Dear Parishioners,

 

We the CORE Team for the Merging Parishes of St. James, St. Mary, Queen of the Apostles and Corpus Christi are in the beginning stages of forming committees to help in the process of the merger.  We are asking for your help.  As we progress forward, let us recall our goal:  to bring to life a renewed, vibrant and dynamic new parish formed in faith and nurtured in the call to live out our baptismal call as we worship, gather and serve God’s holy people.

 

There will be (8) eight committees, we would like (2) two volunteers from each  merging parish to be on each committee.  There will be at least one CORE Team Member as a Chair of each committee.  If you would like to be on one of the committees please call that committee Chair or Co-Chairperson.

 

                1.  Liturgical Committee – Gathering information on current Mass and devotion schedules and

                     attendance counting at each Mass in each church, holy days, confessions, baptisms, pending

                     marriages, Healing or Anointing of the Sick masses and special liturgies, including programs

                     such as Children’s liturgies, school Masses, May Crownings, Cemetery Masses, Rosary

                     recitation, Novenas, Stations and any ceremonies occurring within our parishes’ worship             

                     spaces.

                     Chair:  Daniel Delaney – 856-935-5442

                     Co-Chair: Lisa Tanyer

 

                2.  Social and Parish Life – Socials, fundraisers, hospitality events, special dinners, dances, etc.

                     reaching out to individuals at risk, social service needs, church-community affiliations.

                     participation, assessing transportation needs, faith formation for all ages, Religious Education,

                     RCIA, catechetical needs across culture/language.

                     Chair:  Mercina Gant – 856-935-3223

                     Co-Chair:  William Federowic – 856-678-5914

 

                3.  Ministry Committee – Assembling lists of those who are currently servicing in ministries and

                     programs, such as:  Eucharistic Ministers, Readers, Servers, Ushers, Catechists, Hospitality,

                     Bereavement, Collection Counters, Marriage and Family related , works of charity, parish

                     Societies.  They will cover:  sustaining current ministers, recruitment, training, workshops,

                     Scheduling, planning for new ministries, collaborating with ministers in planning to meet needs

                     Of sick, shut ins, housebound, hospital, nursing homes.  Our efforts will include ways to foster                        the faith and cultural expressions of our Spanish-speaking parishioners and work toward

                     greater inclusiveness.

                     Chair:  Julie Branan – 856-299-2211

                     Co-Chair:  Art Clemente

                     Co-Chair:  Amanda Fernandez

 

                4.  Finance Committee – Working together with Pastors, parish bookkeepers and others, these

                     members will gather and review pertinent records, reports and financial accountings from all

                     four parishes.  They will be responsible for producing one new set of accounts and financial

                     record keeping for the new parish being formed.  The assets and liabilities, properties and funds

                     held formerly by four individual parishes will then be transferred into the accounts bearing the

                     name of the new parish.

                     Chair:  Scott Greenwald – 856-299-1134

 

                5.  Communication Committee: - Tasks include: providing information to parish staff for inclusion

                     in each of our weekly bulletins as updates for all parishioners to read; making use of an

                     available parish web site for postings, exploring newsletter use, cooperating with secretaries in

                     each parish to provide updated mailing lists and updated parish census information; preparing

                     parish press releases and sending to diocesan & local papers; making posters, signs, banner for

                     event linked to our merger.

                     Chair:  Lisa Tanyer – 856-299-4925

                     Co-Chair:  Janet Emmons – 856-935-1404

 

                6.  Facility Committee – Collecting church and building site plans and layout prints, building

                     status reports, maintenance and repair needs of all buildings owned and used by the parish,

                     documentation on seating capacity for buildings, parking, security, heating & lighting.

                     status report for cemetery.  In addition, gathering recommendations for needed upgrades,

                     improvements, construction, demotion, rental, insurance or alternate use options for

                     building.

                     Chair – Ken Brown – 856-299-4698

 

                7.  Staffing Committee – Will communicate with all current employees within our 4 parishes to

                     ascertain the scope of their current job position, what their tasks and responsibilities include.

                     Members of this Committee will prepare the job description for each staff position needing to

                     be filled.  Hiring consideration for each Staffing position deemed necessary to be filled, in

                     priority order, will be open to all those who apply.  This committee will prepare job

                     descriptions, advertise for, interview applicants and make recommendations to the Convener as

                     to the most suitable candidate(s) for staff positions.

                     Chair:  Ralph Parks  856-678-8999

                     Co-Chair:  Patrick Lloyd

 

                8.  Parish Naming Committee – We may recommend for Bishop’s consideration, three possible

                     choices for the name which will be granted to our newly created parish.  At that time, our

                     former parish names will cease to exist, though our individual church building/worship sites

                     will retain their prior name.

                     Chair:  Patrick Lloyd – 856-879-9798

 

All committees must be formed by May 24, 2009, so please call the committee chair as soon as possible.

 

,