Loving and Serving as Christ. Saint Joseph Catholic Church 2014 Stewardship Report July 1, June 30, 2014

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1 Saint Joseph Catholic Church 2014 Stewardship Report July 1, June 30, Our Vision Through our Baptism and Eucharist, we are called to love as Christ loves and serve as Christ serves. First Holy Communion Choir Assembled for Mass New Catholics Are Baptized Vacation Bible School Bless us, O Lord, in all we do! Our Mission In Jesus Christ, we will grow and flourish through Engaging, welcoming and building community The wisdom of our faith Social justice and service to others in need Engaging and understanding the energy and interests of our youth Prayer and worship that deepens our spiritual life Accountability in using our resources wisely so that we may live life abundantly! Loving and Serving as Christ Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014 Page 1

2 Loving and Serving as Christ Fellow Disciples, Recently, I had dinner with a senior church official. In our discussion he spoke about the potential of a large parish to transform its geographical region. This is what comes to mind as I write this message for our annual stewardship report. On Easter, we conducted a headcount of those who attended Mass around 6,000 people worshipped at St. Joe s that Sunday. Now imagine if those same 6,000 people were actively engaging their spiritual gifts or charisms that were given to them in virtue of their Baptism. I believe that not only would we have the potential to transform our local geographical area, but also Lake County, the State of Illinois, and well beyond. St. Paul addresses charisms in his letter to the Corinthians and offers us some guidance regarding these gifts: All gifts come from the Holy Spirit working in the faith community. Gifts, though given to an individual, are for the good of the whole community. The importance of each gift is to be measured by its benefit to the community. Agape, a love that seeks the good of the other, transcends and is present in all genuine gifts. Paul uses the analogy of a body to illustrate his message. Although the body is made up of many different parts, it is a single coordinated unit. So it is with Christ, and by Christ he means the Risen Christ, who is constantly inviting us into the discipleship of a deeper relationship with him and is gently encouraging us to use the unique gifts that each of us has been given to help establish the Kingdom of God. Parishioners sharing their unique gifts is reflected in our stewardship report. Often, even extremely busy people have listened to the Lord s invitation to deepen their relationship with him and, as with any true encounter with God, it inevitably leads to service and using their gifts for the good of the entire community. The church teaches us that we cannot claim to be a disciple of Christ unless we are actively engaged in making the world more just; this is much more than giving charity. Likewise, we can measure the depth of our relationship with Christ through the level of our engagement. If we are sharing our gifts for the good of the community, then it is a good reflection of an ever-deepening relationship with the Risen Christ. However, failure to use these gifts is a great shame, as they might have brought a word of encouragement or an act of compassion that could have made the Risen Christ a reality in someone s life and perhaps made the difference between joy and sorrow. In conclusion, I would like to express my profound gratitude for the priests and deacons of our parish, to our staff, to our school principal and faculty, and especially to all our engaged parishioners who have responded to Christ s call to discipleship, the fruits of which are contained in this report. With heartfelt gratitude, Father John Trout Prayer and Worship Blessed by God and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, the twenty ministries of the Prayer and Worship Commission have continued to serve and support the St. Joseph faith community. The priests, deacons and staff have encouraged and guided our ministry leaders as they have tended to their ministries. The over 500 members of these ministries have helped to deepen the spirituality of the entire parish. A new 5:00 p.m. Sunday Mass was added to the schedule in January. Attendance at this new service has been very good. This Mass is oriented towards the youth in our parish but Page 2 Altar at Easter Vigil parishioners of all ages are welcome. The Prayer and Worship ministries tend to fall into two groups: those which support the Liturgy, and those which support focused prayer services and activities. Liturgical Ministries Keepers of the Feasts Ministry The Keepers of the Feasts have met regularly during the seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/ Easter. These ministers study the readings designated for that particular season and prepare for discussion. They help to plan the environment to be used on each occasion, give input into prayers chosen and ideas to Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014

3 enhance the Liturgies as well as floral arrangements. Creating prayer cards, themes and Carpenter covers are some additional projects. The Keepers met again in August to plan their future and again in September with the larger church to learn about the upcoming Liturgical Seasons. Art and Environment The Art & Environment ministers are interested in learning more about the Liturgy and are willing to help and create. Some ministers are reading the manual Built of Living Stones which is a guideline set forth by the Catholic Conference of Bishops. It discusses ideas and guidelines for the environment of the church during worship and the reason we do what we do. This ministry is in the process of redefining itself. Many participants have come forward to help with the environments at Christmas and Easter when many hands are needed. Art & Environment hopes to become more involved with the art in the Family Mass in the Koenig Center and create a background for the Risen Christ. We are fortunate to have people with talents in different areas who are The community gathers at the Easter Vigil to bless the new fire looking for ways to contribute to these projects. Usher Ministry Ushers serve as the hospitality ministers for the worshipping assembly. They welcome parishioners and guests, accommodate special needs, solicit people to present the gifts, facilitate the collection and assist with emergencies. This ministry serves at all Sunday Masses and is in need of additional members, especially for the 12:30 and 5:00 p.m. Sunday Masses. If you would like to help serve your fellow parishioners, please contact Gene O Brien at Sacristan Ministry Sacristans serve by doing all that is necessary to prepare for Mass and to keep the sanctuary, sacristy, vessels and vestments clean and in the best condition for liturgical services. This is a small but welcoming ministry that is open to all who have a love of the Liturgy and a desire to create the proper environment for the community worship. Over 20 sacristans were added in the past year. If you are interested in being trained as a sacristan for either Sunday or weekday Masses, please contact Bob Lasecki at j35bob@aol.com. Liturgy Coordinators Coordination of all liturgical ministries engaged at Sunday Masses is the role of this ministry. These ministers ensure that all roles are covered and Prayer and Worship that the Mass proceeds with reverence as prayerfully and inspirationally as is intended. Additional Liturgy Coordinators are needed for a number of the Sunday Masses. Please contact Walt Oakley at walteroakley@comcast.net. Adult Altar Servers This ministry is open to adults who wish to minister to the community by serving at Mass on Sundays and other special liturgical events. Spiritual formation and training will be provided. Those interested should contact Dan Harris at the parish office, Youth Altar Servers During the school year, 4th graders and above from St. Joseph School who wished to be trained as Altar Servers were invited to participate in 8-10 training sessions held at the Church following the school day for approximately 1-1/2 hours each session. Students attending other schools who wished to participate in this ministry were invited to participate in similar training sessions in the early part of summer for 8-10 weeks on an afternoon each week. Each server is trained on the importance of the Mass in our faith experience and the need for reverence and respect as they minister as a member of the Liturgy Team. Music Ministry In September 2013, the parish music ministry welcomed a new Director of Music, Mr. Ron Vanasdlen. The Resurrection Choir was regrouped and began Music Ministers enriching a Triduum liturgy singing at parish funerals within the month. The Middle School Choir and Youth Choir were added to the roster of available music groups at the parish. With the start of a new Sunday evening Mass, additional music ministers where added through the Young Adult Ministry of Lake County. Two concerts were provided last year to offer outreach and evangelization to the community: the Saint Cecilia Sing in November and the Christmas Sing in December. The Children s Choir now sings monthly at the Family Mass. The Family Mass received a new age-appropriate music resource. If you are interested in joining one of the choirs, please contact Ron Vanasdlen at rvanasdlen@stjoseph-libertyville.org. Proclaimer Ministry This ministry calls people who have a deep love of the Sacred Scriptures and are interest- Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014 Page 3

4 Prayer and Worship ed in sharing their gift with the community. They proclaim the Word of the Lord at each Liturgy. There are over 60 members of this ministry. Formation and training is offered to all ministers with special emphasis on the Liturgical Seasons. A new leadership team stepped forward in January to guide these efforts. If you would like to participate in this beautiful ministry, please contact the leaders at proclaimers@stjoseph-libertyville.org EOM Ministry The ministry underwent a leadership change this year and has a new four-member leadership team. Re-training practicums were held throughout the winter and spring for all ministers. Many new ministers were added including a significant number of Young Adults of Lake County members who serve at the Sunday 5:00 p.m. Mass once a month. The ministry now has over 200 ministers who are all being remandated this year after attending spiritual enrichment sessions. If you are interested in learning more about becoming an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, please contact Jennifer Kolber at Limmycat1@gmail.com or Family Mass Ministry The Family Mass Ministry provides an opportunity for families to participate together, as a family, in the ministerial roles during the Liturgy held in the Koenig Center. This smaller, more intimate worship community allows the entire family to draw closer to God through the Eucharist. Children s Liturgy of the Word Assisting children in Grades 1 to 4 to celebrate the Liturgy of the Word in an age-appropriate way is the mission of this ministry. A planning team of adults, junior high and high school students provides leadership and liturgical content for each session. Prayer Ministries Ministry of Care St. Joseph Parish has Ministers of Care who bring Holy Communion to the sick and homebound. They are trained and mandated by the Archdiocese of Chicago and also take part in ongoing formation days. Through their pastoral visits to Advocate Condell Hospital, Winchester House, Liberty Towers, Manor Care, Spring Meadows, and private homes, Our Lord comes to comfort and give hope. Masses and/or Word & Communion Services are held on a regular basis at these group sites. The Sacrament of the Sick and Confession are made available by our parish priests. During Lent, ashes and palms are brought to residents and every week the Rosary is Page 4 Ministers of Care tend to spiritual needs at area retirement homes prayed together at Winchester House. Training for new Ministers of Care will take place in January. Currently there are 82 Ministers of Care who, in the last 12 months, distributed over 23,000 Communion hosts to the sick, elderly and homebound. The Prayer and Healing Support Group This group meets on the second Wednesday of the month, September through June, from 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the St. Joseph Room of the administrative offices. The group starts out with a prayer, shares a scripture reading and discussion on the reading and finishes with a check-in period and prayers for the sick. Recently, the group shared lunch with Fr. Val Laini, their previous mentor and spiritual director. The Bereavement Ministry assists in planning for and providing support during about 70 funerals for our parishioners each year. It also offers preplanning services. The ministry plans the All Souls Day Mass and a Mass for the Innocents to remember our deceased brethren in a special way. We are very proud of the information available on the parish website. To access it, just click on Ministries, Bereavement, then Funeral Planning. Thanks to the addition of four new minsters, we currently have 15 dedicated volunteers. We offer personalized training and welcome anyone interested in joining our team. The Ecumenical and Interreligious Ministry strives to further understanding and cooperation among religions by sharing prayer experiences among congregations in the Libertyville community. The primary activity is participation in the Week of Christian Unity, which occurs in January. Legion of Mary The members of the Legion of Mary gather to pray the Rosary for the special intentions of the parish and in particular for the vocations of priests and seminarians. Thousands of Rosaries have been offered for these intentions. The group meets to pray on Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. in Suite 230 of the 200 Building. These ministers are also engaged in works of evangelization both inside and outside of the parish. The Legion of Mary supports WSFI 88.5 FM Catholic radio. It participated in two booths at the Lake County Fair and distributed hundreds of Miraculous Medals. It supported the production of the live drama Faustina, Messenger of Divine Mercy at Mundelein Seminary in April. The Legion of Mary participated in a number of ways in praying for the intention requests made as part of the To Teach Who Christ Is cam- Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014

5 Prayer and Worship paign. A new Legion of Mary praesidium was established at Winchester House. It meets each week on Wednesday evenings at 6:40 p.m. Those interested in learning more about the Legion of Mary should contact Angela Tomlinson at: angela@wsfiradio.org. Ministers of Praise This beautiful prayer ministry invites those who are homebound, in long-term care facilities and in retirement homes to pray for special needs of the St. Joseph faith community. Each month a St. Joseph staff member or parishioner writes a letter listing the special intentions for that month. It is a wonderful opportunity for these 60 ministers to pray from their homes and be engaged in the faith community. The Prayer Shawl Ministry provides shawls to anyone who needs one. The shawls are created by ministers who do their work with prayer and joyful conversation. The ministry meets once a month and there are ministers who create shawls in their homes. Wedding Ministry This ministry assists at 12 to 14 weddings each year. They help wedding parties during rehearsals and during the wedding Mass to ensure that everything occurs on schedule and as planned. These ministers also may serve as Sacristans and Eucharistic Ministers at the Wedding Mass. They provide much-appreciated service to the wedding party and the presiding priest. Two new members have joined the ministry. A new wedding planning booklet was completed and can be found on the parish website. Those with a special love of the Sacrament of Matrimony are encouraged to join. The parish continues to be blessed as the number of dedicated and devoted ministers continues to grow. There are still opportunities and needs for others in the parish community to get engaged and to serve. We encourage everyone in the parish to help fulfill the Parish Vision and their Baptismal commitment to serve as Christ serves. Please contact the parish office or the Prayer and Worship Commission leadership if you have questions or would simply like more information. Will you let me be your servant, Let me be as Christ to you; Pray that I may have the grace to let you be my servant too. (The Servant Song) Wisdom of Our Faith The Wisdom of Our Faith Commission encompasses our parish faith-forming ministries including St. Joseph Catholic School and Religious Education Program. The mission of the Wisdom of Our Faith Commission recognizes that In Jesus Christ we will grow and flourish through wisdom of our Catholic faith. We will provide opportunities for faith development to inspire everyone to participate and share a lifelong commitment to learning and spiritual growth. Our ministries collaborate with other parish ministries to provide lifelong catechetical opportunities. St. Joseph Catholic School The school s participation in the AdvancED accreditation process went very well. AdvancED is an independent accreditation organization that the Office of Catholic Schools hired to conduct a rigorous external review of all Archdiocesan schools to ensure that schools continue to implement high academic systems so all students may continue to thrive to their full potential. A St. Joseph School 7th Grade was honored as PADS Volunteer Group of the Year large component of the AdvancED process was that St. Joseph Catholic School had to conduct a year-long self-analysis to measure its program against a set of educational and operational standards. The analysis led to the creation of a school improvement plan with an academic goal in math and reading. Mrs. Lynne Strutzel joined the administrative team in November and opened doors to many new initiatives. The new leadership within the school created positive momentum, propelling St. Joseph Catholic School into an even stronger institution. Learning Teams were established to support both vertical and horizontal articulation across the curriculum. This has resulted in curriculum revision, the identification of a scope and sequence in all core areas that align with Common Core and Illinois State Standards, and a restructuring of the math curriculum to support the instruction of algebra in the 8th grade. In addition, instructional strategies that reflect Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014 Page 5

6 Wisdom of Our Faith best practices have been introduced into the classrooms. St. Joseph Catholic School has also restructured Grades 6, 7, and 8 to follow a middle school format in an effort to better meet the needs of students. All subject areas within the middle school will be taught by teachers holding endorsements for their respective area of instruction. These adjustments have been made to support the school s focus on meeting the standards of academic excellence. The School Advisory Committee (SAC) exists to serve St. Joseph Catholic School in several areas: developing policies which govern the school, coordinating fundraising activities to balance the school budget, and providing counsel regarding the school. One area of focus was to modernize and maximize our approach to fundraising. Traditionally, the school hosted a Dinner Dance for the parish community which raised money for the school operating budget and additional capital items. However, this event had become very labor-intensive and had limited opportunities for corporate matching. SAC replaced the Dinner Dance with a fundraising campaign known as the Knight Fund. The Knight Fund was a tremendous success, generating around $130,000 for the school. Almost $40,000 of the funds came from corporations matching their employee donations. The funds raised allowed the school administration to invest in new technology, new curriculum programs, and expanded resource assistance in the classroom. This investment will make our Blue Ribbon-winning school even stronger as we make the case for Catholic elementary education to parents within our parish community. The school has also enhanced communication with students and parents through a new state-of-the-art website. The website is optimized for both smartphone and desktop browsing. It allows users to subscribe to calendars, news articles and teacher classroom pages. With the classroom page subscription feature, parents can receive a single e- mail each evening with their children s homework assignments and other notes from the teachers. The website also has a clean organizational structure, photography of our students in action, and detailed pages describing the school curriculum and Catholic identity. Please visit the new website at www. sjscatholic.org. The Religious Education Program welcomed new leadership in Teresa Chiappone and Dave Burke. The vision of our parish Religious Education Page 6 Religious Education students complete a shift of meal-packing at Feed My Starving Children Program is to bring our young parishioners and families closer to God and the values of Jesus Christ by learning, sharing and celebrating the faith. The Saint Joseph Religious Education Program recognizes that the knowledge of Christ and our relationship with Him is the centerpiece of our program. This knowledge is given to our children and families to foster a long-term relationship with Christ and his Church. The Religious Education Program provided catechetical formation to over 1,100 elementary and middle school students through traditional classes held on Tuesday afternoon or Sunday morning and through the Faithweaving program. Faithweaving is an inter-generational catechetical program for families who gather monthly for age-appropriate formation and continue to explore topics and experience faith-enriching activities in their homes throughout the month. 7th and 8th grade home groups prepare students for the Sacrament of Confirmation. The parish is grateful to the 131 volunteer catechists and 52 teen aides who generously shared their gifts by catechizing the children of our parish. Through the use of parent involvement, classroom instruction, service opportunities, creative projects and participation in the sacraments, students learned about their faith and the traditions of the Church. Religious Education families gathered at Feed My Starving Children in June to honor Fr. Trout with an afternoon of service in anticipation of his Silver Jubilee of Ordination to the Priesthood. Fr. Trout celebrated a Mass after the meal-packing session. Participants enjoyed the opportunity to serve and share the Eucharist as a small faith community. Religious Education Connection (REC), the parent network of over 640 families with children enrolled in Faithweaving or traditional Religious Education classes, provides faith-sharing and community-building opportunities for children and their families. REC hosted events which encouraged children to demonstrate their faith as Catholic Christians in their daily lives. REC helps children to share their gifts with others through prayer, ministry, food pantry donations and support of the International Sharing Ministry. Parents benefited from involvement in a smaller faith community of similarminded parents who wish to role model the faith in their actions in their homes and in the community. REC hosted the Meet Your Catechist sessions that provided an Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014

7 open classroom opportunity for parents and catechists to meet. Highlights of the family enrichment programs were the annual Advent wreath-making event and the Stations of the Cross with family-focused reflections followed by a Lenten Fish Fry. The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) Program was led by Fr. Matt Bozovsky and a team of dedicated volunteers. Throughout the course of the year, participants deepened their personal relationship with Christ, their understanding of the faith, and their commitment to the Catholic Church. At the celebration of the Easter Vigil, two individuals were baptized and six who had been baptized in Protestant communities were received into the Catholic Church. These individuals were all Confirmed and received their First Eucharist. One of our participants, originally from a Protestant tradition, shared that special night with her daughters who were both baptized. May God, who has begun the good work in all of them, bring it to completion! The CIC (Christian Initiation for Children) program ministered to older children being welcomed into the Catholic Church. Four teens were catechized and Confirmed in March. Two youth were catechized and received First Eucharist in March. Let us pray for these teens and youth as they continue to learn and grow in faith. Gratitude is extended to approximately 50 teen and 25 adult volunteers, and the 120 young children who enjoyed the week-long Vacation Bible School experience of Weird Animals where they learned that no matter what, Jesus Loves You! This program was funded by tuition collected from the participants while the parish generously donated the space, overhead and maintenance. Approximately RCIA Program participants received Sacraments of Initiation at Easter Vigil Marriage Ministry offered a Living in Love retreat Wisdom of Our Faith $1,000 in excess tuition and donations will be donated to Catholic Relief Services. The Young Adult Ministry: YAM St. Joe s became the newest Wisdom of Our Faith ministry, gaining commission approval in April. In a few busy months, YAM St. Joe s set up leadership, established the YAM Mass, most often the 5:00 p.m. liturgy on the third Sunday of the month, and held several service and faith formation events. In addition, YAM St. Joe s planned, attended and was a host site for Theology on Tap this summer. Watch for the continued energy of the young adults of our parish as they share their gifts! The Ignatian Spirituality Committee was constituted in late 2013 at the initiative of Fr. Trout. The programs being offered are based upon the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius as interpreted by Fr. Joseph Tetlow. During Advent of 2013 and Lent 2014, the Ignatian Spirituality Committee offered Lightworks, a small groupbased introduction to the Exercises. It was a successful start for the parish with parishioners, mostly group leaders, participating in each season. In , additional forms of the Exercises will also be offered for parishioners seeking to deepen their understanding of the Exercises. The Marriage Enrichment Ministry continued to offer marriage-building events within the parish that included The Not So Newlywed Game, a Couples Small Faith Group Bible Study, Supper n Substance which included a Pot Luck and a guest speaker, and a celebration of World Marriage Day. New for this year was a married couples retreat called Living In Love which was piloted on Valentine s Day weekend and attended by 12 couples from the parish. The retreat also included a series of follow-up formation events which were thoroughly enjoyed by all. The Living In Love retreat will be rolled out parish-wide with retreats twice each year. Twenty-three parishioners are involved in the St. Joseph SPRED (Special Religious Development) program; 7 are catechists and 16 are special-needs parishioners ranging in age from 6 years to 60 years; 5 live at home with their family and 11 live in group homes at Lambs Farm. The parish SPRED groups gathered for twelve Catechist Preparation Sessions and twelve Total Community Sessions for Catechists Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014 Page 7

8 Wisdom of Our Faith and Friends together. The groups also gathered for Mass at the Chicago Archdiocesan SPRED Center and at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary. The 2012 Tootsie Roll Drive sponsored by the Knights of Columbus funds our Parish SPRED program. The goal of SPRED is to assist parishes to welcome persons with developmental disabilities into small communities for faith education so they are prepared to participate in the liturgical life of the parish. The Marriage Annulment Ministry received no referrals from staff during the past year. Efforts began to create an annulment support network with the first meeting tentatively scheduled for January, Field Delegates and others from the Metropolitan Tribunal will be on hand to discuss the annulment process in the Archdiocese and to explore the establishment of an ongoing support group for divorced individuals in the area who are considering or are already engaged with the annulment process. One of the most active programs of The Vocations Club is a one-hour prayer group which meets in the Church on Thursday afternoons to pray the Rosary and other special prayers to encourage and support religious vocations. Working closely with the Altar Server Team, the Vocations Club provides annual recognition of the servers responsibilities at Mass. Maintaining frequent contact with the Vocations Office in the Archdiocese to take advantage of their literature, their programs and any special meetings to attend, is a key role for the club. Vocations Club hosts occasional speakers at meetings from the Seminary, Institute of Religious Life and the Archdiocese Vocation Office to keep current of What s New in the Vocations World. Men s Ministry Retreat at Mundelein Seminary Page 8 St. Joseph Parish continues to be renewed through the ministry of Men s and Women s CRHP and the Continuation Committee. In January, the parish celebrated 10, commemorating our parish s tenth anniversary of Christ Renews His Parish with a Mass, a festive gathering, prayer, and service opportunities. A new CRHP polo shirt was designed using the newly created CRHP logo. The CRHP pages of the parish website were updated to achieve a consistent look and feel across the women s and men s content. A rebuilding of the CRHP Continuation Committee ensued to ensure the vitality of the CRHP ministry at St. Joseph s for another decade. The Continuation Committee identified and documented the CRHP processes before developing and operating with a more structured program with consistent oversight. Both Men s and Women s CRHP overnight retreats are held in fall and spring weekends. The Women s Council is comprised of women from previous CRHP teams who meet regularly to plan and host events for the faith formation of all women of the parish. Women s Council is inclusive, invitational and intentional in nurturing all of the women of St. Joseph Parish. Their Food for the Body and Soul, Fall Reflection, Marian Meditation and similar programs provide women opportunities to learn, reflect and share their faith journeys. The annual hat-making project was well-attended by parish families who made fleece hats for the children served by our parish Food Pantry. The Women s Council and Men s Ministry collaborated on the Thanksgiving Breakfast for all adult parishioners, the 10 celebration recognizing our decade of CRHP retreats, and the Lenten Stations of the Cross. St. Joseph Men s Ministry sponsored many wonderful events throughout the year that were open to all men of the parish. Their primary focus is to provide opportunities for men to tend their Spiritual Fire through various faith formation programming with the ultimate goal of becoming better Grandfathers, Fathers, Brothers, Sons, Friends, and Disciples of Christ. Over the course of the year, Men s Ministry gathered as a community of men to learn more about our faith, ourselves, and each other as we journeyed to a closer relationship with God. Highlights of the year are the two CRHP weekends, Men s Liturgy and Fellowship, and the Breakfast Club. For three Saturdays during Lent, Dr. Kevin Murphy led approximately 100 men in a spiritual formation exercise rooted in wholeheartedness. Men laughed, watched movie clips, and listened to Dr. Murphy and other men of the parish tell stories of faith and how we are called to live our faith with open hearts and open arms. In June, the Men s Ministry sponsored a wonderful retreat at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. Approximately 95 men gathered to enjoy a weekend of fellowship, faith formation, and reflection on the Eucharist. Fr. Robert Barron was the keynote speaker offering words of wisdom and encouragement to find a deeper relationship with the Lord through the Body and Blood of Christ. Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014

9 Our parish vision statement guides us to love as Christ loves and serve as Christ serves and our mission statement calls us to seek social justice and to serve others. This expectation is deeply rooted in our Catholic heritage and has been eloquently supported in writings from the US Catholic Bishops in Communities of Salt and Light: We are called in a special way to serve the poor and vulnerable Pope Francis has been immediately supportive of that message by vocally challenging us to not forget about our least fortunate struggling brothers and sisters. Through the guidance of our Catholic social teachings and traditions, St. Joseph Church has chosen to actively share our parish time and treasure, leading by example and backing our good intentions with action. Our funding process has been carefully reviewed to ensure our parish mission and values are met and administered in a professional way with scrutiny, oversight, clarity and openness. We have defined specific criteria as a framework determining who can best be served with our financial resources, as well as our parishioners time and energy: Are the organization s practices in line with current Catholic tradition and teachings? (The organization does not need to be Catholic but must align with our Catholic values.) Are our parishioners, including our youth, currently involved with the organization and do opportunities exist for parishioners to expand participation in the outreach activities of the organization directly or indirectly? What are the specific ties the organization might have to Parishioners and the Jesuits worked in solidarity to feed hungry children in Huaro, Peru. Backpacks and school supplies for Food Pantry patrons Social Justice and Service St. Joseph s and our community? Is the agency well run, as a nonprofit, with a clearly defined mission and goal, a budget, and proper controls and accountability? How will the money we gift be used and where? How many people does the agency serve and where? Has the agency completed our Needs Assessment Form addressing our 17 specific criteria? After a careful assessment by the Social Justice and Service Commission the funds are allocated. This year, the distribution total is $184, representing 6.0% of our parish collection plate revenue. A total of 21 agencies and ministries received funds ranging from $1, to $15, in one-time lump sum contributions. All contributions are guided by our commitment to sustainable change, an increase in transformative engagement by parishioners and the creation of a more just world. We are all deeply grateful for the generosity of our parishioners in sharing their time, talent and treasure. This year our parish has provided contributions and support to the following organizations and ministries: 2014 Social Justice Fund St. Joseph Food Pantry Catholic Charities - Human Services and New Hope Franciscan Outreach Association - Shelter for Homeless PADS - Shelter for Homeless Most Blessed Trinity - GED/Education Path to Citizenship Jesuit Mission in Peru - International Sharing Aid for Women of N. Lake County - Protecting Life and Dignity ElderCare - Human Dignity, Elderly Catholic Relief Services - Protecting Life and Dignity Feed My Starving Children - International Sharing Lake County United - Advocacy, Elderly St. Martin de Porres High School - Improve Education Orphans of Moshi-Africa - Education & International Sharing El Nino Rey - International Sharing Habitat for Humanity Lake County IL - Housing Waukegan to College - Improve Education Love INC of Lake County - Elderly and Parishioners in need CASA (Advocacy for Abused & Neglected Children) - Protecting Children Avon Community Food Pantry, Round Lake - Food Pantry Career Resource Center - Employment Ministry Beacon Place - Human Services Lake County Haven - Human Services Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014 Page 9

10 Youth With the help of some very dedicated parishioners, we continued to focus on the goals of our Parish Mission and Pastoral Plan: In Jesus Christ, we will grow and flourish through... engaging and understanding the energy and interests of our youth... so that we may live life abundantly. Our Youth Commission strives to live out our mission by: focusing energy on high school students and emphasizing post Confirmation engagement; building leadership teams of teens and adults that will emphasize listening, discovery and development of future leaders; and, creating new and effective practices that will nurture and grow stronger relationships, discipleship and service. Our Youth Commission has three main goals: empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission and work of the Catholic faith community foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person. Community Building 2013 Appalachian Service Project Team Catholic Camp Rock rocked! With this in mind, a few highlights from the past fiscal year follow. We welcomed our new Youth Ministry Director, Teresa Chiappone. We completed another summer Appalachian Service trip and engaged in various other teen-led service projects. New youth retreat opportunities such as the Steubenville High School Youth Conference and Camp Rock were introduced to our parish community. Sunday night Souled Out drop-in sessions continued to provide for Spirit-filled sharing and relationship building. These gatherings were aided by the help of our visiting Seminarians, Gregory Bim-Merle and Andrew Marr. We laid the groundwork for the launch of Project Joseph, a high school leadership program with Christ at the center of all that we do. It s an ambitious mission and set of goals which will require lots of creativity, engagement and commitment if we are going to realize all of our hopes and dreams for the youth of our parish community. Thank you to all who contributed to the growth of the Youth Commission this past year. The mission of the Community Building Commission is In Jesus Christ we will grow and flourish through Engaging, Welcoming, and Building Community. We will live as a community of faith filled with warmth, kindness and genuine connection and we will offer Fun monthly Euchre Nights opportunities for human and spiritual development. The Commission was led by David Olson last year and now by Gerry Salzman with Vice Lead, Anne De Franco. Debbie Armenta is the Staff Lead for CBC. The Welcoming Committee was led by Debbie and Vince Vicini and they welcomed approximately 75 new families this year at quarterly dinners. In an effort to reach every new parishioner, as well as become more fiscally responsible with resources, the committee is headed in a new direction. Opportunities to meet and greet new parishioners in the Narthex, as well as at other parish functions, will expand our welcoming beyond the committee to Page 10 include our St. Joseph community as well. The Greeter Ministry, under the direction of John Jurecko, has been working with the Usher Ministry to more closely align these two ministries to be more conscientious about safety and emergency response procedures. Both ministries are focused on providing hospitality and assistance to our parishioners, and having members of both teams educated and observant in emergency situations. The Mothers with Young Children (MYC) committee was initially led by Carolyn Husnick and most recently by Cecelia Andrea. This committee was very active this past year. Activities included Faith Formation, Social Events and Service Projects. In the area of Faith Formation, MYC hosted bi-monthly bible studies, a retreat, and a Stations of the Cross. For Social Events, it had monthly ladies nights out, a couples nights out, bi-monthly meetings and dropin playgroups. For Service Projects, MYC chaired or participated in activities that benefitted the Marty O Connor Foundation for Progress, Student & Pilau Day sponsorship at Stella Maris School in Tanzania, Catholic Charities, Maristella, Touching Souls, St. Joseph Parish, Reaching Hands Organization, Zacharias Center, Whitebread Family Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014

11 Community Building Foundation, and Lake County Haven. We collected 537 items for the Food Pantry, held our Second Annual Children s Resale, went Trick or Treating and Christmas carol singing at Winchester House, did meal-packing at Feed My Starving Children, lunch packing and serving for PADS, Advent and Lenten Tag & Distribution Days. Euchre Night, led by Fran and Stuart Skinner, has been an overwhelming Perfect weather for the Mass & Picnic in the Park to serve luncheons for families who have just had a funeral at St. Joseph Catholic Church. A very visible ministry is Java with Joe, led by Don Java Don Rentsch. This is an ongoing community-building event that holds coffees and social time in the Narthex after Masses once a month and on special occasions and during CRHP weekends. Thousands of people have enjoyed this fellowship success. It is a casual, once-a-month gathering of people who like to play or want to learn the card game. We ve had 150 unique players attend Euchre Night since beginning in January of them this season. The mix of players each month is always different, with our average attendance being about 30 players. Our players are multi-generational from members of Lake County Young Adults to lifelong parishioners who share great stories from the history of our parish. In addition to having an enjoyable evening out, players discover common interests and connections with others such as where they re originally from, hobbies, people they know in common, or sports. The Euchre Ministry welcomes additional new players of all ages and skill levels to drop in to play cards. A new ministry, Veteran Friendly, led by Dennis and Ronnie Mudd, focuses on Veterans and their families in our parish and community to attempt to assist the military family members in reentering society following periods of deployment in war-torn areas or those approaching deployment and faced with separation and loneliness. Our Funeral Luncheon Ministry, under the leadership of Paula Endress, continues to provide wonderful support for families and friends experiencing the death of a loved one. This ministry involves the thoughtfulness and culinary expertise provided by many parish members when asked in the last year and will continue to do so. Ann Rentsch leads our Name Tag Sunday Ministry which sets a welcoming environment for Java with Joe at our weekend Masses. Thanks to this ministry, our parishioners are now often able to put a name to a familiar face, a wonderful thing in a large parish. The Community Building Commission also takes the lead in providing some very key parish events which bring fellowship and fun to our Church and community. Our first Mass & Picnic in the Park was held in August 2013 with over 850 attending. The 5:00 p.m. Saturday Mass was moved outside to Sunset Rotary Park and was open to all ages. It was an overwhelming success and is now a permanent part of our parish activities. Over 275 enjoyed Oktoberfest in September 2013 and 250 people enjoyed the competition at Trivia Night in November. The Women s Guild was headed up by Pat Smuck last year and is now in the process of expansion with leadership by Whitney Clarkson and Carrie Groth. Key activities included the Housewalk in December and a Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Party in May. The Housewalk was attended by more than 500 people and raised money for various local charities. The Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Party was attended by more than 75 women who were seeking information on the new Guild and to learn more about Circles. The Facilities Committee, led by Rob Graham, worked off of the previously created 3-year capital plan to prioritize and initiate the next phase of capital projects for the St. Joseph Parish campus. After more than a decade of planning and evaluation, the comprehensive boiler replacement project for the school was completed on time and on budget. Far from a simple replacement, the new infrastructure will allow for significant energy savings and increased flexibility in terms of climate control and comfort. Additional Accountability infrastructure projects included updating the church lighting controls, ongoing roof maintenance/replacement program, installing air conditioning to the school library area and science lab, and replacing the small playground asphalt and sewer systems. St. Joseph has focused on opportunities for cost savings and supporting our environment. Examples include new HVAC controls, new LED lighting in the church and commercial spaces, matching recycling containers to every garbage container, reclaiming 2,700 square feet of Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014 Page 11

12 Accountability paved surfaces to new green space, updating the church lighting controls, adding new bottle-filling fountains in the gym to save on plastic bottles, etc. As a component of the To Teach Who Christ Is campaign, the Facilities Committee initiated the process for developing a 10-year master plan for the campus. Working with the Archdiocese, and through investigation of similar projects at other parishes, a Request For Proposal was developed and issued to leading architectural firms. Through a detailed proposal and interview process, a firm has been retained to work with St. Joseph Parish to develop the campus master plan. The Facilities Committee has continued to place importance on keeping the commercial properties highly leased which has allowed the parish to retire the debt on the Mil-Park asset. Technology St. Joseph Catholic Church is committed to using technology to support the mission of the Church and the work of our staff and parishioners. Thank you to all who have supported our technology program and initiatives. The use of our websites continues to grow and support the communication efforts of the ministries across the commissions. This coming year, we will look to enhance the use of our website, improve the overall design/structure, and further our use of social media and other communication tools. In order to support the demands of new tools and uses of technology, we made many enhancements to our infrastructure including increased bandwidth and upgraded cabling and switching devices. We purchased several new projectors that are available for ministry use. The school received a grant from the Dr. Scholl Foundation and used the funds to mount projectors and new boards in classrooms. Visual Communications Ministry This ministry at St. Joseph s is responsible for creating visual archives of parish activities and events. This includes photography and videography. The ministry provides photos to The Carpenter, the parish s website, Facebook page and other parish materials. The Stewardship Committee executed on the Parishwide Stewardship Plan with the theme of Attitude of Gratitude. As disciples of Christ, we respond in love to our many blessings and gifts, knowing all we have and we are is a gift from God. We made time for God through commitments of public and private prayer, helping those in need, and utilizing the newly installed votive candles in the church for prayer. This past year, we gratefully committed our time through prayer, our gifts in ministries and our financial resources through giving. In collaboration with the Wisdom of Our Faith commission, we developed an education series on Stewardship Education. The Finance Council, led by Tom Sear, is a separate Page 12 body that works closely with our Pastor and an outside professional accounting firm to ensure the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports. Through the execution of short- and long-term strategies, the Finance Council paid off $1.0 million for the commercial property mortgage. The council members work with ministries and staff to fund our mission while living within our means. The Endowment Committee, led by Nate Krogman, continued to provide grants to support religious education in the parish and school. St. Joseph s received a generous gift from the Mary Rose Ray Trust designated to create a scholarship fund for students of St. Joseph Catholic School. The Endowment Committee has been working with school administrators to determine how to communicate and award this new program. The scholarship will be known as the Russell V. Ray and Mary Rose Ray Scholarship. Details will be provided during the school year. Additionally, the Committee has continued to refine its grant applications and governance processes in addition to overseeing the investments of the Trust. Endowment is seeking an additional member to join in 2015 and we invite all to consider joining. Living our Strengths The Living Our Strengths program is designed to help identify our greatest talents and understand how to use those talents to enrich our life, the lives of our families and the life of our parish. Using the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, our Strengths team assisted members of the Parish Pastoral Council, St. Joseph staff, and parishioners to recognize their God-given talents through participation in numerous workshops throughout the year. The team also provided outreach to a neighboring parish, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, as they began to explore the Strengths program within their parish. Capital Campaign The spring of 2014, St. Joseph Parish embarked on a journey, a journey designed to bring us together to support the development of Catholic Education and Faith Formation throughout our own community and the entire Archdiocese of Chicago. It is a journey designed to help us answer the question, What Will Our Legacy Be? The goal of the To Teach Who Christ Is capital campaign is to bring our parish closer together while raising $2.8 million in support of the following parish and Archdiocesanwide endeavors: Develop a St. Joseph Campus Master Plan Enhance our Prayer and Worship Experience Support Catholic Education at St. Joseph Support our En- Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014

13 Accountability during Social Justice Programs Strengthen Catholic Education and Religious Education within the Archdiocese of Chicago. Parish Community Building Many St. Joseph parishioners joined us on this journey and the outcomes were overwhelmingly positive not merely in financial terms, but also in creating a spirit of community and demonstrating what it really means to teach who Christ is. Our youngest parishioners kicked off our To Teach Who Christ Is experience. Many children participated in St. Joseph s first Easter Egg Hunt in the park. Each child not only had fun, but also learned about the resurrection of our Lord and demonstrated service to others by donating stuffed animals and food to local children in need. Our St. Joseph School and Religious Education students shared their vision of what their parish and Service to Others means to them through beautifully illustrated banners. These banners were hung on the pews throughout the TTWCI campaign. What a beautiful visual reminder for each of us of the importance of passing our Catholic faith on to our children! The youth of our parish were very active participants in the campaign. They raised $500 for TTWCI by selling blessed St. Benedict bracelets. They also served as volunteers at many campaign activities, collecting prayer requests and providing event support. These energetic teenagers are a wonderful example of Christ s teachings in action! Adults of all ages volunteered countless hours in telephone outreach to their fellow parishioners, extending personal invitations to attend weekly mass and special events, seeking prayers requests and simply connecting on an individual level. Many parishioners were heard to say that in a parish the size of St. Joseph s, it was a delight to have such a personal interaction. These volunteers were truly walking in Jesus footsteps! Our dedicated Prayer Team not only lifted all special intentions up in prayer, they also planned some very special parish activities. For the first time, recent First Communicants were invited to lead a procession in honor of the Feast of Corpus Christi. Also, a Balloon Rosary was prayed and launched in honor of all special intentions. Their efforts helped us all come together as part of God s family! The Jammin with Joe! Music Festival showcased many talented youth and adults of our parish in an upbeat and exciting way! Celebrating Mass together at the Pope John Corpus Christi Procession Paul II Chapel at Mundelein Seminary was another opportunity to embrace the blessings we as a parish have. We are extremely grateful to those who dedicated their time and creativity to organize such fabulous events. How wonderful to celebrate the many blessings God has given the St. Joseph community! Fundraising Achievements To date, the To Teach Who Christ Is capital campaign at St. Joseph has generated over $2.2 million in pledges, representing slightly less than 80% of our goal. Pledges are still being accepted. As of June 30, $220,000 of pledge money had been collected, with the remainder to be paid over the course of a three-year commitment. 60% of the funds pledged will remain within the St. Joseph parish community, with the remaining 40% supporting Archdiocesan scholarship programs and Catholic education. The St. Joseph Parish Council has established a subcommittee tasked with overseeing the administration of all TTWCI funds. This group will continue to track funds as they are received, prioritize projects according to available funds, and ensure that all expenditures align with the stated TTWCI goals and objectives. The first project funded by the To Teach Who Christ Is capital campaign is already well underway. After an extensive evaluation process, we have contracted with Newman Architecture to help develop a Master Plan for St. Joseph Parish. The company is currently conducting a thorough study of our existing facilities to identify the useful life of each building and develop appropriate maintenance plans. In the weeks ahead, Newman Architecture will be working closely with our ministries and parishioners to determine our current needs and long-range aspirations. This fall, all parishioners will have an opportunity to express their vision for the future of our parish via an online survey and a Town Hall meeting. Other projects currently up for committee approval include much-needed repairs to the school roof and the installment of security card access throughout the St. Joseph campus. As the pledge period for To Teach Who Christ Is draws to a close, we are pleased to report that our parish is well on the way to answering the question What Will Our Legacy Be? Our sincere thanks to all who participated in the campaign through the donation of their time, talent, and treasure. Through your heartfelt and prayerful gifts we can continue the journey to build the Kingdom of God on earth. Saint Joseph Parish Stewardship Report 2014 Page 13