St James Catholic Church

March 5, 2019

Members Excused:  Bruce Varick, Roz Stenke

Opening Prayer/Reading:  Delores Skarban ... [Luke 5:1-11]

Consent Approval of Minutes for:  Pastoral Council [02-/05/19]; Parish Life [02/11/19]; Welcoming [01/20/19]; Worship [2/18/19]; PC agenda [03/05/19] – all approved as written.  Finance Minutes [03/05/19] and Human Concerns Minutes [03/02/19], late additions, were both approved as written.

Statuary Presentation:  Carl Reyes – Presented members with copies of work-up done by a group recognized as the “Statuary Committee”.  The report consisted of a variety of choices for all three categories of:  Corpus, Mary & St. Joseph.  A wide variety of shapes, poses, styles, colors and costs were included...all with the caveat that nothing is set-in-stone, and may not include costs for transport of statues from Italy.  All members were asked to consider the options provided, and return at the next meeting with their choices (#1, #2, #3) for EACH category.  And they should also bring forth, to the Council, any questions or concerns regarding anything proffered within the report.

Ministry Presentation:  Dr. Beth Roeder – Showed a slide presentation, presenting the newer approach to Pastoral Care Ministry she is proposing to pursue.  The PC Members were asked to consider the different areas cited, and how they can perceive their involvement in making them be successful.  For example, volunteer Eucharistic Ministers are sorely needed, and more information is needed on our parishioners as they move from homes to residential care places.  All PC members are encouraged to consider the various points of the presentation and return, at our next meeting with some practical suggestions.

Pastoral Council Retreat Discussion:  The ‘takeaways’ were primarily positive.  And, while it was noted that many of the areas that the PC Members found of importance, it is apparent that many of these are already ‘in progress’ in some form or another.  This serves to strengthen the purpose of continuing to work on these ‘moving forward’ measures.

Calling Others into Service:  Delores gave everyone a handout consisting of a few articles citing the need for stepping out of our comfort zones.  Also offering some ideas to promote parishioner-to-parishioner interaction.  All members were asked to read and contemplate if any of these ideas would feasibly work in our parish, and, if not, what might work.

Chair Report: [As given by Andrew in Bruce’s absence.]

Proposal Handout:

• Listening Sessions – Members agreed to try having PC representatives available before/after all masses one weekend a month for the next six months.  It was felt the "crying room/St. Ann’s Room" would be a good place for this, and it could be announced who specifically (by name) would be available after each mass.  Aiming for the 2^nd weekend of the month was agreed upon, but to get it started sooner-rather-than-later it would have to be the 4^th weekend for March. The next step is to follow up with Bruce, for him to create a ‘schedule sign-up’, starting with the 23rd/24th (or 30th/31st if need be?).
• Common Meeting Night – Because of intense interest by all the Commission and Committee Chairs after their attendance at our November 2018 meeting, all members agreed that the concept of a ‘Common Meeting Night’ be continued. The premise being that all Commissions should use the first hour (i.e. 6:00 PM-7:00 PM) to hold their monthly meetings, possibly with a specific leading question, as submitted by the PC, to be considered.  The following time would be set aside for a large group discussion rather than a PC meeting [that monthly meeting would be held at a different day].
• Both propositions and suggested answers requested to be considered prayerfully by a PC members.

Santisimo Sacramento report:  Andrew – At this time there are three parishioners committed to the Mission Trip May 19^th thru 26th, with others expressing interest.  There are plans in the works to hold an informational meeting, regarding this trip, on Wednesday, March 13^th @ 6:30 PM.

Parish Director’s Report: 

• Volunteers to man Donut Sunday after the 8:00 AM Mass is very low, with no one new stepping forward to help, consideration must be given to make changes. When asked about the Welcoming Committee’s willingness to help by handling one weekend a month, Judy, the liaison, reported that as a whole they were not keen on doing this, but would prefer to spend their efforts on the Information desk, etc.
• Amazing Parish Webinars...not much to be said here.

Pastoral Council Nomination/Discernment Process to begin:

• Retiring members: Roger Bruening (1 term), Peter Prakasam (1 term) and Delores Skarban (2 terms).
• Current list of PC Members and terms of office, and other nomination and discernment forms to be sent to Chair.
• Historically, it is the retiring membership that acts as the Nomination Team for the next selection process.

Old Business: 

• As taken from the past retreat...Dennis Horrigan indicated that the Human Concerns Commission and the Food Pantry personnel would be looking into ways to better and further the reach the purpose of the Food Pantry. To also approach St. Vincent de Paul about other services they have/offer, after which Dennis would relate to Human Concerns and report back to the PC.
• Suggestion raised as to the feasibility of putting together a Marketing Strategy Team to define what needs to be done, and how to successfully make projects, like our pairing with Santisimo Sacramento, work. This being done, it can be further used to assist in all possible programs within the parish.  Suggested ‘members’ of this team - Linda, Erica, Dan and anyone else who may technical knowledge of this type of process.

New Business:  Requested prayers for Andrew and his family on the death of his father, Hugh Weisensel, last night.

Next Agenda/Executive Meeting:  03/19/2019; Adjournment:  8:30 PM

Next Meeting Date/Reading:  04/02/2019 – Bruce Varick [John 8:1-11]                                                 

Submitted by:  Judith Freimark, Secretary