using the sacred chrism - stclarecc.org · counion aster sunday was a lorious celeration of the...

Fall 2016 2016 Parrish Newsletter

Fr. Mark stands with St. Clare’s newly initiated members at the Easter Vigil on

Saturday, March 26, 2016

Over 30 children received First Holy Communion on May 7, 2016

Mother’s Day 2016

Confirmation Class with Auxiliary Bishop Luis Zarama on

April 23, 2016

Our new Knight Officers are installed for 2016

The Knights of Columbus help parishioners find our new location in June

Archbishop Gregory surprises the congregation, celebrating Mass

with us on April 10, 2016!

Fun & popular Children’s Mass held on the 1st Sunday of every month

Fr. Mark offers tours of the new parish grounds throughout the year

Daily Mass is held at the

rectory each week at

The Holy Spirit ensures

everyone can fit!

Using the Sacred Chrism

Snacks & good conversation after Mass!

St Clare Newsletter Oct 2016.indd 1 10/6/2016 3:20:04 PM

P a g e 2

S t . C l a r e o f A s s i s i

September 14, 2016 My dear brothers and sisters of St. Clare Catholic Mission:

This past year, our second as a parish mission, we continue to grow as a new Catholic community of over six-hundred families in the Acworth area. Due to pending construction plans, we moved our Sunday liturgies from North Cobb High School to Barber Middle School and we increased our Saturday Vigil Masses from one to two (4:30 and 6:00pm). This past year, we had eight candidates at our Easter Vigil Mass receive their sacraments of Confirmation and First Communion in a beautiful bi-lingual liturgy. We had eighteen of our teens receive their sacrament of Confirmation with Bishop Zarama in a combined Mass with St. Francis of Assisi. In May we had thirty-seven children receive their First Communion in two Masses, English and Spanish. We celebrated three outdoor Masses (Memorial Day, Labor Day and Fourth of July) at the parish office. In addition to our liturgies, the parish launched our Parish App with community celebrations after weekend Masses, we presented our Pastoral Plan which will give the parish direction for the next few years, our Social Communications committee has been busy updating our web-site, starting a parish Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter. For the second year we have over three hundred-fifty children in our Parish School of Religion in both English and Spanish. We also started our Alpha Program, a Catholic evangelization and outreach program to reach out to bring others to Christ. And many of our young people are showing us how to be good stewards with the $20 challenge! This coming year, we look forward to our seminarian, Juan Carlos Pacheco, starting Financial Peace University financial classes for our teens, implementing ALPHA for teens as well as having praise and worship Holy Hours for our young people. We also look forward to acquiring sixteen acres of the property on Cedarcrest Road and beginning our grading and site utility construction in preparation for our proposed multi-purpose parish hall and classroom building. Pope Francis declared this year “The Year of Mercy,” which concludes with the First Sunday in Advent on November 27, 2016. May we close out this year with our prayers and evangelization efforts aimed at growing the community of God in Acworth through acts of mercy and kindness and through the love we share as members of his body. Praised be Jesus Christ Fr. Mark

Wesley Herrington donates over $1400 in gift bags to Children’s Hospital of Atlanta

Nathaniel Rohling gets all this food for St Vincent de Paul Food Bank

Noah Anderson raises $420 with a Go Fund Me Account

Our Youth take the $20

Stewardship Challenge!


“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Matt 28)

Goal: To engage the faithful who desire to be renewed in the faith with relevant catechesis, to re-energize those who lack a sense of living the faith to and equip them to fulfill the Great Commission.

A d u l t F a i t h F o r m a t i o n

P a g e 3 2 0 1 6 P a r r i s h N e w s l e t t e r

P a s t o r a l P l a n S u m m a r y

The Parish Pastoral Plan was officially released in March of 2016, when copies were distributed at Mass. You can still find a full copy online at www.stclarecc.org/communications/pastoral-plan/. This Pastoral Plan was developed in conjunction with our efforts to implement the pillars of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan promulgated by Archbishop Wilton Gregory in 2015: Knowing Our Faith, Living Our Faith, Sharing Our Faith, and the Evolution of Our Parishes. A common theme in our plan as well as the Archdiocesan Plan is the importance of faith formation, both at the adult and family level. To that end, we are striving to prioritize the importance of faith formation in our parish. The goals our strategic planning committee identified are shown below, and you will see throughout the newsletter many of the ways we are working to achieve them.

“It is not how much we do but how much love we put in the doing that makes our offering something beautiful for God.”

~ Mother Teresa Canonized 9/4/16

Feast Day September 5th

“But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you

shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak’.” (Jeremiah 1)

Goal: To Engage our teens and young adults to be disciples by fostering the total personal and spiritual growth of each person.

Y o u t h F a i t h F o r m a t i o n

“So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for ‘Their

voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world’.” (Romans 10)

Goal: We strive to be a vibrant, welcoming and faith-filled community through personal relationships and the use of modern technology.

C o m m u n i c a t i o n s

“And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, “To him who

sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5)

Goal: To build a faith community called by God to a richer encounter with Living Jesus Christ through active participation in our liturgies.

W o r s h i p

“Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of

hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” (Malachi 3)

Goal: To Transform society by living and sharing the faith, recognizing our responsibilities to be good stewards of our talents and gifts knowing that all comes from God.

S t e w a r d s h i p


F i n a n c e C o m m i t t e e I n f o r m a t i o n

Income Statement Revenues: 2015-16 2014-15 Offertory $817,516 $383,420 School of Religion (PSR) Income 17,282 5,400 AD Start-Up Grant 0 50,000 Other Income 10,781 7,307

Total Regular Income 845,579 446,127 Building Fund Contributions 107,608 93,503

Total Income $953,187 $539,630

Expenses: % Regular Inc % Regular Inc Clergy Salaries and Benefits $58,804 7.0% $52,816 11.8%

Leases and Rentals 52,029 6.2% 33,564 7.5%

Charities 51,400 6.1% 22,240 5.0% SVDP, Habitat, Acworth Women's Center

Lay Salaries and Benefits 37,212 4.4% 10,023 2.2% Full Year of Administrative Costs Supplies 21,273 2.5% 21,509 4.8%

Religious Education 20,757 2.5% 0 0.0% Furnishings 14,227 1.7% 9,173 2.1% Professional Services 12,384 1.5% 2,562 0.6% Food & Table 12,003 1.4% 9,856 2.2% Subscriptions/Dues/Fees 7,035 0.8% 1,087 0.2%

Capital Improvements /Maintenance 7,021 0.8% 25,588 5.7%

Utilities 6,985 0.8% 3,484 0.8% Auto 4,203 0.5% 2,763 0.6% Georgia Bulletin 3,178 0.4% 1,238 0.3% Gifts 2,335 0.3% 1,278 0.3% Travel 2,209 0.3% 0 0.0% Postage 1,496 0.2% 186 0.0%

Retreats/Meetings/ Continuing Education 1,125 0.1% 800 0.2%

Insurance 1,044 0.1% 768 0.2% Licenses and Permits 828 0.1% 1,704 0.4% Misc 411 0.0% 1,928 0.4% Advertising 183 0.0% 2370 0.5%

Total Operating Expenses 318,142 37.6% 204,937 24.2% Construction Costs 38,159 Conceptual and Engineering Plans Total Expenses $356,301 $204,937

Total Surplus $596,886 $334,693 Operating, Savings and Building Fund Accounts

Statement of Financial Position Assets Operating Account $62,742 $58,219 Savings and Building Funds 824,475 264,478 Other Assets 46,998 18,880 Total Assets $934,215 $341,577

Liabilities

Archdiocese Exchange Accounts (Payables) 2,636 6,884

Total Liabilities $2,636 $6,884

Total Net Assets $931,579 $334,693

P a g e 4 S t . C l a r e o f A s s i s i



Archdiocese of Atlanta Contribution to St Clare

FY 2014-15 FY 2015-16

Archdiocesan Initial Grant $50,000 Bequest/Gift 63,127 Waiver Interest Land Acquisition 56,000 $96,000

(7 mos 2015, 12 mos 2016/Total Cost $2.4 mil)

Waiver Archdiocesan Assessment 53,690 97,200

(15% of General Revenue)

Waiver Archbishop Annual Appeal Shortfall 4,000

Waiver Archdiocesan School Assessment 1,000 35,000

Total Fiscal Year $227,817 $228,200

$5 $10 $15 $20 $25 $30 $35 $40 $45

Average Weekly Contribution per Participating Family

337

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Online Giving (% of Revenue)

101

128103

42

1931

Parish Year: Weekly Contribution Levels by Families : Fiscal Year 2015

10%:$50-$74

24%: <$10

7%: >$100

30%: $10-$24

4%: $75-$99

24%: $25-$49

Based on Jul 2015 - Jun 2016Using yearly average of 424Total Families Participating in Weekly Giving

$5,000 $7,000 $9,000

$11,000 $13,000 $15,000 $17,000 $19,000 $21,000

Average Weekly Contributions per Month


P a g e 6

Holy Week was a beautiful celebration of Our Lord’s Passion and Resurrection at St. Clare’s. The Triduum began Holy Thursday with a bilingual Mass of the Lord’s Last Supper and Father Mark washing the feet of some of our Confirmation candidates. Stations of the Cross and Veneration of the Cross were observed on Good Friday bilingually with many families taking part reading the Stations. Holy Saturday was a beautiful Easter Vigil Mass. We were blessed to have

eight new members receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Communion. Easter Sunday was a glorious celebration of the Resurrection. Most of the week was celebrated in North Cobb High School, with the Vigil taking place at St. Teresa Episcopal Church, Acworth. We are blessed to have found places to worship and celebrate Mass until we have our own building. We hope you will join us this year during this most Holy of Holy weeks.

H o l y W e e k

forever abide in you as adults in the faith. On May 7, 2016, more than thirty of our First Communicants received Jesus for the first time at a Mass held at St. Teresa’s. There were two beautiful Masses of celebration and joy for these young members of the Church, one in English and the other in Spanish.

On Saturday, April 23, 2016 our first St. Clare Confirmation class was confirmed along with the class of St. Francis of Assisi, at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Cartersville. Eighteen of our young adult members were entered fully into the Church by Bishop Luis Zarama. Congratulations to our newly confirmed. May the fullness of the Holy Spirit

S a c r a m e n t s

S t . C l a r e o f A s s i s i

The Giving Tree Ministry at St. Clare organizes, shops, and delivers gifts to the less fortunate in our Acworth Community during the Christmas season. 2015 was our 1st year and with the generous help from our parishioners we provided gifts for over 20 families and several individual children. We also partnered with our St. Clare PSR children who provided "stocking stuffer" filled shoe boxes for everyone

on our list as well. Our committee is ramping up once again to prepare for the upcoming holiday season and is appreciative to all those who would like to join us in bringing Christmas joy to our parish neighbors who are unable to provide gifts to their own families. It is a busy time, a busy schedule, a busy rush, but you will receive a blessing of Peace and Joy that remains with you throughout the year!

G i v i n g T r e e

Our Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which began delivering food in February of this year, offers person to person service to all those who are needy and suffering within our community. We are currently providing assistance to approximately 20 families, over 100 people, a month through our food pantry located at the rectory. We are serving the Acworth (30101 & 30102 zip codes) and the Emerson (30137) area at this time. We have also helped

McCall Elementary School with providing lunch to some students. We hold 4 food drives a year to help stock our pantry, but will take donations anytime. Members serve through home visits, pantry helpers, and food delivery. We have worked in conjunction with St. Catherine of Siena's society, but will begin to see cases without their assistance and have a need for helpers in reviewing our casework. Our volunteers are truly living their faith in action.

S t . V i n c e n t d e P a u l

There was plenty of activity on the parish grounds on Cedarcrest Road as Father Mark opened the doors to many Mass and Field days. Parishioners were given a tour of the property after Mass, as heard about the future building plans for the parish.

In addition, Memorial Day and 4th of July Masses were held on the lawn behind the rectory chapel. They were beautiful services, followed by a wonderful time of community with juice, coffee and impromptu tours of the rectory.

O u t d o o r M a s s e s & F i e l d D a y s

4th of July Outdoor Mass at the rectory

Memorial Day Outdoor Mass at the rectory


the sacristans and ushers. The Episcopal church is well equipped with a sink and area behind the altar to properly care for all the Mass components. The Praise & Worship Band brings an entire mobile sound system for the 6pm Mass to ensure there is lively music. On Sunday mornings, the Knights of Columbus drive the church’s re-purposed U-Haul to Barber middle school to transform the auditorium there into a sanctuary for worship. A

Many parishioners don’t know what goes on before the mission Masses, but it is quite fascinating to see how a mobile church is assembled! Saturday night Masses are a bit easier, with Sacristans bringing a suitcase from Father’s trunk to transform the Episcopal sanctuary into one suitable for a Catholic Mass. Along with a box of bulletins and song sheets, the entire Mass is transported in rather quickly, but much set-up work is done by

collapsible altar, lectern, all the required vessels and books for Mass, altar serving vestments, and sound system are all unloaded each week. After the Hispanic Mass, they are packed up again and loaded into the “Mass in a U-Haul.” For the last two years during Holy Week, the Blessed Sacrament was transported between the Triduum services to the rectory! These are the things you only see happen at a Mission church!

B e h i n d t h e S c e n e s


when we were at North Cobb. The Dogwood staff even brought all her friends to Mass that morning witness her special day. Today they continue to get together before our Communion Service and pray the Rosary.

Last Christmas when they requested a Christmas Eve Mass, Fr. Mark asked Auxiliary Bishop Tally to celebrate the Mass at North Cobb in order to allow him to celebrate the Mass at Dogwood... Auxiliary Bishop Tally insisted that he be the one to celebrate Mass at Dogwood. It was a wonderful experience for our Seniors to celebrate Christmas as a Christian Community. The whole facility

St. Clare of Assisi has had a strong presence at the Dogwood Assistant Living Facility, in downtown Acworth since the beginning of forming our Mission Church. We have around 10 Seniors there that want a prayerful life and we provide a Communion Service for them every Sunday around 11:45 am.

The first day that we offered this Communion Service, one of the residents asked if it was too late to become Catholic. You know the answer ... it's never too late! We worked with her through a special one-on-one RCIA Program and she was brought into the Catholic Church one Sunday morning

was there! They are still talking about his visit and asking when Auxiliary Bishop Tally is coming back.

On Good Friday we did a special Stations of the Cross with them; it seemed that it had been a long time since some of them experienced The Stations of The Cross.

We do take the time to visit with them before the Communion Service and get the scoop on what is happening there. Just the other week, Deacon Tom took the opportunity to get them to install the my Parish App on their smartphones. They do feel like they are an extension of the St. Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic Church.

N u r s i n g H o m e M a s s

social media team researched many church apps and this app had the best functions for us AND the price was right. It was a win-win. The App will allow us to have everything at our fingertips including Mass times, parish calendar, daily Mass readings, online giving, prayers, petitions, a link to father’s homilies, and a group function that will allow groups and ministries in our parish to communicate with each other quickly. Highlights from the social media ministry have included snapping over 90 fun

pictures over Mother’s Day weekend with a hospitality table and our Church trivia challenge on Facebook, winners received a $10 gift-card. We will most definitely turn our fun Mother’s Day pictures into an annual event as it was very well received! In June our ministry instituted a Volunteer of the Month (VOM) recognition award. Our volunteers are the backbone of our parish and we could not be successful without every single one of them.

We have had a lot going on this year in the social media department! Facebook has been up and running for just over a year and, with its success, we decided to launch Twitter, Instagram and YouTube this past spring. Our social media sites are our go-to spots for all of the day-to-day happenings of our parish. We are super excited to launch our parish app over the weekend of September 10th and 11th. Our app is through Diocesan Publishing and is at no cost to the parish as we use this company to print our bulletins. The

S o c i a l M e d i a


St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church 6301 Cedarcrest Road Acworth, GA 30101

What you hold may you always hold. What you do, may you always do and never abandon. But with swift pace, light step and unswerving feet,

So that even your steps stir up no dust, Go forward, the spirit of our God has called you.

~ St. Clare of Assisi

B l e s s i n g o f S t . C l a r e o f A s s i s i

F i n d u s o n S o c i a l M e d i a

St. Clare of Assisi Acworth

stclareacworth

@stclareacworth

St Clare Acworth

https://stclarecc.org


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