Holy Redeemer Parish Council Minutes, Amended

November 28, 2007

 

 

7:30pm

 

1.      Father George opened the meeting with a prayer.

 

2.      Father reserved his comments for opportunities to speak during the meeting.

 

3.      Rita Thompson commented that the Community Sundays were well attended, and Lynn DeVore was doing a good job getting various parish organizations to sponsor the gatherings.

 

4.      Minutes for September 19, 2007

a.   Information was clarified.  Council moved to adopt minutes as amended.

b.      Mollie Huitema suggested that the minutes be sent to Council members to be reviewed before the next meeting. This idea was approved by the Council.

 

5.   Updates from designated parish representatives:

a.   Social Justice – Dave Fortuna 

·        Dave passed out a list of community resources for single mothers and said that he will post these resources on the parish website.   It was suggested that agencies’ websites and metro access be included.

·        He attended Reverend Desmond Tutu’s talk at the National Cathedral (as did Father George).  The talk is posted on the Cathedral’s website.

·        Carol Savard would like to send care packages to her son-in-law’s replacement unit in Afghanistan in January or February.  Social Justice would organize this.  Rita Thompson noted the Junior Honor Society is looking for a project.  Further discussion resulted in a motion to support this activity, and the donations will be sent to the Mountain Division.  The motion passed.

·        Nancy Kylis will replace Mollie as chair of the Community Café.

·        Brenda Cooley attended the organizational meeting for Safe Haven.  She noted that the parish is scheduled for March 2nd and we do not have a chairperson.  Suggestions to find volunteers included contacting the Newman Center, the Knights, and/or another parish, and looking for co-chairs rather than one person.

·        Forty-one food baskets were distributed at Thanksgiving.  The $270 collected will be used for the Christmas baskets.

b.      Liturgy – Kathy Nieman

·        Bible Study began November 4th.

·        Our choir will tape the masses for shut-ins for December 23rd and   January 6th.

·        The Thanksgiving liturgy was well attended.

·        Evening prayer will be held on the three Wednesdays of Advent.

·        Masses for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th, are scheduled for 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, with a vigil mass Friday evening.

·        Church decorating is scheduled for December 23rd.

·        The annual Call to Service will be January 13th.  Carol Savard will tabulate the results.  It was suggested that the format be changed so that parishioners could indicate that they are new to or already involved in a particular ministry.  A parishioner commented that people who sign up often are not called.

    1. School – Sean Ballantine  

·        The school budget, which has a surplus, will be revised to reflect the current enrollment of 250 students.

·        Mrs. Jones and Father George attended the convocation dealing with the closing of the schools.

·        The school’s Middle States Report has been accepted.  Mrs. Jones has been asked to head a Middle States committee.

·        Salad will be added to the school lunch.

·        The Christmas program will be given on December 13th at 7:30.

·        A Principal’s Coffee was held, and another is scheduled.

    1. Youth – Elise Un

·        The Bazaar booth did well.

·        They will be doing the angel tree.

·        Fund-raising activities for the beach include paper recycling and restaurant meals.     

·        There has been a problem with communication because everyone does not have e-mail.  It was suggested that announcements be placed on the bulletin boards at the students’ schools.

    1. Christian Formation – Lynn Baker

·        The RCIA program has three adult and two child catechumens and four adult and two child candidates.

·        Bishop Gonzales will confirm our 32 candidates on April 30th.  This year the Archbishop has created a confirmation program that he is urging all parishes to use.

·        Twenty-four candidates will start preparation for First Reconciliation in December.

·        Preparation for First Eucharist will begin in February.  Family Eucharist is scheduled for May 3rd/4th, and group reception will be on May 18th.

·        School of Religion enrollment is way down.  Currently only seven high school students are enrolled.  Youth Group numbers are also down.  Father George noted that there are 681 families in the parish; average weekly mass attendance is 625 and daily mass is 25-20.

    1. Finance- Father George

·        Sunday collections are 7% below projected budget.

·        Final figures for the bazaar are not yet available but this is probably our second best year.    

    1. Facilities Planning – Bob Pizzano

·        We had a good response to our notice in the bulletin.

·        There are still some problems with the roof.

·        We are in the pre-planning stage of moving the church offices to the convent.

·        The janitorial contract will be reviewed.

·        The energy audit figures need to be organized.

·        We are getting a lighting expert to increase light but not heat in the sanctuary.

·        There is a question of whether the FM Audio Hearing Loop is working.

·        Work is still needed on the distribution of heat. 

                       

6.      Old Business

a.       Bazaar

·        The gross was $55,000 –$57,000.

·        The Cherry Hill Construction Company donated the parking lot lights.

b.      Father had no update on the Category I School Families Letter.

c.       The janitorial contract is under review.

d.      Father contracted with PEPCO for something less than 11cents a therm for two years.

e.       Bob Pizzano is still on the Council as a Community Representative.

 

7.      There was no new business.

 

8.      Mary Chute-O’Meara asked about tickets for the papal visit.  Kathy Nieman said that tickets for the Papal Mass will be distributed through the parishes.  Attendance will be limited to 41,000 people.

                                                                                      

9.   The next meeting will be Wednesday, January 23, 2008.

 

11.   Father George closed the meeting with a prayer.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Mollie Huitema