Blog

Education Commission Minutes

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Lake Ozark, Missouri

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Opening Prayer: Prayer Leader: Linda B

Education Commission Charter: Committed core team: Michele Haggerty (Chair); 2. Linda Adams; 3. Linda Bukalski; 4. Karen Blevins; 5. Marilee Poulter (Secretary); 6. Barb Steinman; 7. Kelly Hamrin; 8. Deacon Paul Poulter; 9. Brandy Hutzler; 10. Lynne Green

Present:  Linda Bukalski, Lynne Green,  Michele Haggerty,  Kelly Hamrin, Deacon Paul Poulter, Marilee Poulter, Barb Steinman

Adult Faith Formation:  Barb

Understanding Divine Mercy study- Barb is having trouble getting books. Matthew Kelly books ordered and said be here by Lent. First meeting March 13. She will let us know if unable to get books.

Pilgrimages – Barb investigating trip to Perryville. She has contacted a lady in Sedalia who does tours for info on what she is doing this year. Bard Prasad in Diocesan Women’s Ministry has several things planned. More info next meeting on these.

Divine Mercy Sunday – Michele to get Camdenton contact for Barb to plan something joint with other parishes in our deanery.

Discussion of other possible studies held. Queenship of Mary is August 22, 2025

Family Life: Lynne Green

Upcoming Wedding on May 3 and eight adults/children of various ages to be baptized at Easter Vigil.

Formed.org and Library:  Kelly

Discussion held on Formed rollout and other activity possibilities. Rollout tentative date is on May Donut Sunday.

Kelly is ordering 4 books from OSB every month for $4 each for the Library. Including more children books in these right now.

New Evangelization:  Linda B. 
Consecration to St. Joseph has 17 people. Including 6 couples. Thinking 33 Days to Morning Glory during summer.

Stewardship:  Linda B.

New communication boards for Fellowship Hall have been ordered.

Parish Religious Education Director Report:  Michele

Family Reconciliation scheduled for March 19 at 6:00.  Pizza and salad will be served from 5:15-6:00. Three to four priests will be here. Linda B will look for a craft activity for PSR students to do after they go to Reconciliation until their parents are finished

First Communion scheduled for May 4 and Confirmation scheduled for May 21

Karen Blevins – Youth Group

1.  We had 6 youth attend Trivia Night to serve as runners.

2. Youth are encouraged to volunteer at the upcoming Fish Frys. 

3.  On the 15th, we are attending mass at St. Patrick’s then going bowling in Laurie. We are coordinating that with their youth group. 

4. We have our mini retreat scheduled for March 30. It will be held at the Missouri Forget Me Not Horse Rescue and Sanctuary.  It will have a food theme where all activities are tied into a food themed lesson. Like Matthew Kelly reminded us in the Three Voices of God book from Advent, we often do not look at the full menu when we eat out. We stay in our comfort zone. We need to try something new; we don’t know what we are missing. We will have lunch, activities, and then assist with feeding the horses. 

5.  Registration for NCYC is now open: we have 19 students and 4 parents on the preliminary list.

Karen Blevins – First Comm and Confirmation:

The Ladies Auxiliary will purchase pocket tokens again this year for the students. I will also provide name tags for the gifts. 

Renewal Movement: still looking for someone to be responsible for these events

Karen Blevins- Women’s Ministry:  (since we don’t have a head of this and I am a core member, I thought I would share out a few dates)

1. The women’s diocesan spring retreat is set for April 5 in Rhineland at Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows.  You can register now; it is only $15. 

2. The 66th Annual Catholic’s Women’s Spring Assembly is April 25-26 in Springfield.

3. The School of Identity: a 2 day weekend school is scheduled for the same weekend in St. Louis. 

4. The four books for use as for a book study are on the women’s ministry page.

5. The Stewardship Conference is Aug. 9.

6  Healing from Divorce or Separation is Aug. 22-24.

7. Women’s Ladies Night Out and Fall retreat is Oct. 17-18. 

All info can be found on the Diocean Women’s Ministry page- you can also sign up for the Monday Memo AND the Women’s Ministry Monthly Newsletter. T

OCIA and Catechesis:  Michele

We have 9 adults in the program – Two Catechumen, four candidates and two Confirmation. We have two girls that are working with Jenn Otto who will be Baptized, receive First Holy Communion and will be Confirmed at the Easter Vigil. They have a younger sister that will be baptized at the same time. We will have four youth/infant Baptisms that are family members of the Candidates or Catechumens. 

The new regulations for OCIA will require that the process last an entire year. This must be implemented by 2026/2027 academic year. 

Parish Council Report:  Linda A. Report by Michele

Our updated Charter needs to be signed off.
The updated Pastoral Plan is due to the diocese no later than June 1.

Other: Discussion held on other possible parish activities for 2024 and 2025 including potluck Dinner with the Saints and Easter Egg hunt in 2025.

Next Meeting Date: Tuesday, April 1 at 5:00 in the Library.

Closing Prayer:  Barb

Education Commission Charter Reminder: Committed core team: Michele Haggerty (Chair) 
Linda Adams (2nd term beginning 9/1/21, ending 9/1/2024)
Barb Steinman (2nd term beginning 9/1/21, ending 9/1/2024)
Linda Bukalski (2nd term beginning 9/1/2022, ending 9/1/2025)
Karen Blevins (2nd term beginning 10/1/2023, ending 10/1/2026)
Marilee Poulter – Secretary (2nd term beginning 1/1/2024, ending 1/1/2027)

Coordinators for Key Responsibility Areas from Charter:

1.1. Order of Christian Initiation:  The preparation for initiation into the Church for adults and children of catechetical age will be a special ministry of the commission, ensuring that there are catechists and sponsors to accompany the catechumens on the way to full initiation in to the sacramental life of the Church. Michele Haggerty

1.2. Christ Renews His Parish and Renewal Movements:  The coordinator for renewal programs identifies, introduces and supervises the various renewal programs that are available to parishioners. Vacant

1.3. Marriage Preparation, Baptism of Infants and Formation for Family Life:  The coordinator for marriage preparation, infant baptism and formation for family life serves a foundational role in building up the domestic church in the home.  Lynne Greene

1.4. K-12 Religion Classes:  The coordinator for the religious education of the youth has one of the most essential roles to play in faith formation. Michele Haggerty

1.5. Sacramental Preparation for Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation:  The coordinator for sacramental preparation is a significant role along with the classroom catechists. The coordinator serves as an advisor, a facilitator and leader especially in ensuring that every person has access to sacramental catechesis at the appropriate time or remediating situations where a sacrament is lacking in the lives of the faithful. Michele Haggerty

1.6. Adult Faith Formation: The Coordinator for adult faith formation initiates programs that Invite and enable ongoing conversion to Jesus in holiness of life; promote and support active membership in the Christian community; and call and prepare adults to act as disciples in mission to the world.  Barb Steinman

1.7. The New Evangelization:  The coordinator for the new evangelization seeks out those who have not heard, or have forgotten, ignored or rejected the Christian message. Linda Bukalski

1.8. Parish Faith Formation Library:  The Church has been and will continue to be a people of The Book. Therefore it is essential that literary, spiritual and catechetical materials be made available for all parishioners of all ages. Kelly Hamrin

1.9. Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious life:  The coordinator for vocations to the priestly and religious life informs, organizes and leads the parish in regard to ensuring that the Lord’s call to pray for more workers in the vineyard is heard by each parishioner.  Vacant