.
Palm Sunday: Mollie will hand pick people to read the passion on Palm Sunday.  The Easter candle is ordered.
Easter Vigil: There are no Baptism’s this year.
Easter Sunday
 
REMINDER: Liturgy Committee - Pray Stations together March 26th @ 6:30pm)
 
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. in the Office Conference Room. Closing Prayer The meeting was closed with the closing prayer. Adjourned at  7:40 p.m.