Pastoral Council MinutesDecember 7, 2009 Attendees:  Rose Braun, Matt Bolton, Kevin Kohls, Debbie Meinhardt, Claudia Miller, John Mueller, Cindy Muron, Jane Mueninghoff, Joan Seibenick, Ray Sousa, Barb Utrata, Fr. Mark Burger, Fr. Don West, and Mary Ann Lampe (scribe). Preliminaries:  The Council Meeting opened with the Pastoral Council prayer at 7:00 pm.  The reflection was led by Debbie Meinhardt. Agenda Items: 1)  Approval of minutes from October meeting – All    The minutes were approved and seconded as written. 2)  St. Francis Pledge – Jerry BarneyArchdiocesan planning recommendation for safeguarding our environment    Jerry passed out copies of the “St. Francis Pledge” and the Green Committee’s suggestions.  When I bring up climate change, everyone agrees that we need to be good stewards of our planet.  I am on the Green Committee, what steps can we take?  We should plan to make the pledge as a parish, but also give families and individuals the option to make the pledge as well.  No. 22 (monthly movie night RE: “Green subjects”) is about mountaintop removal for mining.  We will put a handout in Eagles’ Wings to tell people where to recycle.  The Finance Committee has looked into the feasibility of solar panels and decided that they are not cost effective at this time.  We will have new hymnals and/or missals within the next 12 – 24 months, so we will wait for that to eliminate printing of weekly mass guides. The life expectancy of hardbound hymnals is about 15 years.  Joan suggested allowing parishioners to sponsor a hymnal to defray costs.  Claudia – we are accustomed to having programs - that will take some adjustment.   Jane – what is “restart parish garden”?  Jerry – we used to have a parish garden.  There is an eagle scout that wants to head this up and Reach Out Lakota is anxious to get the fresh produce.  Ray – if the boy scouts are involved, the garden should continue year to year automatically.  We are already using fair trade palms.  Rumpke will examine our trash and make recommendations on how we can adjust our habits to increase recycling.  Claudia – our recycling dumpsters are always overflowing.  Jerry – the flyer will list additional recycling places.  Jane – will you have something for parishioners to sign as a pledge?  Jerry – yes, in the Gathering Space and on-line. Ray – we need to adjust the timer for the parking lot lights, it is dark after Saturday evening mass.   Are the changes for mass still coming?  Fr. Mark – yes, the approval should come through in April and the changes will take effect in Advent 2011.  All the Eucharistic prayers have been rewritten; the only prayer that has not changed is The Lord’s Prayer. 3) Emerging Models Of Parish Leadership – Jane/All    I saw a blurb in St. Anthony Messenger about models of parish leadership and thought this is something we should look at.  There is a group made up of five organizations researching what parishes in this country are doing.  How do we create vibrant parishes in the future?  Some of the challenges for leadership include fostering multi-cultural diversity, a culture of collaboration, rather than self-centeredness and busy-ness.  What might parishes look like in the future?  How will cluster parishes collaborate?  We will need to concentrate on small faith groups.  There are all kinds of structures; the traditional, some have parish coordinators, clusters, mega parishes, etc.  Some have developed new ministries.  There are those with a dominance by some parishioners, and those that think the pastor has to lead everything.  An important part is empowering the community.  They, also, have looked at various styles of pastors.  Some of their observations we are already doing.  Further information is available at www.emergingmodels.org. Fr. Mark – The changes are coming soon.  The Archdiocese has 213 parishes with 180 active priests.  In 2012, 74 will be eligible for retirement and two years later an additional 69 or 70 will be eligible.  There are six retiring this year.  We have thirteen regions in this deanery.  Eventually, each mega parish will have a satellite parish.  What is the most essential thing we do as a parish?  The Eucharist is.  There are no lay Parish Life Coordinators in our diocese.  These groups are looking at accountability, too, as we get more lay people involved.  Fr. Mark – we must acknowledge that the new prayers will be difficult and we must present the changes in a positive way.  The new prayers are available on-line.  There will be workshops for priests, but also deanery workshops.  We will have one here for parishioners.  The new archbishop will be taking over soon, and this will be an adjustment for everyone.  4)  Pastoral Council Website – Joan  The list of members has been updated.  It needs to be more user-friendly.  There is something at the bottom to click on to contact us, perhaps this should be at the top.  Joan thinks we should list the facilitator with a contact point.  Joan would be willing to handle the website. 5)  PC Encouraging Parishioner Involvement – Joan  Moeller has started a weekly e-mail, for those who want it, informing them of activities.  I feel like if people would accept it, more would participate in various activities.  Rose – there are those who leave early and forget to pick up a bulletin.  Joan – There is a large part of our population that does not attend mass regularly, but might get involved in some activities if they know what they are.  Rose – if we put invitations out there in various formats.  Joan – everyone communicates in different ways, for me it is electronically. 6)  Pastoral  Council Retreat Planning – All  The Pastoral Council  annual retreat will be on Saturday, February 6 conducted by Fr. Mark. Rose – our April meting will be on  Monday, April 12. 7)  Follow-up on parish-wide e-mails and wireless in the church – All    Parish-wide e-mail is working better.  We have Zoomtown wireless at the church which is not working and Kathy Mack is looking into that. 8)  Adjournment and Closing Prayer of Thanksgiving – Cindy Muron    Cindy led the closing prayer and we adjourned at 8:20 pm.  Next Meeting – Monday, 1/4/10 - Reflection by Rose Braun- Prayer of thanksgiving by Joan Seibenick  New Parishioner Welcome – Saturday, 1/9/10