Parish Council - Holy Family

Minutes January 30, 2015 9:00 - 12:00pm PARISH HOUSE

MEETING CALLED BY / Jim Payant
TYPE OF MEETING / Parish Council Working Meeting
FACILITATORS / Jim Payant and Heather Hazel
NOTE TAKER / Jim Payant
TIMEKEEPER
ATTENDEES / Michael Ciarrocchi, Dottie Moon, Susan Magoon, Tom Loto, Tyler Dawe, Mark Pasquale, Richard Potticary, Megan Hatt, Cindy Mello, Celi Walpole Griffin, Mary Ellen Gonci, Kerry McGuire

Opening Prayer Led by Jim Payant

Introductions

Agenda topics

Justice and Peace Ministry Celi Walpole Griffin

DISCUSSION / Celi Walpole Griffin shared with Parish Council that she would like to volunteer her time to the Justice and Peace Ministry. Having received information about past activities of this ministry Celi proposed two ideas for activities seeking feedback from Parish Council. The first idea was new ongoing support for the Covenant Soup Kitchen Pantry and Meal Service by getting help from parish members to leverage extreme coupon shopping at local grocers and making monthly bulk donations of food items. Additional fundraising options were shared including a "Knot Quilt" sale in Fall of 2015 before parish students depart for college to seed the program. The second idea was to provide job/work readiness support for women and families at the
Holy Family Home and Shelter in Willimantic
CONCLUSION / Parish Council members suggested that Celi team with the Social Outreach ministry regarding her ideas for new support for the Covenant Soup Kitchen Meal Service as this is better aligned with that ministry. Members of the Social Outreach felt that the second idea of providing job/work readiness support did not really align with their ministry but were willing to explore this with Celi as a possible Justice and Peace Ministry potential initiative.
ACTION ITEMS / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / DEADLINE

Lenten activities: Name Tags Heather Hazel

DISCUSSION / Liturgy committee reviewed with Parish Council the suggestion of name tags for all parishioners originally planned for Advent season. Heather Hazel informed the members of Parish Council that she purchased 600 name tags for this initiative but that time ran out to complete the logistics of distributing the name tags in time.
Parish Council agreed that logistically it was too close to the start of Lent to prepare and introduce the name tags and perhaps to look towards other parish events to tie in to like Pentecost or Spirit Weekend in the Fall. A proposal was put forth to design more permanent name tags and ask specific ministries to wear them when they serve the parish community at Mass.
CONCLUSION / Parish Council members will need to help coordinate the use of the remaining name tags to be distributed at a future event like the Spirit Weekend season in the Fall. Dottie Moon volunteered to prepare any communication material and background information that might be needed to help implement the name tags.
ACTION ITEMS / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / DEADLINE
Check with Lebanon Recognition Express or other suppliers of permanent name tags for members of the Greeter, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and Lectoring ministries . / Heather Hazel / Prior to summer vacation season

Acts of Charity Program Susan Magoon

DISCUSSION / Following Ash Wednesday during the Lenten season, the Social Outreach ministry will be announcing in the bulletin the Acts of Charity Program. The program will be to provide items for local agencies in the surrounding communities and tags with ideas for volunteer work. The coordinator for this program is Kim Bowers
CONCLUSION / Bulletin Announcement and Tags will be posted in the Narthex.
ACTION ITEMS / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / DEADLINE

Parish Survey Megan Hatt

DISCUSSION / Megan Hatt, Tom Loto and and Mark Pasquale have been working on a parish survey; Megan provided a draft survey for feedback. Parish Council suggested that the length of the survey should be brief and with open-ended questions. Members discussed the need for a blind survey for those who wish their responses to remain confidential. Options on distributing the survey were discussed including an internet based survey with an option for parishioners without access to the internet to complete a paper based survey to be collected anonymously in a drop box in the Narthex.
CONCLUSION / Additional efforts are needed to adjust the survey length and questions. Focus on a survey which will reveal the essential qualities of parish life that are most important and dear to our parishioners and which we might improve upon to grow our parish community.
ACTION ITEMS / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / DEADLINE
Review and refine Parish Survey based on feedback from this meeting / Megan Hatt

Haiti Committee Mary Ellen Gonci, Kerry McGuire

DISCUSSION / The Haiti Committee prepared a report and Mary Ellen Gonci provided a status. The report informed Parish Council of the tremendous need for charity in our twin parish. The Immaculate Conception Parish in Fonds Baptiste was twinned with Church of the Holy Family in 1996. The Haiti Ministry recognized Church of the Holy Family for their tremendous generosity year after year and presented new and creative ideas for future fund raising events.
A significant amount of ongoing financial aid is needed to support and sustain the Parish grant process for teacher salaries for grades K-6. In addition, in 2014 the Haiti Committee has encouraged the Pastor to re-institute grades 7,8 and 9 - requiring an additional outlay of funds. Parish Council learned that completion of a new rectory which has been started has a financial need estimated at between $92k - $100k
Parish Council and the Haiti Committee discussed the large gap in financial aid required to continue funding K-6 teachers salaries let alone other commitments. Kerry McGuire proposed new and creative fundraising ideas that might help narrow that gap this year. Ideas discussed included Crowd Funding and quarterly Bingo which would require further research into licensing arrangements (for Bingo) as well as follow up discussions with the Finance Committee and Father Michael before coordinating these new approaches.
CONCLUSION / Michael Ciarrocchi asked for the Haiti Committee to prepare a review prior agreements towards sustainability as needs are great. Michael would review the information provided by the Haiti Committee with Ken Kron and present the information to the Finance Committee.
ACTION ITEMS / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / DEADLINE
Follow up with Finance Committee and Father Michael regarding prior agreements towards sustainability of the Haiti parish and discuss creative fund raising options which might require permission to pursue. / Mary Ellen Gonci, Kerry McGuire

Social Outreach Christmas Gift Program Susan Magoon

DISCUSSION / Social Outreach Ministry reported an overwhelming participation in the 2014 Christmas Gift Program achieving a 96% fulfillment of Christmas gifts. 450 tags were distributed and all needs were met.
CONCLUSION / Job well done!
ACTION ITEMS / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / DEADLINE

Parish Community Dinner Heather Hazel

DISCUSSION / Heather presented her research on attempting to find a workable date on the church calendar for this year's Parish Community Dinner. Unfortunately the two dates that were available prior to summer vacation season were Memorial Day weekend and the Padre's runweekend.
CONCLUSION / Parish Council recommended to look for alternative dates in the fall season after Labor Day. Heather volunteered to check with Roger to see what dates might be available on the church calendar.
ACTION ITEMS / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / DEADLINE
Check calendar for dates in the Fall available for Parish Community Dinner. / Heather Hazel / Preferably before next Parish Council Meeting

Joint Parish Council Meeting Heather Hazel

DISCUSSION / Heather Hazel confirmed the Joint Parish Council meeting will be held Wednesday March 11th and will be hosted at St Columba. St Columba has not yet confirmed the time with Heather. Kathy Hamilton, president of St Columba Parish Council may not be available on that date.
CONCLUSION / .
ACTION ITEMS / PERSON RESPONSIBLE / DEADLINE
Confirm the time and email Church of the Holy Family Parish Council members / Heather Hazel / March 4th

Topics discussed that were not on the agenda

Neighborhood Circles - Faith Evangelization

Richard Potticarry shared that he had a conversation with Father Michael about this topic.

Michael Ciarrocchi suggested that we think incrementally. Neighborhood Circles perhaps should not be thought of as a geographical concept but rather your own circle of friends and acquaintances that you might be in contact with daily. This could be in the workplace or other settings.

Overall feeling is that the concept is not progressing as we collectively would like quite yet.

"The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic" and Prayer

A discussion arose during the meeting about the book "The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic" and the study group sessions.. Parish Council felt encouraged by participation level in the study group.

Additional conversation focused on prayer and establishing a prayer ministry. There was talk about a prayer list maintained by Nicole Bernier for parish members who are ill and need of prayers. Also discussed was the potential formation of small Christian Communities.

Respectfully submitted: Jim Payant