St. James Parish Council Minutes
December 10, 2001

 

OPENING PRAYER:  Anita Holt

 

Present:  Mike Klamm, Anita Holt, Jerome Schieder, Annette Talbot, Chris Venditti, Doris Cadd, Lou Carey, Father Ron and Father Dien.

 

Absent: Ed Barlet and Roger Holyfield

 

The meeting was opened by Vice-Chairman Anita Holt.  The November minutes were approved with the addition to the School report that families of 3 year olds from neighboring parishes and St. James were invited to an open house at the school.  The December agenda was approved as submitted.

 

Program:  Father Ron lead the group in an exercise titled “Where are you taking your Parish?”   A series of questions concerning the parish were answered by each and then the responses talleyed.  It was an interesting and thought provoking drill that led to a discussion of what we are doing and how we communicate with the parish as a whole.  We all agreed there was room for improvement and it would be interesting to do the exercise again in a year.

 

Agenda:

1)     Annette Talbot presented a summary of a preliminary study on a daycare operation.  She visited with area parishes to learn what they were doing and what they might do differently.  She is exploring the pros and cons of an on campus facility vs. a leased facility in the area.  Some of the next steps are to conduct a survey to measure the number of children we could expect to use the facility, decide if this a ministry or moneymaking program or both.  Annette feels this could be a money maker based on her preliminary projections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)     Steve Gregoire led a discussion on the organization of a Mardi Gras themed appreciation party for the ministry heads and their guest.  The date is February 12th starting at 7pm and ending when its over.  It will be held in the Social Hall and we expect approximately 60 attendees.  Anita Holt will prepare the invitations with an RSVP by February 1st.  Doris Cadd and Lou Carey will coordinate the food and drink.  Steve Gregoire will order the masks and beads to be passed out to all and obtain some decorations.  Willie Fontanez will be contacted by Steve to help with the music

3)     Roger Holyfield was not present to report on the parish workday but called in that he was working on the list of things to do and the deep cleaning of the Church would be done for Easter.

4)     Father Ron updated all on the Catholic / Methodist Dialogue program.  Father meet with Pastor Mark Turnball of the Liberty Methodist Church and together have 12 parishioners from each church to begin meeting each Tuesday beginning in April.  There will be six meetings, three at each church.  The purpose is to learn more about each others church, practices and people in order to have a better appreciation of each other.

5)     Jerome Schieder updated on the new handicapped parking spaces recently added.  Jerome indicated all the spaces old and new were used at the 5pm mass last weekend and all but 3 were used at the 9:15 mass.

6)     Father Ron reported on conversations he had with several parishioners on the location of the wheelchairs in our church.  Based on the responses he received the primary concern was to keep the isle ways wide enough for movement of the wheelchairs.

7)     We reviewed the 2010 plan and certain items to be completed by year-end.  Item #1, B, 6 suggests more holiday greeters, Steve will call Mary Thomas to confirm she has this covered.  It was noted it was good to see more young people at the front doors greeting each Sunday.  Item #1, B, 7 a greeting to new parishioners will be put in the worship aid for people to fill out and return to an area in the Narthex.  # 2, A, 7 The choir exchange will be arranged after the first of the year.  It was suggested we exchange choir with the Methodist Church which ties into the directive described above.  #3, B, 2 a deep cleaning will be completed by Easter.  Roger Holyfield is helping to coordinate.

 

 

8)     Ed Barlet will lead a group on developing a program for replacement of Parish Council members based on the Councils 501 program recently presented.  Helping Ed will be Doris, Chris and Lou.

Ministry Reports

Prayer – Lou Cary -  No Report

 

Youth – Jerome Schieder – The youth lock out was attended by 25 kids who enjoyed warm weather, an outdoor mass, soup and salad and a eye-opening visit to the City Union Mission.

 

Liturgy – Ed Barlett – No Report

 

Communication – Doris Cadd – No Report

 

Christian Formation – Chris Venditti -  No Report

 

Catholic Organizations – Roger Holyfield – No Report, but Doris Cadd to check on the availability of the Maybe Center and costs involved for the all parish mass to be held in the spring of 2002.

 

School – Anita Holt – A new security system has been installed on the front doors of the school to alert the office when someone comes through the door during non-peak hours.  Anita reported Mark Hidy has purchased a bus that can be used by the school or other ministries to transport people around.

 

Human Concerns and Outreach – Annette Talbot – No Report

 

Religious Education – Steve Gregoire – Fran Riley is working on an evangelisms program for families currently interacting with the church such as baptism and school families.

 

Parish and Family Life – Mike Klamm – The girl scouts want to sell cookies one Sunday this January after masses.  Mike reviewed the criteria with them and they are to set the date with Mike.  We will be electing three members for the Fund Raiser Monitoring Committee next month.

 

Administration / Stewardship – Lou Carey – No Report

 

 

 

 

Pastor’s Remarks

1)        66 names were submitted to have supper with Father Ron and Father Dien to discuss vocations with the Church to be held January 3, 2002.

2)       A reminder Bishop Boland will be at the Church on Tuesday evening to speak on the conflict in Ireland.

3)       A discuss on the physical priorities of the Church needs to be reviewed.  Mike Klamm agreed to follow-up with John Sheer and Roger Holyfield on this matter.

 

The meeting ended with a prayer by Father Dien.  The next council meeting will be January 14, 2002 at 7pm, opening prayer by Doris Cadd.  The program will be a discussion with John Sheer on the building maintenance and items which need to completed.

Meeting notes courtesy of Michael Klamm