Worship Commission News
Meeting Schedule:

The Worship Commission meets on the 3rd (third) Monday of every month (September - June) for a maximum of two hours beginning at 7:00 PM in the Parish Activity Center. 
Worship Commission Members:

Tom Kaiser: Co Chairperson
Mary PatTyson Vanderlaan: Co Chairperson
Fr. Scott McCawley, Associate Pastor, Immaculate Conception Parish
Steve Liskowski, Director of Music, Immaculate Conception Parish
Tom Hanik
Joe and Sue Bronsnan
Jim Viola
Dr. Charlotte Blain
Dave McCaffrey
Dr. George Loss
Peg Cello
    Most Recent Worship Commission Minutes: June 2013
  • Worship Commission Meeting Minutes – June 10, 2013
     
    Attendance:  Fr. Scott McCawley, Steve Lisowski, Tom Kaiser, Mary Pat Vanderlaan, Jim Viola, Dave McCaffrey, George Loss, Peg Cello, Tom Hanik, Steve Hillsman, Charlotte Blain
    We had a light dinner to thank Father Scott who will be the pastor of St. Charles B. in Bensenville.  We, the Worship Commission, Thank You Father Scott for your outstanding leadership, patience and concern over these 2 plus years.  We will miss you. 

    Faith Sharing: We read key passages from Vicesmus Quintus Annus Apostolic letter of the 25th Anniversary of the constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy). Active participation is both a duty and a right of every individual in consequence of baptism.  Far more than the distribution of functions and singing – The heart and mind must be in harmony with what is proclaimed and participate needs to be nourished by reflection and mediation.

    Minutes from May were approved.

    Parish Council report- Parish Council is off until August.  Father tom reported at Leadership Night that at this time last year we had 3 Priests, 2 Deacons and significant experience.  Now we will have 2 Priests and 1 Deacon, which will require additional vigilance. 

    Report Out from Steve:  Steve met with Father Tom.  Father wants the Commission to be planning the seasonal liturgies way in advance (e.g. Holy Week should be proposed by Christmas) When we return in August and September, we need to have discussion of Advent on our agenda.  We need to develop a calendar so that this calendar will guide our agenda.  We also need to be more attentive to codification of our decisions and products.  We need more Standard Operating Procedures to guide that process.  For example, what happens each season (we need to document and record what happened and decisions that were made)? For example when during the mass were ashes given out on Ash Wednesday and why was that decided.  We need to document and recommend for next year. Father Scott had acted in the capacity of getting the OK from Father Tom, but now we will need to be more conscious.  Steve agreed to develop a “drop box” to file the various liturgical plans, etc.

    Altar Server Discussion – see attached at end of minutes for results of meeting with Gail, Dave and Regina.  Regina and Dave will look at the scheduling.  Regina is considered part of Worship Commission although she is mostly unable to attend night meetings.  We had a lively discussion on whether and why Ministers should or should not have the option to choose when they serve.  Do we want to consider changing that expectation?  For example, should the servers have a responsibility to rotate and serve at the 7:30 Mass – to share the burden?  Is this the time to shift how we schedule?  At the Leadership night there was a proposal to recruit 6th graders to go to “Boot Camp” of taking on the 5:15/7:30/5:15.  We are not certain this is the best approach.

    Do It Yourself Evening of Reflection – This will not occur.
     
    Discussion of our major “Year of Faith” activities
    We will do something on Music.  From last month’s minutes – the Diocese will focus on: July – Praise and Worship; August – Liturgy of the Hours; September – Pilgrimage; October – Divine Mercy Chaplet; November - Eucharistic Adoration
    We need to figure out what we want to do.

    Recruiting and Training
    We need to wait a bit for Father David to get on board, if he will be assigned to Worship Commission.  We should plan for 2 trainings per year.  Big push for the fall should be Ushers.

    George found 2 extra Mass Captains, including Peg.

    Agenda Development: We should have no more than 2-3 major discussion items at any meeting if possible.

    Next Meeting is August 19 at 7:00 (Note – we need to have on our agenda the Block Party Mass which is September 7.)  There is no July meeting.
     
    Recap of Altar Server Discussion: June 10, 2013
    Attendees: All Worship Commission members except: Joe and Sue Brosnan; Gail Macko and Regina Hughes
     
    Regina’s Objectives: Response from Worship Commission very positive.  Dr. George Loss said he is ready, willing and able to work side by side with Regina.

    Comments from Worship Commission (WC) on current program status
      • Recruitment
        • Consensus on training 6 graders ASAP and assigning them, on a rotation basis to 7:30 and the two 5:15 Masses (AKA ‘Boot Camp’) as soon as they could be added to the schedule for ’13-‘14. 
        • Beginning in ’14, train the 5th graders in April so they would be able to serve in the summer months and then move into the ‘Boot Camp’ schedule for as 6th graders for ’14-’15.
        • 6th graders completing ‘Boot Camp in spring of ’14 would move to ‘First Team’ serving 9 and 11 Masses.
      • Scheduling
        • Complexities understood. 
        • WC suggested investigation into alternative scheduling software that might be able to handle our needs more efficiently.
      • Attendance
        • Normally good at Sunday 9 and 11:30; less so at both 5:15s and Sunday 7:30
        • Gail has been making calls to no shows
          • Response often is parents were unaware child was scheduled for that Mass.
    • Overall program:
      • What do we need to keep doing? WC agreed more attention is needed.
        • Working to improve program
    • What do we need to start doing? WC agreed in principle
      • Communicate to all parents of 5th and 6th grade students Altar Server Ministry can be a significant opportunity to increase child’s faith and personal growth.
        • Liked this idea
      • Consider developing team of Altar Server Captains to act in similar function as Mass Captains.
        • Thought this idea had some merit; need more details
      • Develop recognition of Altar Server Ministry by having group events possibly on quarterly basis to keep interest up for both kids and adults.
        • Thought this was good idea
      • Needs to have some level of recognition and respect as does Lector, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Ushers and Music ministries.
        • Agreed completely
      • Suggest made to possibly consider training 6th graders as Ushers as well and assigning them to all Masses.
        • Thought to have several positive results if possible.
    • What do we need to stop doing? WC in COMPLETE agreement: Altar Server Ministry is important and should be given its due.
      • Treating Altar Server ministry as a given that will always stumble along on it’s own with minimal involvement of Worship Commission.