LITURGY TEAM REPORT

Meeting of January 14, 2008

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

Notes/Minutes:

• Jeff opened the meeting with a prayer. Dave Ebner is to lead us in the opening prayer for the February Liturgy Team meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, February 11^th, at 7:30PM, in the Ijamsville, Thomas T. Polk Social Hall.

• The December Liturgy Team meeting report was distributed for review prior to the meeting. The December meeting report stands as documented.

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

• CLOW dismissals to the Social Hall at the 10:00 AM Mass for January and February are not on the calendar. Bill will arrange to have the calendar updated.
• On February 2^nd, the calendar calls for “Scout Sunday” at the 5:30 PM Mass. Larry reported that pews will be reserved for Scouts who will come to Mass in uniform. Scouts will bring up the gifts at that Mass. The Presider will acknowledge the Scouts.
• On February 3^rd the 10:00 AM Mass is referenced as “Catholic Schools Mass”. Students who are parishioners will be available to serve during the 10 AM Mass as greeter, crossbearer, altar servers, and gift bearers. It is assumed that those who are assigned as greeter and crossbearer are not required. The remainder of those assigned for that Mass will be required. Bill will confirm this with Sandy Byrnes.
• On Ash Wednesday, February 6^th, at 5:30 PM, there will be a Mass, not a Service as on the calendar. Also on Ash Wednesday there will be a Mass at 7:30 PM, not 7:00 PM as on the calendar. Bill will arrange to have the calendar updated.
• On Ash Wednesday, February 6^th, at 7:30 PM, there is an Evangelization Committee meeting scheduled for the Growing Room. Bill will get that conflict for space resolved.
• We discussed scheduling of Liturgical Ministers for the once-a-month Youth Mass. Larry will talk with Colleen about ministers for the Youth Mass and coordinate with Sandy for scheduling.
• On February 16^th the 5:30 PM Mass is scheduled as a LWC Mass. This should be a regular Mass. Bill will arrange to have the calendar updated.
• New EM training should be scheduled for 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM, in the Church, on Tuesday, February 5th. Bill will arrange to have the calendar updated.

• Old Business:

o “In-Pew” recruitment of Liturgical Ministers – A bulletin insert, targeted at recruiting new Liturgical Ministers, requesting current Liturgical Ministers to update their contact information, and encouraging current Ministers to volunteer for more than one ministry, will in the bulletin on the weekend of January 19^th and 20^th. Dave suggested that this should be an actual “in-pew” recruitment where parishioners fill in the form at Mass and put it into the collection basket or give the completed form to an Usher at the end of Mass. Larry suggested that we have an announcement after the petitions (at the same time the second collection is announced) indicating that we are in need of additional Liturgical Ministers and asking interested parishioners to fill in the form, which will also be in the pews, and return the completed form either in the collection or to an usher at the end of Mass. Bill will follow up for an announcement in the “Presider Notes”.

o Scheduling of Liturgical Ministers – We discussed the frequency of scheduling Liturgical Ministers. The hope is that use of the web site to make preferences known for the next ministry schedule will reduce some of the issues we have experienced with scheduling in the past. For the next schedule the Ministry coordinators will have sufficient time to review the assignments prior to the schedule being distributed to all Ministers. Bill will confirm this with Sandy.

o Current information on each Ministry on the web site - Bill sent information to Jon Russell, and copied all on the Liturgy Team, requesting an update of contact information for each of the Liturgical Ministries.

o “Maintenance items” for weekend Masses – The key for the paper dispensers in the Church restrooms is in the “Vestry” on the bulletin board. Joyce will more clearly identify that key with a tag. Joyce will produce a checklist for those who lock the Church after weekend Masses addressing such things as checking the space heaters in the restrooms, checking for closed windows … Joyce will follow-up with Peggy Crichton to develop the procedure to have the greeters change the Holy Water in the font before each weekend Mass. We may ask the Ushers to help with this task.

o Liturgical Supplies – Joyce indicated that, on Thursdays, she will see to it that there are supplies in the sacristy for each weekend. The wine will be in the lower cabinet and the hosts in the upper cabinet. Should supplies not be available in the sacristy, the additional supply would be in the “Vestry”.

• New Business:

• Evaluation of Advent / Christmas – The following are the attendance numbers for the Christmas Masses in 2007:

§ Christmas Eve – Monday, December 24^th:

· 4:00 PM – 650

· 6:00 PM – 694

· 8:00 PM – 550

· 10:00 PM – 351

§ Christmas Day – Tuesday, December 25^th:

· 9:00 AM – 124

· 11:00 AM - 556

Comments:

· Church decorations were outstanding/beautiful

· Church was full but not overcrowded

· “Reserved” seating worked to fill the Church closer to the front and “latecomers” were not as disruptive

· There was a “disconnect” on placement of chairs and placement of flowers in the Church. This can be avoided next year with better communications.

· The nativity set used in the Church this year belongs for Fr. Carrion. We are missing parts of the nativity sets that have been used in past years. The staff is going to see if the missing pieces were sent to Baltimore for repair over a year ago. We need to allocate funds for a new nativity set in next years budget if we continue to be unable to locate the missing pieces.

• Lent / Easter - Recommended schedule for Holy Days and the Triduum Services and Masses during Lent / Easter:

§ Ash Wednesday – February 6^th

· 8:45 AM Mass in Urbana Country Church with distribution of ashes

· 5:30 PM Mass in the Ijamsville Church with distribution of ashes

· 7:30 PM Mass in the Ijamsville Church with distribution of ashes

§ Holy Thursday – March 20^th

· 7:30 PM Mass of the Lord’s Supper in the Ijamsville Church

§ Good Friday – March 21^st

· 3:00 PM Stations of the Cross in the Ijamsville Church

· 7:30 PM Celebration of the Lord’s Passion in the Ijamsville Church

§ Holy Saturday – March 22^nd

· 3:00 PM Blessing of Food at the Ijamsville Church

· 8:00 PM Easter Vigil Mass in the Ijamsville Church

§ Easter Sunday – March 23^rd

· 6:00 AM Sunrise Mass in the Urbana Country Church

· 8:00 AM Mass in the Ijamsville Church

· 10:00 AM Mass in the Ijamsville Church

· Noon Mass in the Ijamsville Church

§ There does not appear to be a practical contingency plan to allow for higher population attending the Easter Vigil and Easter Masses.

§ Scripts for Palm Sunday and the Triduum Masses/Services are on the Wp (the hard file on the server in the Parish Office) in folders named “Lent 2007” and “Holy Week 2007”. Larry is going to get the scripts put on media such that they can be distributed for review at the February Liturgy Team meeting.

§ Stations during Lent – Dave will lead the Stations of the Cross in the Country Church at 7:30 PM on Fridays during Lent. The Ijamsville Church will be available on Friday evening for Stations of the Cross directed by youth or other groups.

§ We discussed doing the Pilgrimage to the Mount followed by “soup and bread” and evening prayer on Palm Sunday. We will decide at the February if we are going to be able to do the Pilgrimage this year.

§ Joyce will handle the Church environment during Lent / Easter.

§ Larry will ask Frank to define his plan for music during Lent / Easter.

§ There was discussion of producing a bulletin insert or handout describing the events that will be happening in the Parish during Lent. The Lenten mailing to the parish from last year is on the Wp and contains information on all of the activities during Lent / Easter from last year.

· Distribution of Communion – The flow of Communion seems to be going better now that we are using new positioning of the EMs. We will continue to use the current positioning and see if the flow continues to be better.

· Bill will not be available for the February Liturgy Team meeting on February 11^th or the Parish Council meeting on February 19^th. He will also not be available for the March Liturgy Team meeting on March 10^th and the Parish Council meeting on March 18^th. Jeff will cover the February meetings and Chris will cover the March meetings.

• Ministry Reports:
• Reports from the ministry coordinators were not solicited due to the length of time of the meeting.

• Larry led the team in a closing prayer. Jacqueline is to prepare the closing prayer for the February Liturgy Team meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, February 11^th, at 7:30PM, in the Ijamsville, Thomas T. Polk Social Hall.

NEXT MEETING: Monday, February 11^th, at 7:30PM, in the Ijamsville, Thomas T. Polk Social Hall