The meeting came to order at 7:30am and began with discussion on the recent abortion and life issues in the news. Ron and Nancy Boak, Peter and Michele Haytko, Barbara Smith, and Jody Villalba were in attendance. Ron opened the official meeting with a prayer and Scripture reading.
Michele shared that, with her work in bereavement and promoting life from the moment of conception, she is working as a moderator of the Philadelphia Suburbs Chapter of Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope, found online at
www.facesofloss.com. The Chapter can be found via facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Face2Face-Philadelphia-Suburbs/181325135234768?v=wall
Ron and Nancy updated everyone on the March for Life: 52 of the 54 person bus was filled and included 18 people from Mary, Mother of the Redeemer parish in Montgomeryville. SMG parishioners paid $16pp or $32pf (as the bus was subsidized by the Parish); MMR parishioners paid the full $41pp, however the Knights of Columbus subsidized their parishioners. We received a total of $1046 in donations, which covered the costs of dinner, METRO passes, the parking pass, and paid a little over $200 towards the $1450 cost of the bus rental.
The Committee discussed the 40 Days for Life campaign and SMG's participation in the vigils at Collegeville. To help promote parish involvement, Committee members have agreed to do 2 weekday evening, 2 weekday morning, and 2 weekend afternoon carpools during the 6 weeks. Committee members will agree to dates that the will "lead" the group and will meet in the Church parking lot to both drive and lead people to the Collegeville Planned Parenthood site. They will be in charge of leading the Rosary and the devotions that will take place for an hour. This is to encourage parishioners to attend (as well as to attend alone). During Fridays, members have discussed going to the Warminster site (where actual abortions take place); Nancy volunteered to lead a group out there on Good Friday for the procession and prayer service organized by Nativity of Our Lord parish. 40 Days begins March 9th and runs through April 17th.
The 2011 Annunciation through Christmas parish education program was discussed. Candles have been ordered. We were given a discount through the company and paid $2 per candle; we will request a $3 per candle donation, to help fund our Ladies Tea & Talk (see below). We will need people to man the table on the last weekend of February and the first weekend of March. An email will be circulated for sign-ups. We also need to make 100 "prayer cards" with the prayers parishioners are being asked to say weekly/daily as we remember the time of Christ's life in the womb of the Blessed Mother.
The first Tea and Talk planning is underway! Marie Joseph of the Bucks Co. Women's Center is our guest speaker (more information on Marie can be found on her website,
http://firedupcatholics.com/). The parish library has been reserved from 1pm-6pm for our April 16th event. The plan is to set up from 1pm-2pm, have the program run from 2:30pm-3:45pm, and then give participants an opportunity for Reconciliation prior to the Vigil Mass. Gary has agreed to make Scones and Michele will make Irish Soda Bread. Carmen has agreed to lend her teapots and the group will be providing china tea cups/saucers. Jody has purchased high end paper plates and Barbara has purchased nice napkins. Michele will contact local businesses about donating food for the event, however if that is not possible, members will get together the morning of the event to make tea sandwiches and desserts. We will provide baskets of tea per table and Peter & Ron will be responsible for keeping tea pots of hot water on the tables, as well as serving the courses of the tea itself. Michele will contact Cheryl regarding having 6 circular tables set up in the library and where to get linens for the tables. Each table will have 8 chairs, for a total of 48 possible. Our priests will be invited to attend; prayer warriors and special supporters from the parish will receive a handmade invitation from Jody. The suggested donation per ticket is $10.
Disciples in Mission: the booklets are in. Peter and Michele will be hosting the DIM gathering at their home during the Sundays of Lent from 3pm-4:30pm, with a potluck meal immediately following. Booklets are $6 per book and couples are encouraged to share a book.
First Saturday Rosary for Life: beginning in March, the group will alternate homes for a 20 Mystery Rosary for Life on the First Saturday of each month. The morning cycle will take place at 10am, followed by a potluck lunch; the afternoon cycle will take place at 3pm, followed by a potluck dinner. The Haytko's will host the March afternoon Rosary and provide the 20 Mystery format.
The meeting ended at 10:15pm.
