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2003 Parish Council Minutes

Parish Council minutes are available to all parishioners here and in the parish library in the Council minutes binder. The library version also contains monthly reports and other documents referenced as "attached" in the minutes.

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Wednesday, December 3, 2003
Parish Library, 7:30 PM

The Parish Council met on Wednesday, December 3, 2003, in the Parish Library. Members present were: Anne Biedscheid (Hospitality), Kathy Censky (Neighborhood A/B), Rev. Gerry Creedon (Pastor), Mory Garcia (Latin American Community), Gail Goodridge (Social Justice and substitute Secretary), Carolyn Gretzinger (Parish Council President), Neyda Jara (Latin American Community), Jack Lane (Liturgy), Teresa Madrid (Neighborhood F), Charlie Sullivan (Stewardship), Jean Sweeney (Community Life) and Roy Tucker (Neighborhood C). Anne Marie Kaufmann represented the Pastoral Team.

The meeting was called to order at 7:38 p.m. The minutes from the November meeting were approved with two corrections. A sympathy card was circulated for Kathleen Murray. Gail led the Council in a faith formation exercise.

Pastoral Team Report.
Anne Marie Kaufmann presented the Pastoral Team report. She noted that we are transferring over to a new calendar system and advised that data previously entered into the calendar do not need to be re-entered. Changes to current entries can be effected by emailing Araceli Manoatl in the Parish Office. The email address is amanoatl@stcharleschurch.org.

Anne Marie also reported that the youth programs, WAY and On The Way, are doing well:

• Participation numbers are steady.
• The cookbook will be on sale this week.
• The High School group is trying to do more service events. It is anticipated that 25 students will participate in Work Camp this summer.
• Adult leadership is expanding with new members and is bringing in new ideas and energy.
• The representative from the Spanish Apostolate, through Laura Manzo, is asking us to re-establish a young adult group for Hispanics. Laura is doing a great job on evangelization with the Latin American Community and is very well accepted by the community. Laura is not only helping with children’s religious education but also is expanding her work to include a Bible study class and formation with a leadership group from the Latin American Community.

Action Plan Status.
Fr. Creedon and Carolyn presented a “Consolidated Action Plan” to summarize the campus priorities identified at earlier meetings into four major areas of work:

1. Campus Facilities and Oversight, which includes interiors, furnishings, technology and access;
2. Orientation, which encompasses communication of our plans to the parish/school community;
3. Staffing, which involves the opening and closing hours of campus buildings and personnel; and
4. Parish Planning and Budgeting, which covers the two-year parish calendar and budget. Critical to the successful completion of these work products will be ensuring that we have clear roles for staffing regarding campus management. Tim Brady is assisting in clarifying and interpreting staffing recommendations, roles and responsibilities.

Parish Town Hall Preparations.
Town Hall meetings will be held on Sunday, January 25 after the 11 and 1 pm masses. All Parish Council and Pastoral Team and staff members (or their designated representatives) are asked to attend these meetings. We anticipate beginning with a reflection on “Living Stones…Our Mission” followed by a report from the Campus Facilities and Oversight Committee with Q&A. We also will allow time for a community dialogue on other issues related to parish life. Fr. Creedon will moderate. This is a great opportunity for the Parish Council to report back to the parish community and listen to issues and concerns.

Parish Planning Process.
We are already receiving requests for use of the new parish center— including requests for 1-2 years in advance. To ensure access by the parish to our parish center, we need to do more advanced planning, particularly for major events. Ministries were advised to look at anticipated events through FY 2006 focusing on both recurring activities (regularly-scheduled meetings) as well as special events (e.g., the Polka party, Haiti Carnaval) and off-campus activities at which our ministries participate (Crop Walk, Christmas in April). Our submissions should include the event, date(s), start and end time, and the estimated number of participants. The first draft of this document is due at the February 4 joint meeting; the calendars should be refined and finalized no later than the March 3 Parish Council meeting.

May 15 Ministries Evening.
Ministry volunteers, Pastoral Team and staff will be invited to participate in a “Ministries Evening” in May. The event will allow us to focus on activities in light of our vision and common purpose and to identify how we can strengthen our collaboration and effectiveness. We will have an outside facilitator for the event. We anticipate starting with a workshop followed by the 5 pm Vigil Mass and a reception. The event will be conducted bilingually if needed.

Parish Goals Review.
We reviewed our parish goals and objectives broadly and invited comments to Carolyn and Fr. Creedon by email of any suggested changes by December 10.

Upcoming Activities.
Carolyn encouraged Council members to attend the Parish Christmas Party on December 21. The winners of the parish’s volunteer awards, the Glyne Goodridge and St. Charles Borromeo Awards, will be announced on that occasion. She thanked Council members for submitting nominations for the awards and indicated that the nominations process had closed on December 2.

Carolyn also clarified the process for proposing and entering ministry highlights on our Web site home page. Council members were reminded to contact Carolyn if an important event is inadvertently overlooked. We also noted the importance of double-checking the bulletin before it is printed for last minute changes/corrections. Anne Marie agreed to bring this item to the full Pastoral Team for follow up.

Fr. Creedon led the closing prayer, and the meeting adjourned at 9:25 pm.

Wednesday, November 5, 2003
Parish Library, 7:30 PM

The Parish Council met on Wednesday, November 5, 2003, in the Parish Library. Members present were: Andrea Bender (Education), Anne Biedscheid (Hospitality), Patricia Buckley (Secretary), Rev. Gerry Creedon (Pastor), Gail Goodridge (Social Justice), Carolyn Gretzinger (Parish Council President), Betty Anne Hanna (Liturgy), Neyda Jara (Latin American Community), Teresa Madrid (Neighborhood F), Patricia McKenna (Neighborhood A/B), Carmelita Tucker (Neighborhood C) and Eleanor and Milt Werthmann (Community Life). Jean Sweeney represented the Pastoral Team.

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m.

The meeting opened with a prayer and faith formation led by Teresa Madrid. Faith formation consisted of a reflection on John 2:13-22. We are each called upon to balance patience with zeal as we seek to lead change.

The meeting then turned to the following agenda items:

Approval of the Minutes from the October 1 Meeting:
The minutes from the October Parish Council Meeting were approved as submitted.

Pastoral Team Report: Jean Sweeney and Father Creedon briefed the Council on recent activities of the Pastoral Team and the memo requesting updates to the Parish Calendar was circulated. Among the highlights of the Pastoral Team Report were:

• There will now be an additional meeting each month for Pastoral Team members, who have core ministry responsibilities.
• The Circle of Caring sponsored a bilingual Mass of Remembrance on November 3. Jean Sweeny and a volunteer conducted bereavement sessions in the two weeks prior to the Mass.
• The Contemplative Way program is successful.
• The Marriage Ministry is doing well. A recent meeting of volunteers involved with the ministry, i.e. Engaged Couples, Marriage Circle, Retrouvaille, etc. met recently to discuss new initiatives and further expansion.
• Adult Formation under the auspices of Spanish Faith and Life is showing a very positive initial response. It was noted that further expansion must develop out of the Latin American community itself. Laura Manzo will be a great resource as this growth continues.

Action Plan Status:
Father Creedon and Carolyn Gretzinger distributed the Action Plan Status Report as of October 30, 2003, and discussed the October 27 joint meeting to prepare for the Parish Center. Some of the issues presented included:

• Installation of the new calendar software ("My Calendar")-Most of the current calendar data have been entered into the new software program. The new calendar can be viewed online.
• A FAQ flyer re the Community Center/campus facilities is currently under development.
• Furnishings-Steve Brown of the PCCC will work with the Building Committee to procure interiors. He also is in touch with the Finance Committee to develop a budget to account for the orders now being placed.
• Organizational Structure/Oversight-The existing Facilities and Parish Community Center Committees, which are part of the Stewardship Ministry, will transition to a new "Campus Facilities and Oversight Committee," which will provide a complete "campus" view for discussion and decision-making. The new Campus Facilities and Oversight Committee together with the Finance Committee will be part of the Stewardship Ministry, which is represented on the Parish Council.

Nomination Process for Volunteer Awards:
Council members were invited to submit nominations for the Glyne Goodridge and the St. Charles Borromeo Awards to Father Creedon and Carolyn Gretzinger via e-mail. Nominations must be submitted no later than Tuesday, December 2, 2003. The Glyne Goodridge Award recognizes excellence in the area of outreach and the St. Charles Borromeo Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the life of the parish.

Report on the Welcome Receptions for New Parishioners:
Anne Biedscheid reported that the welcome receptions held on October 25 and 26 drew approximately 30 people each and a total of 11 new households registered with the parish. The next welcome receptions will be held on February 28 and 29, 2004. There was discussion as to whether a primary language designation could be passed on the Neighborhood representative to improve the quality of the initial telephone contacts. Jean Sweeney agreed to pass this request to the Pastoral Team.

Upcoming Activities: Carolyn Gretzinger reported on the following upcoming events:

• Music for the Heart and Soul, a fundraiser for Borromeo Housing, will be held on November 8.
• C'YA Sunday night Social will be on November 16.
• Approximately 20 Thanksgiving Dinners will be prepared on November 26 as a Hospitality Outreach Project.
• Also on November 26 is the Thanksgiving Eve Interfaith Service at Congregation Etz Hayim.
• Thanksgiving Day Mass will be at 9:00am.
• The Parish Christmas Party will be held on December 21 in Benedict Hall if possible, with the Cafeteria as the fallback location. The party will be from 2 to 5pm, beginning with Posadas/Looking for Lodging, organized by Neighborhood F.

Highlights of Ministry/Neighborhoods Reports: Milt Werthmann noted several items of interest:

• The Web Team is particularly interested in receiving any planned bulletin notices or inserts, so it can post these on the Web site as well, as further advertisement of your function.
• If anyone knows the whereabouts of missing video tapes, "Acts of the Apostles" and "Paul's Captivity Letters," from the Little Rock Bible Study Program, please email Milt and Eleanor. Tapes are to be returned to the Parish Office marked to the attention of Jim Morris, who coordinates the Scripture Review Ministry. Scripture Review would like to use these tapes for its next study session.
• Council Reps are asked to email bulletin insert flyers and bulletin text information to the Web Team as soon as it is available. In this way, the Web Team can prepare and post the items even before they appear in the hard copy of the parish bulletin.
• Also, the Web Team is working on an "Advent/Christmas" page for the Web site. Reps are asked to email any information on Advent events sponsored their ministries to the Web Team. (The Advent neighborhood events flyer will be sent to the Web Team upon final approval of the text).

Following a closing prayer, the meeting was adjourned at 8:54 p.m.

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Wednesday, October 1, 2003
7:30 PM, Parish Library

The Parish Council met on Wednesday, October 1, 2003, in the Parish Library. Members present were: Andrea Bender (Education), Anne Biedscheid (Hospitality), Patricia Buckley (Secretary), Rev. Gerry Creedon (Pastor), Gail Goodridge (Social Justice), Carolyn Gretzinger (Parish Council President), Betty Anne Hanna (Liturgy), Neyda Jara (Latin American Community), Janice Macdonald (Neighborhood E), Teresa Madrid (Neighborhood F), Patricia McKenna (Neighborhood A/B), Charlie Sullivan (Stewardship), Carmelita Tucker (Neighborhood C) and Eleanor and Milt Werthmann (Community Life). Hernaldo Espinoza represented the Pastoral Team.

The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m.

The meeting opened with a prayer and faith formation led by Andrea Bender. Faith formation consisted of a reflection on Mark 10:2-16. We are each called upon to excel in all of our many roles.

The meeting then turned to the following agenda items:

Approval of the Minutes from the Previous Meeting:
The minutes from the June Parish Council Meeting were approved as submitted. In addition, the Council endorsed the "Action Plan" to implement the priorities identified at the September 3 joint meeting.

Pastoral Team Report:
Hernaldo Espinoza presented the new parishioners lists (sorted by neighborhood) to Carolyn Gretzinger for distribution to the Neighborhood Representatives. In addition, it was mentioned that the parking lot continues to be an issue.

• A balance is needed to ensure that we remain a welcoming Christian people even as we protect the safety of the students in our school and ensure that we do not become a commuter parking lot. The overly aggressive parking/towing service that was previously arranged has been discontinued.
• It has been noted that the signs designating parking places for those with disabilities might be modified-perhaps with extra padding-to prevent injury to students.

Stewardship Report:
Charles Sullivan reported on the financial position of the parish. Highlights include:

• Funding for the Parish Center is basically balanced over the next fiscal year.
• The Parish needs to begin repaying the diocesan loan this fall.
• St. Charles School is projecting a shortfall due to a drop in enrollments and extraordinary expenses such as the replacement of the boiler.
• Stewardship Sunday will take place on October 11 and 12.

Ministries Fair:
Patricia Buckley reported that following the English language masses, a total of 113 people had signed up for individual ministries and 16 families registered with the Parish. Neyda Jara reported that 29 additional individuals had volunteered and five families registered following the Spanish language Mass. Council representatives were asked to ensure that all new volunteers were contacted during the week following the Fair. Council members will be asked to report to the Parish Council as to the follow-up actions undertaken.

Some "lessons learned" to be considered when planning next year's Fair include:

• Improve the Neighborhood maps;
• Place a sandwich board outside the Church pointing out the location of the fair;
• Consider producing a pamphlet listing the ministries (and a short description of each); and
  

Also, it was recommended that the Liturgy Committee consider hosting a St. Francis "animal/pet" blessing Mass.

Upcoming Activities:
Carolyn Gretzinger reported on the following upcoming events:

• Respect Life Sunday will be held on October 5.
• The topic of the October 5th "Conversations with Creedon" will be Catholics and Elections-What are the Options?
• Oktoberfest -- This annual fund-raiser for the school takes place on Saturday, October 18. Please encourage ministry/neighborhood volunteers to participate!
• C'YA will have a Sunday night social on October 19th.
• "Super Celebration" Task Force Meeting -- We are forming a Task Force to plan the celebration of Sr. Benedict's 30 years at St. Charles and the official dedication/opening of the Parish Center. The date of the special multicultural liturgy/dedication/Sr. B's 30 years is Friday, January 30, 2004. (The Polka Party takes place the following evening!). Parish Council members and/or a representative from their ministries/neighborhoods are invited to participate in this Task Force. The first planning meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the School Cafeteria. Council Reps are asked to let Carolyn Gretzinger know if they or a member of their ministry/neighborhood are interested in serving on the Task Force.
• Welcome Receptions for New Parishioners (October 25 and 26) - Parish Council members or a representative from their ministry/neighborhood are asked to attend both welcome receptions. Remember that there will be a "resource table" on which Reps can place ministry/neighborhood brochures, flyers, etc.
• World Youth Sunday is October 26. It was suggested that an appeal for additional catechists could be made at the Masses this weekend.

Highlights of Ministry/Neighborhoods Reports:

• Affordable Housing and Arlington County Board Meeting -- The Arlington County Board will discuss the Woodbury Park project at its meeting on Saturday, October 4. Council Reps are asked to invite their neighbors/volunteers to participate in this meeting as we stand in solidarity with our neighbors and support affordable housing in Arlington.
• On November 3, there will be a bilingual Mass of Remembrance.

Following a closing prayer, the meeting was adjourned at 9:21 p.m.

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Wednesday, May 7, 2003
Parish Library, 7:30 PM

The St. Charles Parish Council convened on Wednesday, May 7, 2003, at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Library. Members present were: Andrea Bender (Education), Anne Biedscheid (Hospitality), Rev. Gerry Creedon (Pastor), Carolyn Gretzinger (Parish Council President), Betty Anne Hanna (Liturgy), Neyda Jara (Latin American Community), TJ Murphy (Social Justice), Jan Macdonald (Neighborhood E), Patricia McKenna (Neighborhood A/B), Charlie Sullivan (Stewardship) and Carmelita Tucker (Neighborhood C).

Jean Sweeney represented the Community Life ministries and the Pastoral Team. In the absence of Carol Brown, Jean volunteered to take the minutes.

The meeting was called to order at 7:40 PM.

Faith formation centered on a reflection of the upcoming Sunday's gospel, John 10:11-18.

Pastoral Team Report:
A discussion on the Parish Center project, particularly the idea of shifting the center of campus operations to the new Center, was held. A second joint meeting on this issue will be held with Tony Lacot next month. A report on the Gallop research poll regarding engaged and committed congregations was briefly presented. A summary of the Gallop poll results will be distributed at the June Parish Council meeting.

Fiscal Year 2004 Budget:
Charlie presented the preliminary FY04 budget figures. A suggestion was made to include line item details for all core ministries. This year, administrative costs will be allocated to the corresponding ministry rather than lumped in one "administration" line item. Parish Council Representatives are asked to submit receipts for reimbursement to Tricia by mid-June for processing before the end of the fiscal year.

Fiscal Year 2004 Calendar:
Carolyn noted that Araceli had prepared a draft FY04 calendar; however, additional ministry/neighborhood inputs are still needed. Dates should be given to Araceli. The following key calendar dates were approved:

• The Parish Community Center Dedication will be held on Saturday, November 1 (the Saturday before the Feast of St. Charles Borromeo) after the 5 PM Mass; a Parish Community Center Open House will take place after all Masses on Sunday, November 2.
• The Parish Christmas Party and Awards Ceremony will be held on Sunday, December 21 from 2-5 PM in Benedict Hall.
• The English-language Town Hall will be held in Benedict Hall on Sunday, January 25 after the 11 AM Mass. The Spanish-language Town Hall will be held on Sunday, January 25 after the 1 PM Mass. A concern about parking availability was raised.

Parish Community Center/Human Capital Infrastructure Plan:
Fr. Creedon reported that recommendations developed by Tony Lacot were shared at a meeting to which members of the Pastoral Team and Parish Community Center Committee and St. Charles School representatives were invited. These were not final recommendations, as some were led to believe, but part of a dialogue. We are in an ongoing process of consultation with the school, pastoral team and the Parish Community Center Committee. Fr. Creedon and Sr. Benedict will receive a report outlining the final recommendations. Items of note include:

• The Parish Community Center Committee, chaired by Monica Craven, will develop recommendations for staffing and using the new center. Monica and Tony will meet with the Parish Council on June 4 and the Pastoral Team on June 5.
• It is hoped that scheduling of meeting spaces can begin by July. A meeting between Fr. Creedon, Larry Prikockis (Web Team), Colleen Nevius and Bill Colosimo (St. Charles School), Araceli Manoatl (Parish Office), Tony Lacot, Monica Craven and Carolyn Gretzinger will be held on May 20. The current draft of the FY04 parish calendar and letter codes for meetings spaces (already prepared by Web team) will provide the framework for discussion.
• Campus Staffing: Tony's study shows that the Parish can use existing staff resources rather than hire many new staff members to fulfill the functions required by the new Parish Center.
• The new center will provide additional resources for ministry purposes, and other functions will remain in the school and existing office spaces.
• There will be no "exclusive use" rooms.
• The School will continue to be the venue for religious education classes on Sundays.

Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope:
Fifty volunteers will visit fellow parishioners as part of the next stage of the campaign. Pledges to date total $1,200,000. Many new people have joined the team.

Directory of Services:
Carolyn reminded Parish Council Representatives that updates/additions to their ministry's/neighborhood's listing for the 2003-2004 Directory of Services are due no later than June 4.

Welcome Receptions for New Parishioners take place on May 17 and 18. Parish Council Representatives are encouraged to attend (or designate an alternate if they cannot). Carolyn requested that Council Representatives bring brochures/pamphlets/flyers advertising their ministry/neighborhood activities to display on the resource table that will be available at the receptions.

As announced at the last Parish Council meeting, Carol Brown, Parish Council Secretary, will be married this summer and cannot serve another term. Patricia Buckley, Volunteer Coordinator, was nominated for the position. The Council voted unanimously to elect Patricia Buckley as the Parish Council Secretary effective September 1. The term is one year.

Finally, Monica Perz, who had been on maternity leave, has returned as director of the 6 PM Mass Choir. The Sunday Mass at 6 PM continues to grow.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 PM.

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Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Parish Library, 7:30 PM

The Parish Council met on Wednesday, March 12, 2003, in the Parish Library. Members present were: Andrea Bender (Education), Anne Biedscheid (Hospitality), Colleen Brennan (Neighborhood D), Carol Brown (Secretary), Kathy Censky ((Neighborhood A/B), Rev. Gerry Creedon (Pastor), Carolyn Gretzinger (Parish Council President), Betty Anne Hanna (Liturgy), Neyda Jara (Latin American Community), Jan Macdonald (Neighborhood E), Teresa Madrid (Neighborhood F), TJ Murphy (Social Justice), Charlie Sullivan (Stewardship), Carmelita and Roy Tucker (Neighborhood C) and Milt Werthmann (Community Life). Jean Sweeney, Pastoral Counselor and Community Life Liaison, represented the Pastoral Team. Tim Brady of the Parish Community Center Facilities Committee and Tara Dwyer of Community Counseling Services also were present.

The meeting was called to order at 7:34 pm.

The meeting opened with a prayer led by Carmelita Tucker and faith formation led by Carolyn Gretzinger. Faith formation consisted of a reflection on Mark 9:2-10. During this Lenten season, we are called to transform our lives and the Parish Council reflected on why it is sometimes hard to listen to Jesus as he calls us to transformation.

The meeting then turned to the following agenda items:

Approval of the Minutes from the Previous Meeting:
The minutes from the January Parish Council Meeting were approved as submitted. The Council also approved a retroactive change to the October, November and December 2002 minutes to replace all references to the "Bishop's Capital Campaign" with the Campaign's proper title, "Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope," to eliminate any confusion.

Pastoral Team Report:
The following items were discussed:

• The Pastoral Team had an excellent discussion on the "Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope" campaign process.
• In preparation for the opening of the Parish Community Center, Tony Lacot is performing an operational development review, in which current parish administrative functions are analyzed and job descriptions are reviewed.
• The Community Life ministry is blossoming.

Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope Campaign: Tara Dwyer of Community Counseling Services, the fund raising-firm retained by the Diocese for this endeavor, explained the campaign. The campaign has a goal of $75 million, which will support five specific projects: an endowment for Catholic Charities, a priest retirement facility, the construction of a shelter for homeless families, the construction of a diocesan spirituality/retreat center and an education endowment that will provide scholarships and help build two new high schools. "Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope" is a 501(c)(3) organization under the IRS code, which means that all funds raised must be spent on the projects specified. All parishes in the Diocese are participating in the campaign. Each parish's goal for the campaign was established based upon the history of giving in the parish's offertory.

St. Charles' goal in the Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope campaign is $2.2 million. If the goal is met, half of the money raised ($1.1 million) will be returned to St. Charles for the Parish Community Center. Any funds raised in excess of the parish's goal will be returned to St. Charles. The campaign relies upon a parishoner-to-parishoner appeal. The pledge period for the campaign is five years. If the goal is met or exceeded, St. Charles will receive a disbursement each quarter based upon the payment of pledges. Through the fifth week of the campaign, $500,000 has been raised and 74% of those approached are making a gift.

The Bishop's Lenten Appeal will be postponed until the fall at St. Charles due to the "Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope" campaign. Contributions to the Parish Community Center Campaign cannot be solicited while the "Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope" campaign is active in the parish. The Parish Community Center has received $3.2 million in pledges and $2.2 million in payments. In addition, $1,500 - $2,000 is contributed to the Parish Community Center during the special collection at Masses each month. St. Charles has a $1.5 million line of credit with the Diocese, which may be used for the Parish Community Center. St. Charles currently has $4 million in contractual obligations associated with the construction of the Parish Community Center. An additional $1.2 million is budgeted for furniture, equipment and other interior items for the Center.

Follow Up Report on the February 5th Joint Parish Council/Pastoral Team Meeting:
Tim Brady provided the following update on the Parish Community Center:

• The draft Parish Community Center operating procedures document is being revised to incorporate the ideas generated during the February 5th meeting.
• Tony Lacot has begun an in depth study of the St. Charles personnel structure. He will recommend the staffing required to manage the Parish Community Center when it is integrated into the St. Charles parish life.
• It has been decided that rather than create a new committee or board to manage the Parish Community Center, the existing Parish Community Center Planning Committee and the Facilities Committee, which is part of the Stewardship Ministry, will be blended to create an "enhanced" Facilities Committee, which will have a campus facilities focus. This will result in more efficient management of the entire St. Charles campus. Several members of the Parish Community Center Planning Committee have agreed to remain on the new blended committee to provide a seamless transition from planning of the Center to operation of the Center.
• Members of the Parish Community Center Planning Committee and the Stewardship Facilities Committee met with the St. Charles Web Team to present ideas for the future information management needs of the Center and to solicit ideas on how to implement computer based operations for the new Center, such as event scheduling, and interconnection of the Center with the entire St. Charles campus.

Fiscal Year 2004:
The FY04 Parish goals and objectives, which were originally presented at the January Parish Council meeting, were approved as submitted. The goals for FY 2004 remain focused on the theme of evangelization as expressed in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' document, "Go and Make Disciples." Three new objectives are listed under each goal. The Parish FY04 goals and objectives will be posted on the parish Web Site. Following approval of the Parish FY04 goals and objectives, each neighborhood and ministry was asked to share highlights of their FY04 objectives, calendar and budget submissions:

• Neighborhood E - Its FY04 objectives focus on resurrecting and fostering community spirit and continuing to identify neighborhood needs. In addition, a recent event at which 15 neighborhood volunteers fed 45 homeless people at Clarendon House indicated that there is a spirit of volunteerism in the neighborhood that may be fostered at future events.
• Hospitality - The Hospitality ministry's activities are keyed to the calendar of ministry and neighborhood activities. All representatives are encouraged to complete their calendar entries.
• Neighborhood D - Neighborhood D will emphasize faith sharing and faith formation in FY04. It is hoped that the small groups organized within the neighborhood for Lent will continue and will involve newcomers to the neighborhood. Opportunities to volunteer within the neighborhood and with the Parish will be highlighted.
• Liturgy - The Liturgy ministry will encourage and focus on multicultural activities with the various St. Charles communities. The ministry hopes to sponsor a guest lecturer on liturgy and to involve more people in liturgy planning.
• Neighborhood F - Neighborhood F faces a challenge in mixing its Latino and Anglo communities. It will focus on culture, spirituality and the call to participate freely in Parish life.
• Neighborhood A/B - Neighborhood A/B will concentrate on involving more of those in the neighborhood and new parishioners through events within St. Charles and with the larger Arlington community. The emphasis will be on matching the needs of the community with the gifts of its people.
• Social Justice - The Social Justice ministry will hold a retreat on March 22, 2003, to formulate its FY04 objectives and finalize its calendar and budget submissions.
• Education - The Education ministry will meet later to determine its FY04 objectives. It was noted that Oktoberfest will be held on May 10th, the same day as Arlington Neighborhood Day. Arlington promotes neighborhood activities on this day and may help to promote Oktoberfest. Carolyn Gretzinger will circulate information on Arlington Neighborhood Day to Sr. Benedict and Andrea Bender.
• Community Life - The Community Life ministry has revised its goals and objectives to align with the Parish goals and objectives. Each subministry within the Community Life ministry has incorporated prayer and reflection as an integral part of the ministry. A focus in FY04 will be on the interrelation of the subministries within the Community Life ministry. To assist with this goal, a newsletter will be distributed with information on each ministry's activities. Ministry teams will be formed in the Mom's ministry and the Marriage Encounter ministry. The Community Life ministries are expanding and have been revitalized. The next Parish Newcomer Receptions will be held on May 17 and May 18.
• Neighborhood C - Neighborhood C will focus on the creation of a core committee to plan events and energize the neighborhood community.
• Stewardship - The Stewardship ministry is working on the allocation of overhead costs to the activities they support. The Stewardship ministry will analyze each ministry's and neighborhood's budget request for FY04 and coordinate the inputs for distribution at the next Parish Council meeting on April 2, 2003.
• Parish Council - The Parish Council will continue faith sharing, update the Parish's Directory of Services and broaden its distribution to include subministry leaders. In addition, it is hoped that a coordinator and team of volunteers can be found to plan, organize and engineer the FY04 Ministries Fair. Planning for the FY04 Ministries Fair should begin before the summer.
• Latin American Community - The Latin American Community will focus on expanding its ministry and involving all members of the community.

Announcements:

• Father Creedon and Carolyn Gretzinger recognized and thanked all those Parish Council members whose terms expire in June 2003, but who have agreed to serve on the Parish Council for another year to ensure continuity during this time of transition in the Parish. The members who will serve for another year (2003-2004) are: Anne M. Biedscheid (Hospitality), Colleen Brennan (Neighborhood D), Neyda Jara (Latin American Community) and Teresa Madrid (Neighborhood F). In addition, Carolyn Gretzinger will serve another year (2003-2004) as President of the Parish Council.
• T.J. Murphy will leave the Parish to return to school at Virginia Tech in the fall. The Parish Council thanked him for his devoted service to the Parish. Gail Goodridge, Social Justice Committee Chair, will complete the remaining year of T.J.'s term on the Parish Council.
• Mike Doyle will head the liturgy planning committee.
• Please see Carolyn Gretzinger if you would like to assist Anna LaNave with the Presentation of the Creed to the RCIA candidates and catechumens after the 9:00 am Mass on March 23, 2003.
• Please email Carolyn Gretzinger with any new dates for FY04 events and leave a copy of your ministry's or neighborhood's FY04 calendar in Carolyn's box in the Parish office. Araceli Manoatl will put together the draft FY04 calendar (based on ministry and neighborhood submissions). The Parish Council will review the draft at its April and May meetings to identify scheduling conflicts and resolve them before the start of the fiscal year.
• Please respond to Patricia Buckley's email with any volunteer needs your ministry or neighborhood may have.
• There are 13 small groups meeting during Lent, consisting of 105 members. Continuation of the small groups after Lent is under consideration.
  

Prayers are requested for:

• Eleanor Werthmann, who is recovering from recent illnesses.
• Tricia Clark and her family, on the death of her mother.

Following a closing prayer, the meeting was adjourned at 9:40 pm.

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Parish Council Meeting
January 15, 2003

Attending: Anne Biedscheid (Hospitality), Colleen Brennan (Neighborhood D), Carol Brown (Secretary), Rev. Gerry Creedon (Pastor), Mory Garcia (Latin American Community), Carolyn Gretzinger (Parish Council President), Neyda Jara (Latin American Community), Jack Lane (Liturgy Alternate), Patricia McKenna (Neighborhood A/B), TJ Murphy (Social Justice), Charlie Sullivan (Stewardship), Carmelita and Roy Tucker (Neighborhood C) and Eleanor and Milt Werthmann (Community Life). Patricia Buckley, Volunteer Coordinator, and Anna LaNave, a graduate intern from Washington Theological Union who is assisting St. Charles in the areas of adult faith formation and RCIA, also were present

7:39 p.m. - Meeting called to order

Faith Formation:

The meeting opened with a prayer written by Fran Hobbs and led by Anne Biedscheid and faith formation led by Anna LaNave. Faith formation consisted of a reflection on the meaning of vocation in our lives and centered on John 1:35-42. A resource packet was distributed to the heads of ministries and neighborhoods, which they can use to lead faith sharing in their meetings.

Approval of Minutes from the Previous Meetings:

The minutes of the December Parish Council Meeting were approved as submitted.

Pastoral Team Report:

A recent problem with the Parish office phones has been resolved. This problem highlighted the need to review the Parish’s communications network and utilization of technology in preparation for the opening of the Parish Community Center.

The following projects were discussed:

1. Volunteer Email List – A volunteer email list has been established. The address is: volunteers@stcharleschurch.org. It is a new account, which will minimize the risk of theft of the address book. An email, which contains the volunteer opportunities for the coming month or so, will be sent to those on the list once a month. The email will be blind copied so that email addresses will not be distributed. It will be formatted to allow readers to scroll through opportunities and easily find those that interest them. Ministry leaders are encouraged to send an email describing the volunteer needs of their ministry to Patricia Buckley, the St. Charles Volunteer Coordinator. The emails from the ministries should contain a description of the need, the name of the person that interested volunteers should contact and how to contact him/her. In order to keep the list of opportunities fresh, opportunities will not stay on the list from month to month. Patricia will send a reminder email to ministry leaders asking for submissions about a week before the volunteer email is sent. It was suggested that the volunteer email be posted on the Web site and that a link be established on the Web site to facilitate joining the volunteer email list. It is hoped that the volunteer email list will allow ministries to articulate their needs and open themselves to new members. In addition, it is expected that the opportunities advertised via the volunteer email will include the needs of the community at large.

2. Parish Community Center Project/Campaign – Construction of the Parish Community Center remains on schedule for completion in September 2003. Management issues related to the Parish Community Center will be discussed at the next Parish Council meeting on February 5, 2003. A draft management plan is circulating and will be distributed to Parish Council members to facilitate the discussion. The goal of the management plan is to establish procedures to ensure that the Parish Community Center is used in a user-friendly way and one that promotes integration of church, school and parish office operations. Plans for the participation of the parish in the “Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope” campaign are being formulated. St. Charles’ goal for the campaign is $2.2 million. If St. Charles meets its goal, one half of the Campaign proceeds ($1.1 million) will be returned to our parish for the Community Center.

FY 2004 Parish Goals, Calendar and Budget in light of a Brief, Informal, Mid-Year Review:

Carolyn circulated a draft document presenting the proposed parish goals and objectives for FY2004. The draft suggested that the goals for FY 2004 remain focused on the theme of evangelization as expressed in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document, “Go and Make Disciples.” It also listed three new objectives under each goal.

Ministries and Neighborhoods should begin to formulate their goals, objectives, activities and budgets for FY 2004. These goals and objectives should link to the parish’s goals and objectives.

A memorandum was distributed which detailed the annual planning and budgeting process and contained timeframes and guidance for the process. In addition, copies of last year’s budget submissions are included in the Parish Council orientation package. Please note that two copies of each ministry’s and neighborhood’s goals and objectives, calendar and budget for FY 2004 are to be submitted to Father Gerry Creedon/Araceli Manoatl, Carolyn Gretzinger and Charlie Sullivan at the Parish Council meeting on March 12, 2003. The FY 2004 parish budget and annual calendar will be finalized in the next few months and approved at the Parish Council meeting on June 4, 2003.

To assist in the creation of each ministry’s goals and objectives for FY 2004, a brief, informal mid-year review of the parish ministries was conducted. The following were noted as strengths:

• The Social Justice Committee has committed leadership under Dan Marrin.

• The organization of the Liturgy Committee, under Jack Lane, has been strengthened through the formation of six subgroups and the addition of volunteers who responded to the ministry’s needs at this year’s Ministries Fair.

• The Respect Life Committee has been reinvigorated in the last few months through grass roots involvement.

• The parish has grown with the addition of new parishioners.

• Activities emphasizing adult faith formation and interfaith programs, notably the September 11 and Martin Luther King Day services, have increased.

• The recognition of the growth of members and the faith of the Latin American Community at the parish’s Christmas party was well deserved.

• The 6 pm Mass has developed into a vibrant celebration of the liturgy.

• The English and Spanish content of the parish Web site is exploding and has become more meaningful.

• Ministries have improved their identification of parishioners’ needs.

• Parish expenses have decreased by nine percent, while first collections have increased by 5.5 percent. However, FY 2004 will be a challenging year for developing a balanced parish budget, as staff costs most likely will increase with the completion of the Parish Community Center. In addition, the parish will begin to repay a $1.5 million loan from the diocese for construction of the Parish Community Center and the parish school will have additional expenses due to compliance with the PACE program.

The following were identified as areas in need of improvement:

• Ministries must increase participation by parishioners.

• The obligations of ministry leaders should be spread out so that there are not multiple activities in the same week that require the participation of ministry leaders.

• The scheduling of Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors and altar boys should be coordinated so that one person does not perform multiple ministries during Mass.

• The parish calendar should be reviewed so that parish events are coordinated with community events. In addition, parish events should not be scheduled on Federal holiday weekends because such scheduling results in decreased participation at events.

• The ministry pages on the parish Web site must be updated. Perhaps each ministry should identify its own volunteer who can serve on the Web Team and be responsible for updating that ministry’s Web pages.

• Technology must be used more effectively to make the scheduling of parish events more user friendly.

Parish Council members are encouraged to forward any comments that they may have on the parish goals and objectives, the annual planning and budgeting process or the mid-year review of parish life to Father Gerry Creedon, Carolyn Gretzinger or Carol Brown.

Upcoming Activities:

• A Parish Council Neighborhood Representatives meeting will be held on January 27th in the library.

• A presentation on “Art, Sacred Space and the Parish Center” will be given by an architect/artist and a theologian on February 3rd. This will be an opportunity for parishioners to have input into the interior design of the Parish Community Center. It is important that all cultures of the Parish be reflected in the interior design so that all parishioners feel a sense of belonging in the Parish Community Center.

• During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity from January 18th through January 25th, there will be many services at St. Charles and other churches.

• “Remember, Celebrate, Act!,” an interfaith prayer service sponsored by ten faith communities to honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be held January 20th at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church. Father Gerry Creedon will speak at the prayer service.

• A Polka Party will be held January 25th to raise money for the St. Charles School Ryan/Houston Scholarship Fund.

• Catholic Advocacy Day will be held on January 27th.

• There will be a Parish Council/Pastoral Team joint meeting on February 5th at 6:00 pm in the parish library.

• Welcome receptions will be held for new parishioners on February 15th at 6:00 pm and February 16th at 7:00 pm in the school cafeteria. Parish Council members are encouraged to attend the receptions and to bring information on their ministries.

• “Focus on Theology” discussions will be held between the 9:00 am and 11:00 am Masses beginning February 2nd.

• Facilitators are needed to lead small group weekly faith sharing meetings during Lent, from March 2nd through April 14th. Please contact Anna LaNave if you are interested in this ministry.

Highlights of Ministry/Neighborhood Reports:

• The Web site will focus on Lenten activities and reflections in the same way that it focused on Advent activities and reflections.
• Neighborhood A/B had an overwhelming response to its “Adopt-a-Family” project for Christmas. It was also noted that ASPAN is in need of volunteers and Arlington County is accepting donations of food, clothing and used computers.
• The Social Justice Committee is planning its Lenten speakers series. “Respect Life” will be this year’s theme. Please forward any suggestions for topics or speakers to TJ Murphy.
• Social Action Linking Together (SALT) will promote the “Greater Washington Child Advocacy Working Group” on behalf of the Leave No Child Behind Act, a stimulus package focusing on children’s rights.
• The Respect Life Committee will sponsor a prayer service, with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm on January 18th. In addition, the Respect Life Committee will coordinate St. Charles’ participation in the March for Life on January 22nd.
• The Giving Tree was a huge success.
• In developing the parish’s FY 2004 budget, the Finance Committee will be responsible for allocating the parish’s administrative expenses to the appropriate ministry and/or neighborhood account. Thus, the parish’s ministries and neighborhoods do not have to include an administrative line item in their budget submissions for FY 2004.

Prayers are Requested for:

• Betty Anne Hanna and Jan Macdonald, who are recovering from recent illnesses.
• Lucia Hittle and her family, on the death of her father.
• Andrea Bender and her family, during the illness of her father-in-law.

Closing Prayer

Meeting Adjourned at 9:34 pm

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