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Social Concerns Minutes – August 2023
Social Concerns Commission Minutes
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Lake Ozark, Missouri
Thursday, August 10, 2023
Attendees: Luis and Rosa Campos; Dcn Jim Hankins, Lusica Hankins, Bob & Jackie Heigert, Sharon Konuch, Patty McNally; Theresa Brown, Katie Thorman, Gayle Pleus
- Opening Prayer and Reflection: Jackie provided examples from the bible regarding injustices/favoritism. The Lord says to do until others as you’d have them do unto you. Let justice run like a river. Be a vessel so that all that meet us, see Jesus as a light shining brightly in us. Beautiful reflection!
- Commitment to Mission prayer – Everyone prayed together.
- Our Lady of the Lake Parish Directory: We have 183 total pictures for the directory. The Directory Committee met with Mike Dust, Field Representative – Unique Church Solutions, and was briefed with the layout process for the development of our directory. Kathy Cotter, Jackie Hiegert, Ginny Baldridge and Lusica Hankins are working on the layout. Final pictures for the Church will be the Family Faith Formation (formerly Parish School of Religion) BBQ on 6 Sep along with the start of classes on 13 Sep. Goal is to get not only a hard-copy directory for those that ordered pictures but to also get an on-line application of the Directory to be used within the Parish where we can also add church members/families as they arrive. Once the layout has been completed and sent it will take 4 to 6 weeks to complete a draft, return for review, and then returned for printing which again will take 4 to 6 weeks for printing. A directory of those that had their pictures taken will be included.
- Ministry to Families & Ministry to those in Need: (Salva vida Outreach)—Dcn. Jim stated that we have a new Church policy where staff and any organization representing the Church can no longer solicit rides for those that contact the church office for support. This is due to liability purposes. This does not preclude any parishioner that wants to provide transportation support to someone on their own volition/desire. We continue to provide rental assistance when needed to include $300 towards rent and $476 for a mother and her daughter in a hotel for several nights until their apartment became available on 1 August 2023. Dcn. Jim stated that we increased the 2023-2024 budget for assistance to $10,000 due to the increased needs within our community.
- Funeral Dinners, Compassion Meals & Kindness Meals: Lusica stated we had 11 Kindness Meals in July and one Compassion Meal. Katie Thurman offered to assist with these when possible. If you would like to help with this ministry, please call Lusica.
- Ministry of Health and Well Being – Nothing new to report.
- : We had 75 bottles picked up on Mother’s Day weekend and to-date, where we had 63 bottles returned that included two ½ gallon jugs. The total raised is a record: $3,772.53. There will be no 5K run/walk this year due to a lack of law enforcement available. In place of this event, PHC is sponsoring a baked goods booth at the Apple Festival in Versailles on October 7 & 8. Dcn. Jim will send out the flyer for this as soon as he receives it from PHC.
- Patty and Stephanie stated that they will start ramping up the support for the Advent Angel Tree. Patty redid the form used to sign up the children where Lusica will begin calling around to get volunteers to help with the sign-up at the Hope House.We will continue to provide support for 165 children/seniors to include 150 to the Hope House, five to Lake Side Meadows-Stonebridge; five to Lake Ozark Rehab; and five to Helping Hands. The schedule for support is: October 2 – Forms Out, October 30 -Forms Back, Nov 9 & 10 – Ornament Decorations, Nov 5/6 and 11/12 – Bulletin/Facebook/Website/Pulpit Announcements; Nov 5/6 & 11/12 – ornaments out for pick-up; Dec 3 – Gifts back to church, Dec 8 – Gifts distributed between 10am-2pm.
Ashley Wiskirchen from Catholic Charities contacted us to host a “Parish Engagement and Charity Event” (PEACE) event this September 2023. These events will include formation in Catholic Social Teaching and what it means to be an “agent” of Charity. Our Lady of the Lake is scheduled to host this PEACE event on 16 Sep at Bestgen Hall, 8:30-11:30am. All are welcome to attend and participate.
- : Social Concerns, with support of the Worship Commission, will coordinate with all commissions, parish council, and other Our Lady of the Lake organizations, with sponsoring a quarterly potluck to welcome new parishioners. Coordinating with the Worship Commission to have the first potluck this Fall, 2023. Date to be determined.
Queenship of Mary—Social Concerns Commission will host the Novena – Queenship of Mary on Thursday, August 17th at 5pm in the chapel. A light meal will be served afterwards. An email will be sent out to fill the positions needed
- : Website: https://diojeffcity.org/safe-environment. After you have completed the training, please contact Dcn. Jim so that he can pass your name along to Vicki Irsik who is the Virtus Training Point of Contact for Our Lady of the Lake. It takes about two hours to complete the course.
- Next Meeting Date: Next meeting will be Thursday, October 12, 2023. The prayer leader is Theresa Brown.
- Closing Pastoral Plan Prayer was prayed by all.