Help Needed

The approved Religious Education plan will require a lot of additional help. We will need 5 teachers and 5 aides on Sunday morning. Also 2 adults for the nursery. We will need 5 teachers and 5 aides on Wednesday evening. Also 2 adults for the nursery. This will maintain the core CCD program.

Special needs include:
A Sacramental teacher and aide for First Reconciliation and First Communion workshops. This is separate from Second Grade CCD class. Responsibilities include 3 First Reconciliation workshops and 4 First Communion workshops.

Leader and aide for "Mystery of Faith" ages 8-11; and for "Mystery of Faith" ages 12-15. There will be 4 seperate retreats. Each has a main lesson and activities. Father Pat will be coordinating this program.

Leader and aide for "Saints Alive Kid's Club" ages 8-11; and for "Saints Alive Kid's Club" ages 12-15. There will be 6 seperate events. Youth will be invited to help with puppets, acting, and activities. Father Pat will be coordinating this program.

Program planner and assistant for Family Night Activites. Can do one or all six. Resources and ideas are available. Core part of program is pot luck with activites and theme.

Results of Religious Education Committee

Pre-School and Kindergarten at 10:30 Mass in PAC, children’s Liturgy of the Word.
Grades 1 to 7 will be offered at 9:15 to 10:15 Sunday morning, and also at 6:30 to 7:30 on Wednesday evening.
Grade 8 and High School will be part of Youth Ministry Initiative.

Diocese expects 40 hours of religious instruction/formation. Completion certificates will be presented to those who complete the requirement.
Pre-school to Kindergarten are exempt from hours requirement.
We will offer a Children’s Liturgy of the Word for ages 3 to 6, at 10:30 Mass. Before Liturgy of the Word, children are called forward with catechist. Catechist is given Children’s Lectionary. All are sent out with a blessing prayer. In classroom, catechist leads a Liturgy of the Word and then proceeds with lesson and activities. Provides 20 minutes of catechesis per week

The Core Curriculum can be completed in any of the following: Pick one as a primary choice:
1. CCD Classes (26 one hour sessions), Grades 1 to 7, 8th grade and High School with Youth Ministry Initiative (To be determined)
Grades 1 to 7 will be offered both (pick one):
Sunday morning 9:15-10:15 OR Wednesday Night 6:30 to 7:30
2. Family Clusters in neighborhoods; or at PAC.
Meeting times negotiated by families, Can account for Core Curriculum, full 40 hours, or supplement
3. Home schooling
Can account for core curriculum, full 40 hours, or supplement
4. On line learning (To be developed with interested families)
Faith First, Cathesismclass.com, Parish generated (Powerpoint) on website, Distance Learning

Supplemental Program to complete 40 hour requirement include: Pick one
1. Sacramental Preparation: Required for Second Graders
First Reconciliation Workshops (3 x 2 hrs);
First Communion Workshops (4 x 2 hours)
2. Mystery Retreats (4 x 3.5 hrs)
November, January, March, May, Grades 2-4, Grades 5-7
3. Saints Alive Kids Club (6 x 2.5 hours)
October, November, December, February, March, April, Grades 2-4, Grades 5-7
Family Nights (6 x 2.5 hours)
October: Rosary
November: Saints
January: Epiphany
February: Lent
April: Liturgy
May: Devotions
4. Family Clusters, Home Schooling, On Line and Distance Learning can be used as supplement to complete 40 hours. Descriptions of programs to be posted separately.

Masses

The Mass schedule will remain unchanged for September. We will begin the new schedule in October. Saturday 4:30 Mass in Church; Sunday 8:30 Mass in Church; Sunday 10:30 Mass in Parish Activity Center with Children's Liturgy of the Word; Sunday 5:00 in Parish Activity Center.
Scheduling of Liturgical ministries is beginning. Volunteers are needed.

Building Update

We had $48,000 in hand for "Finishing the Job". That has been allocated as follows: Blacktop for drive and parking lot, $24,000; Floor tile, $13,000; Carpet for nursery, library and office, $4,000; Wiring for phones, computors, $4500; and cabinets in classrooms, sacristy, office, $4,000.
We have $25,000 coming to us as refund from BAA over the next nine months. That will be used for: Plumbing in classrooms, tables, chairs, office equipment, bulletin boards, white boards for classrooms, etc.
The Knights of Columbus have offered to equip the kitchen. We have some free equipment coming from Sts. Simon and Jude parish: Freezer and work tables. I am still waiting for a layout of the kitchen and budget from a supplier.
If you have not pledged to "Building Together" or "Finishing the Job", you can contact the office and make a pledge to help us complete the Parish Activitiy Center.

Masses and Classes

From the Spiritual Life meeting:
1. 4:30 and 8:30 Masses will be unchanged.
2. Sunday evening Mass will be 5:00 if: a. enough attendance (approx 80), b. we have lectors, servers, ushers, and communion distributors.
3. Sunday 5:00 Mass will be in PAC to provide full handicap access to parking and restrooms.
4. The second Sunday morning Mass is undecided, waiting for Religious Education Survey. Time will be 10:30 or 11:00.

Pastor's concern. Average weekend attendance in October was 440 people. If Sun 5:00 is not successful in drawing people, remaining 3 Masses do not have enough seating in the Church. The 10:30 or 11:00 in the PAC would increase our seating capacity.

The decision on time for the second morning Mass was deferred until a decision of class dates and time has been made (August 28).

Recapping the questions

The Religious Education Committee will do a telephone survey concerning classes on Sunday and Wednesday, also length of classes. Please be charitable to them when they call. To make the best decision for the parish we need information.

If there are no classes on Sunday morning, there is no reason for a Mass at the PAC. All Masses will stay in the Church until we reach capacity. If there are classes on Sunday morning, one Mass will be moved to accommodate the children attending.

If all classes are scheduled for Wednesday evenings, we will try to schedule use of the Firehouse classrooms along with our six. Choir practice will be in Carpenter Hall (The main hall). The Library will be available for adults to stay and wait comfortably. We can put two classes of older youth in the Church basement.

We are scheduling a workshop to present alternative religious education programs. While CCD is the core part of our program, we will provide easy to use options for those who can not or choose not to use CCD.

Religious Education Options

In the past it was easy to schedule CCD classes. Today there are many conflicts and no one time is good for all. I have asked the Religious Education Committee to look at alternative choices.
1. We will always offer a structured CCD program. The majority of families will choose this method of providing for their children.
2. We will continue to encourage and support home study programs. They are flexible and can fit into a family's busy schedule. Accountability is the concern. It must be scheduled weekly or nothing will get done.
3. Not all home study program are single family programs. Some families have found Neighborhood clusters of 3-5 families have offered a great alternative.
4. There are Internet options available. Our text book series offers a website with on line resources for each grade level. Cathechism.com offers a comprehensive program. I have asked out technology committee to explore what we can do on line.
5. Special events and retreats offer opportunities. For example: Pre-school to Grade 1 might meet one Saturday morning a month, 9-12 for Sacred Heart Kid's Club, an interactive program with guest "saints", videos, crafts, songs, etc.

The task of Religious education can be accomplished in a variety of ways. I hope to promote everything that will benefit our youth.

Mass schedule comments

I am attaching some of the comments from the survey for your information.

Building Together

The Parish Activity Center looks like a million dollars. By the time it is finished this month, it will be 1.2 million. The building really looks good. It will serve us well. There is still work to do. We are responsible for finishing carpetry and equipping the building. Thanks to your support of "Finishing the Job" we will be able to pay for the flooring, blacktop, and much of the equipment we will need.

Once we get a go-ahead, we'll start moving the offices. A lot of planning has been going on to make it a smooth move. We will begin to plan an Open House and Blessing with Bishop Campbell. Thanks for your patience and support.

CCD Times and Mass Schedule

Personally, I would prefer CCD Classes not be on Sunday Morning. I like the emphasis on Mass and opportunities for some socializing. We do have classes because the assumption is the parents want it on Sunday morning. This is not about what I like but about serving the needs of the parish. Comments on Sunday CCD are welcome.

Class time has been an hour and a half to fulfill diocesan guidelines of 40 hours per year. Classes can be shorter. One consideration is eliminating snacks. We can meet diocesean guidelines by providing home opportunities and special days. Comments on length of classes are welcome.

We provide opportunities for home study and alternative forms of religious education. A workgroup of the Religious Education committee is working on plans.

Gambling

The Las Vegas theme fundraiser does not involve gambling for money. People receive play money for the games. The play money will be used to bid on the door prizes. The $45 per person or $60 per couple is a donation to the Right to Life cause. The games are part of the entertainment.

I share the sentiment that we not promote gambling, BINGO or otherwise. There is an important distinction in how fundraisers such as this are run. We are not profiting from gambling but from the donations only.

I would consider raffles as within acceptable limts.

Mass Surveys

4:30 Mass attendees
Majority like 4:30 at Church
5 of 24 would consider Sunday 5:00

8:30 Mass attendees
12 of 29 preferred 8:30 or earlier Mass in Church
7 others indicated they would go to Evening Mass instead of proposed Sunday
10 would go with whatever was decided

10:00 Mass attendees
16 of 28 would pick 9:00, rest go at other times

11:30 Mass attendees
Evenly divided between 9:00, 11:00, and 5:00

Those who change Masses (indicated they attend more than one time slot)
Generalization: They seem to go at most convenient time and will adjust

Concerns
General comments about use of Church preferred to PAC
Questions about CCD and Mass times

FOR THE RECORD
This is not about most votes
We will be sensitive to feelings of all
To get WIN-WIN we must be willing to consider all points.

ALTERNATIVES
4:30 Mass stays in Church
Early Mass in Church,: 8:00, or 8:30 (Actually we wouldn’t have to change the 8:30 since earliest with CCD between gives plenty of time. But Pancake Breakfast idea below would favor 8:00)
Coffee social in Church basement or Pancake breakfast by K of C in PAC: 8:00-9:30 (Probably once a month)
CCD Classes can be scheduled before Mass: 9:15 to 10:15, 9:30 to 10:45
Mass in PAC follows: 10:30 or 11:00
Need two hours between scheduled starting times for morning Masses: Organist needs to set up and rehearse, I need a little breather
Evening Mass in PAC: 5:00 or 6:00
Evening Mass in PAC to provide handicap access, parking, restrooms for Seniors
Sunday Evening Mass is not needed for capacity. Church seats 150, PAC seats 300: 2 Masses in Church and 1 in Pac equals 600 seats. Presently about 450 attending. Evening Mass may be a draw in the area.
Adult Enrichment and social follows Mass on Sunday Evening

We are going for the “Wisdom of Solomon” solution. I think Religious Education Committee will look at shorter CCD classes (1 hour or 1 ¼ hour). Right now, I want to verify that I've heard everyone's concerns and assure everyone we are working for the best solution.