LITURGY TEAM REPORT

Meeting of November 12, 2007

Attendees: Bill Crosthwait, Dave Ebner, Claudia Lapcevich, Chris Lunsford, Deacon Larry Matheny, Jacqueline Scaletti, Joyce Seng

Notes/Minutes:

• Bill opened the meeting with a prayer. Jacqueline Scaletti is to lead us in the opening prayer for the December Liturgy Team meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, December 10^th, at 7:30PM, in the Ijamsville, Thomas T. Polk Social Hall.

• The October Liturgy Team meeting report was distributed for review prior to the meeting and copies were available at the meeting. The October meeting report stands as documented.

• Liturgical Ordo for November and December – The calendar for November and December was distributed prior to the meeting and copies were available at the meeting. The calendar was reviewed with the following comments:

• There is an 8:45AM Mass on the calendar for Thursday, the 22^nd of November, Thanksgiving Day. The Mass on Thanksgiving Day will be at 10:00AM in the Ijamsville Church. Bill will arrange to have the calendar updated. There is an RCIA meeting scheduled on Thanksgiving. Larry indicated that will not be held. Bill will get the calendar updated for that.
• Joyce asked about when the Thanksgiving decorations should be placed in the Ijamsville Church. It was decided that the Thanksgiving decorations will be in place for the weekend of November 17^th and 18^th.
• Gold and white streamers for the light posts will be in place for the Feast of Christ the King, by the weekend of November 24^th and 25^th. Joyce and Claudia are making the streamers. Joyce will contact Tom Swartz to arrange to get the streamers installed on the light posts. Joyce will also have the two round gold and white streamers, that will be used to lead the procession into the Church for each of the weekend Masses, at the Church for the 5:30PM Mass on November 24^th.
• For Advent a Purple or Pink streamer will be added to one of the drive way light posts each week. The large Advent wreath will be on the Altar of the Ijamsville Church with the individual candle locations decorated with greenery. The wooden Advent wreath will be decorated and placed in the Urbana Country Church during Advent. Joyce is arranging for the Advent decorations and will have them in place by Saturday, December 1^st.
• On Sunday, December 2^nd, the Liturgical Ministers are responsible for Community Sunday in the Social Hall. Two people are required for each of the three Sunday Masses to set up, serve, and clean up. Bill will send email to all on the Liturgy Team to solicit volunteers to help with this.
• A bulletin announcement and a pulpit announcement are needed on the weekend of December 1^st and 2^nd indicating that there will be one Holy Day Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. That Mass will be a Vigil Mass on Friday, December 7^th, at 7:30PM in the Ijamsville Church. Bill will arrange for the announcements.
• Dino Scaletti noted that arrangements are being put in place by the Knights of Columbus for an “Icon” Mass on December 7^th. Bill will determine how that will impact the scheduling of liturgical ministers for the 7:30PM Mass on December 7^th.
• Bill will talk with Fr. Patrick to determine an appropriate location for the white statue of Mary which will be decorated and displayed for the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The preferred location is in the Church, in close proximity to the Altar.
• Lessons and Carols is scheduled for Sunday, December 16^th. Bill will get with Frank and Sandy to determine how many liturgical ministers (ushers and lectors) are required.
• There is a Christmas “Pageant” on the calendar for December 21^st and a Christmas “Play” on the calendar for December 22^nd. Larry suggested that there could be a rehearsal or practice on Friday the 21^st and that the play would be on the 22^nd. Bill will check with Colleen and Fr. Patrick to get clarification.
• Joyce reported that Fr. Patrick has approved the plan for decorating the Church for Christmas. The Nativity scene will be on the top step of the Altar. Pew candles may be used for Lessons and Carols, but will not be used for Christmas.
• All Christmas Masses will be in the Ijamsville Church. There will be Masses on Monday, December 24^th, at 4:00PM, 6:00PM, 8:00PM, and 10:00PM. The rationale for a Mass at 10:00PM, rather than 11:00PM, is that the choir will sing at both the 8:00PM and 10:00PM Masses. On Tuesday, December 25^th, there will be Masses at 9:00AM and 11:00AM.
• We need to reserve the Church for time to prepare the environment for Christmas. Bill will get time reserved on the calendar for December 23^rd and 24^th. Joyce suggested that a couple of poinsettias be placed in the Country Church for Christmas even though no Masses will be held there on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. All felt that was a good idea.
• At Masses on the weekend of December 29^th and 30^th we will have a Blessing for Families and the ushers will attempt to recruit “families” to bring up the gifts. Bill will follow-up on that.

• Old Business:

o Evaluation of All Saints Day and All Souls Day – The general feeling was that the Services were very meaningful but attendance was low. Bill reported that the attendance was the following:

Ø All Saints Day:

à 8:45AM – 60

à 5:00PM – 94

à 7:30PM – 122

Ø All Souls Day:

à 8:45AM – No numbers

à 7:30PM – 35 (approximate)

We need to consider these numbers when planning for the number of Masses next year.

o “In-Pew” recruitment of Liturgical Ministers – Bill passed around a draft of a bulletin insert that is to be stuffed into the bulletin on the weekend of November 17^th/18^th. The insert is targeted at recruiting new Liturgical Ministers and getting current Liturgical Ministers to update their contact information. Dave suggested that we add wording to encourage current ministers to participate in more than one ministry and to have an announcement from the pulpit encouraging parishioners to volunteer to become a Liturgical Minister. Bill will follow-up.

o Advent / Christmas Celebration Team

Ø Bulletin insert materials – Larry reported that these materials have been ordered, delivered and will be inserted into the bulletin during Advent.

Ø Scripts – Larry reported that the petitions, which have been prepared by the Advent Celebration Team in years past, will be done by the staff this year. The prayers for the Sundays in Advent will come from the Sacramentary.

Ø Advent Newsletter – Bill will prepare a newsletter for review and approval by Fr. Carrion. The Advent newsletter will go out to all parishioners early in the week of November 26^th thru November 30^th.

Ø Christmas Mass Schedule – Defined earlier in the meeting.

Ø Liturgical Environment:

à Additional seating is to be in place by the maintenance staff prior to the 5:30PM Mass on Saturday, December 22^nd.

à The Ijamsville Social Hall is to be reserved as a “staging area” for Church decorations.

à Two Christmas trees, approximately 12 feet tall, decorated with white lights, will be on the Altar by the back wall.

à Candelabra, greenery and poinsettias will be used to decorate the sanctuary space.

à Greenery will be hanging from each of the 18 small side windows in the Church.

à In both of the window alcoves we will have tree branches, sprayed white, and poinsettias. This will not impact seating space.

à The Nativity scene will be on the top step of the Altar.

o Holy Day Mass Schedule:

Ø Immaculate Conception, December 8^th – Discussed earlier.

Ø Christmas – Discussed earlier.

Ø Mary, Mother of God, January 1^st – After discussion the decision was made to have a Vigil Mass on Monday, December 31^st, at 4:00PM and a 10:00AM Mass on Tuesday, January 1^st.

Ø Ash Wednesday, February 6^th – After discussion it was decided to have a morning Mass, a 5:00PM Service, and a 7:30PM Mass.

o Vacant Positions on the Liturgy Team – Bill reported that neither the position of Sacristan or Liturgical Environment ministry coordinator has been formally filled. Progress is being made towards filling both of these positions.

o Scheduling of Liturgical Ministers

Ø Youth Mass – It was concluded that we need to know how many of the Liturgical Ministry positions will be filled by the “Youth” for the monthly Youth Mass so that adult Liturgical Ministers can be scheduled to fill the slots not filled by the “Youth”. Bill will follow-up with Colleen and Fr. Patrick.

Ø Dave recommended filling all of the slots on the next schedule so there will be no “minister needed” positions.

o Procedures for Liturgical Ministers documented on the web site – Bill asked each of the ministry coordinators to review what is on the web site for accuracy. This needs to be done prior to the “in-pew” recruitment next weekend. Bill will send out email as a reminder.

• New Business:
• Authorization for spending – Bill reminded all Liturgical Ministry coordinators that any spending, budgeted or non-budgeted, must be authorized by Fr. Patrick prior to ordering or committing funding for Liturgical supplies.
• The ushers reported that some parishioners have indicated that they have problems hearing Fr. Patrick from the back of the Church when he is speaking from the ambo. Larry suggested that an adjustment to the microphones should address this. Bill will follow-up.

• Ministry Reports:
• CLOW – More help is needed. Claudia is pursuing getting more parents involved. The objective is to get sufficient CLOW ministers to have CLOW at the Saturday, 5:30PM Mass.

• Cross Bearers and Lectors – More ministers are needed in both ministries.
• Altar Servers – It was brought up that, during Mass, some of the Altar Servers have been observed talking or communicating with parents or friends in the congregation. Also it was noted that, after Mass, some of the Altar Servers were taking off their robes before entering the vesting room. Bill will address these issues with the Altar Servers.

• Jacqueline indicated that she feels badly about the fact that the Country Church will not be used for Christmas Masses this year. For many of our parishioners, especially those who have been in the parish for several years, the Country Church is a “very special” Church with significant history. The concern is that once a tradition of Mass in the Country Church is broken, it may be lost. It was pointed out that the decision on the Christmas Mass schedule was made after consultation among the staff, the Liturgy Team, the Parish Council, members of the Country Church Preservation Committee and those who attend daily Mass at the Country Church. It was suggested that Jacqueline make her position known to Fr. Patrick.

• Claudia led the team in a closing prayer. Joyce Seng is to prepare the closing prayer for the December Liturgy Team meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, December 10^th, at 7:30PM, in the Ijamsville, Thomas T. Polk Social Hall.

NEXT MEETING:

Monday, December 10^th, at 7:30PM, in the Ijamsville, Thomas T. Polk Social Hall