Blog

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories

Pastoral Council Minutes, Sept. 26, 2024

Our Lady of the Lake 

Parish Pastoral Council Agenda & Minutes

September 26, 2024 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Members: (* denotes absent)

*Fr. Penn: Pastor  ​​​​​

Linda Adams: Education Rep (1/2025)

​Gay Ann Christy: Stewardship Rep (1/2025)​​

Bob Hiegert:  Social Concerns Rep (6/2025)​

​*Tom Ziegler: Administration Rep (6/2024)​​

*Tony Otto: At-large member (1/2026)

​*Brandy Hutzler: At-large member (1/2026)​​

Julie Mercurio: Worship Rep (6/2025)

​Open Position: At-large member​​​

Open Position: Hispanic Ministry Rep

5:30 – 5:35Opening​​​​​​​​                                 Linda

​​Parish Prayer ​​​​​​

​​Approved Minutes​​​​​​​​​        Gay Ann

• Motion to approve minutes from the last meeting was received via email. Motion to approve: Tony Otto, Second the motion Tom Ziegler.

5:35 – 5:40Worship Commission Report​​​​​​                        Julie

• Julie Mercurio, our new Worship Commission Chair was welcomed to the meeting.

• Two people attended the most recent Lector training and 8 people attended the most recent Eucharistic Minister Training. Michelle is working with them to get Virtus training.

• Julie Mercurio and Kathy Cotter will attend the Parish Meet and Greet on Oct. 5 to represent the Worship Commission.

• Debbie Noland received a request from parishioners to extend the hours of Adoration to 5 pm. The Worship Commission will be working on the request. 

• October is Respect for Life Month; A Novena for the Feast of the Holy Rosary will be prayed by the Prayers, Petitions, and Intentions ministry.

• Arts and Environment has new members: Joy Corwin is the new Ministry Leader; other new members include Ginny Baldridge, Jeanie Freeman, and Julie Mercurio.

• At the Worship Commission meeting there was some concern raised that with the elimination of the podium in front of the Welcome Wall, people would not see the new table in the future Current Events Corner under the TV. Gay Ann Christy, Stewardship Council Chair explained the long-term vision of the current events center. Jennifer Otto is the Stewardship Rep for the Worship Commission and will work with the Worship Commission to address concerns further  and gather ideas for improvement.

5:40 – 5:45Stewardship Council Report​​​​​​​       Gay Ann

• We have started the Welcome Center Refresh. All the commission/council pamphlets have been updated and translated to Spanish. The Knights and Ladies Aux. have an updated wall. A special Thanks to Kathy Cotter for creation of the new Knights clock. There are only a few small adjustments that need to be made on the Welcome Walls. We are looking for a longer table for the Current Events Corner. We will be working on the TV Display in October.

• The 2024 Catholic Stewardship Renewal is from Oct 5-27. 

o Small Group Study: Parishes As Communities of the Beatitudes. Materials are available to individuals, couples, families, current and new small groups. Feedback from the small group study will be passed to the Pastoral Council to use as they develop the next version of our pastoral plan. (Small groups are requested to complete the study by November 22.)

o Two ways to make a stewardship commitment this year. Simplified paper form and new online form.

o Support Our Parish Pew Cards have been developed and approved by Fr. Penn. They will remain in the pews year around. Many parishes have recognized higher levels of participation through the use of QR Code access to volunteering and giving.

5:45 – 5:50   Social Concerns Commission Report​​                                                         Bob

• Ministry to Families & Ministry to those In Need (Salva Vida Outreach) – Dcn Jim indicated that we had two requests for rent assistance ($400) and one for electric assistance ($373). Both were referred to Our Lady of the Lake by Compass Health. Joan and Kelly did a great job engaging and verifying their requests. 

• Blood Drive – Sept. 19, 2024, in Bestgen Hall 10 am – 2 pm. 14 signed up. 

• Social Concerns Commission Wall in Fellowship Hall – Jackie Hiegert is the Social Concerns Commission Point of Contact (POC) with the Welcome Center Refresh wall in Fellowship Hall. The wall displays with be redone/updated with providing pertinent information within the Commission, such as our updated trifold, to include information for other organizations such as the Pregnancy Help Center and Hope House.

• Queenship of Mary Novena (Wed Aug 21) – We had a large group participating with lots of great food, dessert, and fellowship afterwards. Thanks to all that provided support with reading and with providing food.

• Church Marquis – Finance Council was briefed on August 20 on the three vendor bids where they will be discussing at their next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Dcn Jim will provide any assistance/support later, if needed, to answer any questions/concerns.

• Funeral Dinners, Compassion Meals & Kindness Meals Two families comprising six compassion meals served. Sixteen kindness meals were provided. 

• Ministry of Health and Spiritual Well Being – Jan Metz, Diane Richardson, Glenda Hinrichs, Jeannie Freeman, John Akscin, Ann Wallace and Dcn Jim Hankins have been providing great support providing Holy Communion to the homebound.

• Ministry for Protecting Life (Pregnancy Care Center) –  Baby Bottle update:77 bottles returned with totaling $5,268.73.

• Ministry to the Community/Advent Angel Tree 2024 – Hope House sign-up for Advent Angel Tree requests is Sept. 30 – Oct. 18 or 150 names are attained (whichever comes first). Sign-up sheets for the Hope House, Ozark Rehab, Lake Side Meadows, and Helping Hands are being updated. It was decided to meet at 5pm on Thursday, Nov 7 to assemble the Angels.

• Ministry of Hospitality and Fellowship (Welcoming New Parishioners – Meet & Greet) –This year’s Meet and Greet will be on Saturday, Oct. 5, starting at 6pm in Bestgen Hall. 19 new families  were notified on Sunday, Sept. 8 with a request for attendance response by Sept. 23. 

5:50 – 5:55Education Commission Report​​​​​​​             Linda

• The traveling Vocation Cross is going well Parishioners can sign up in Fellowship Hall to take the Cross home for 1 week and pray for vocations. 

• White House retreat held Sept. 12-15, had ten ladies attend. It was an intensely prayerful, renewing time. 

• Study group is now doing Women in the New Testament on Mondays. 

• OLL hosted a Diocesan Women’s Ministry Meeting, Monday Sept 23. 

• Parish College Scholarship applications will be available beginning of October.

• Education Commission is pursuing a company to redo the Wi-fi. 

• Women’s Fall Social Saturday, October 19 for all ladies in parish. Please invite and encourageladies to attend.

• Advent by Candlelight will be Dec. 10. 

• FFF has started. Days when there is no Mass, a rosary will be said or music for Mass may be taught. The commission is working on ways to offer students more substantial food. 

• Four adults have signed up for OCIA, to join the church. Two younger children will also be joining.

• The Christmas book for parishioners has been selected: “The Ordinary Voices of God.” 

5:55 – 6:00Administration Commission Report​​                                    Tom 

• No Report

6:00 – 6:05Hispanic Ministry Report​​​​​​​               

• Hispanic Ministry is looking for new representatives to join Pastoral Council.

6:05 – 6:15Open Discussion/New Business

• Many events are coming this fall/winter season. Please reach out if your commission or ministries need assistance so requests for supporting volunteers can be published in the bulletin and needs spread by word of mouth.

6:15 – 6:28Pastor Time​​​​​​​​​                   Fr. Penn

• No Report

6:28 – 6:30Closing and Final Prayer. ​​​​​​​​​Linda

• Pastoral Council Meeting Dates:

o 10/24/2024 (skip November and December)

o 1/23/2025 Officer Election

Closing Prayer