Dear Parishioners,

Hope you are really enjoying the Festival this weekend and a big thank you to Sam Patti who has been Festival Chair for seven years.  Thank you Sam so much for your service and leadership.
           
As promised last weekend, this weekend I will make a more thorough report of the Parish Council meeting of May 3rd/4th and also share with you our financial report for the year 2012 and the budget for 2013.  Hopefully there will be a copy in the bulletin for you this weekend as well as a large scale version on the vestibule bulletin board.
           
The first item of business at our Parish Council meeting was to plan for upcoming elections.  Four of our members have completed (and then some) their four year term and need to be replaced by a parish election which will be held in November; however, we will be seeking nominees well before that.  Parishioners can be nominated in either two ways: by being nominated by someone else or by self nomination.  The criteria we will be looking for in nominees are first of all: 1) Registered and participating members of the parish; 2) A working knowledge of parish and diocesan life; 3) A Vatican II vision of the Church; 4) An ability to listen to the needs of the parishioners; 5) Availability – need to be available for Friday evening and Saturday meetings until noon at least every other month; and, 6) Must not already hold a major position in another particular parish ministry.  Another version of criteria  are: 1) Be an active member of the Christ the King community; Seek to help our parish live up to our mission, “To Hear the Gospel and Make a Difference”; 3) Come to the council with an open mind and heart, without a personal agenda; 4) Be willing to consider the various diverse views within our parish community and to address the needs of all; and, 5) Be able to work in sub-committee’s outside the regularly scheduled council meetings.   A big thank you to our outgoing Council members: Marie Ascatigno, Mary Ragsdale, Art Odom and Carl Feil.  They have served the parish well and their efforts are greatly appreciated.  Thank you Marie, Mary, Art and Carl! 
           
The next item on the agenda was a review of the Parish financial report and budget as well as a discussion of Parish savings and their availability.  We have done an extensive needs and wants assessment for the parish and are ready to focus on the need to provide more meeting space through changes in the Ministry Center.  Our next meeting will be Friday, June 28th and Saturday, June 29th.
           
Please take time to look over our 2012/13 Financial Report and Budget.  You can see the backbone of the parish income is the Sunday and Holyday collection.  Notice we have to budget modestly for next year since it is a calendar year that contains only 52 Sundays rather than the usual 53.  You’ll notice under building fund income, which has been approved by the Diocese for future onsite building, unlike other income is not assessed by the Diocese the usual 12% nor is the Bishop’s Appeal rebate so assessed.  Our Diocesan Assessment in 2012 came to just over $148,000, while that is a good and necessary contribution to Diocesan budget and ministry, we also appreciate limiting it whenever possible.  We can be particularly proud of the special collections, whether Diocesan or parish based.  Most of all, you have been extremely generous in 2012 toward our very necessary and important St. Vincent de Paul collection, as well as to the work of Catholic Charities. 
           
Under the major improvements for 2013 our expenditures are limited to feasibility studies but the result of those studies in coming years may be truly expensive, particularly when we look at bathrooms in the vestibule of the church.  We may well end up expanding the church and patio area.  Likewise, the modest expense to look into a seismic upgrade for the Adult Ministry Center may lead both to major and necessary retrofitting and also a complete upgrade and remodeling or replacement of the Ministry Center itself.  I will keep you posted.          

Your Pastor,
Brian T. Joyce