ST. BERNARD PARISH
2015 Parmenter Street
Middleton, WI 53562
Phone: 608-831-6531 Fax: 608-831-8101
PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES
Nov ember 30, 2017
7:00pm PCMR
Present: Fr. Brian, Anne Blindt, Margaret Bomber, Jan Clauss, Mike Dummer,
Derek Fuerbringer, Pam Klas, Jane Maly, Carole Savage, Leslie Sullivan, John Winter, Gene Zander
Absent: Luke Fuszard, Elaine Hathaway, Jackie Reynolds
7pm: Call to order by Jane Maly
Opening prayer: John Winter
I. Old Business:
A. Winterfest Report: Jane Maly
•Many of the same committee members involved
•Maybe a few new games this year
•No changes in the prices
•Will begin publicizing after Christmas
B. Resignation of Luke Fuszard – His seat will remain open until the next election.
II. New Business:
A. Mass Schedule:
•Fr. Brian presented the council with a breakdown of Sunday Mass totals for Jan. 1 through Oct. 7 of this year: 7:30 a.m. – 196, 9 a.m. – 308 and 11 a.m. – 277
•During the summer months, June, July and August, the totals are 204, 278 and 268, respectively.
•The seating for the main floor of the church is 672 based on 12 people per pew, and if you take into account seating for handicapped parishioners, the total is 560.
•Fr. Brian suggested Masses at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., on Sundays.
•Fr. Brian said with more time in between Masses, the RE staff will have more time to serve that program.
•Kevin Laufenberg will look into adjusting the bus schedule for 9 a.m., Mass.
•Fr. Brian said he may start this new schedule during the summer months, when attendance is light. He added that many churches have a summer schedule.
•With fewer Masses, it will be easier to schedule Mass servers, cantors, lectors and ushers.
•Gene Zander said with more time between Masses, the parking lot may be less chaotic with Mass and RE drop-off and pick-up.
•Fr. Brian said he will give the idea some more thought.
B. Parish Commissions
•Fr. Brian suggested increasing the number of parish commissions to give people the opportunity to get involved.
•Jane Maly searched the web to find out what other churches have for commissions and found community life, comfort and caring and newcomers are popular.
•A subcommittee was formed to propose a list of new commissions to the council.
III. Committees/Commissions:
A. Faith Formation: Leslie Sullivan reporting
•The Symbolon adult study averaged about 10 people.
•An advent study, titled “Anima,” will be held for three weeks in December.
•The “Little Blue Advent” books were passed out after Mass.
•Fr. Brian has a Matthew Kelly book for parishioners for Christmas.
•In January, Lindsay Finn, a parishioner and diocese employee, will conduct at class on prayer.
•At Easter, Susan Swanke will lead a study on “Lectio Divina”
•Suggestion was made to send out a postcard to the 53562 zip code about St. Bernard’s Holy Week Masses. Fr. Brian said this is very inexpensive and a good idea.
B. Human Needs: Jane Maly reporting
•Snack Pack Blessings has added a second school.
•The Giving Tree will be completed this weekend.
•The Beacon: Several members would like to visit this day resource center for the homeless. Fr. Brian suggested doing a “Collection Sunday” for the Beacon.
•Bev Scullion will take over at the beginning of the year.
C. Finance: Fr. Brian reporting
•Fr. Brian said we are in great shape financially.
•The diocese perpetual care funds will be separated from our parish funds.
•For God’s Plan, parishioners have pledged about $450,000 from 400 households with 220 on automatic payment, which is really good.
•Our parish assessment for the priests’ retirement fund has been decreased from $12,500 to $9,500, because the St. Raphael fund has been “fully funded.”
•We got a thank you card from MOM for a recent donation of 338 pounds of food.
•Recent contributions by St. Bernard: $2,500 to Catholic Multicultural Center and $2,500 to The Beacon. We need to keep support these organizations!
IV. Closing:
A.Next Executive meeting: Thursday,Jan. 18 at 5 p.m.
B.Next Parish Council meeting: Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 at 7pm.
C.Prayer: Anne Blindt
Minutes submitted by Ellen G. Krenke