MISSION STATEMENT of ST. BARTHOLOMEW
PEACE AND JUSTICE MINISTRY
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The Peace and Justice Ministry recognizes the Church as the Body of Christ.
- The goal of Peace and Justice Ministry is to provide leadership to St. Bartholomew parishioners to help them witness the Good News of Jesus Christ.
- Through education, prayer, reflection and direct communication, it helps parishioners to be effective in communities at local, national, and international levels, thereby enabling them to achieve meaningful and effective social action.
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August 2018 Events and Opportunities
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MEETING SCHEDULE AND PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
- Peace and Justice Meetings are the third Wednesday of each month, and as always all are welcome to attend.
- Peace and Justice Newsletter will publish monthly, reflecting ministry news and reports from the meetings and presentations.
August Fair Trade sales August 18 and 19
- coffee, tea, chocolate
- after all four Masses
- benefits after-school tutoring at St. Anne Parish, teacher salaries and snacks.
- September next sale
September 19
Peace & Justice general and team meetings, 7 PM church lower level Room 2
- Meetings are scheduled for Third Wednesday of the month
- Teams: Programming, Communications, Finance and Grants
- All are welcome to attend and become involved!
August 25 Voter Registration
August 25 Parish Social Ministry Gathering in Beech Grove: see below
Sundays Weekly Hot Meal Site 4 - 6 pm, Meal Site Teams
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Care of Creation
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by Jan Banister
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We, as Catholic Christians, are guided by Catholic Social Justice Teachings. There are seven key themes that are at the heart of our Catholic social tradition, and this month we highlight the Care of Creation that we are share responsibility for, as well as an innovative outdoor learning lab project at Saint Bartholomew School.
From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, we find this introduction to the importance of Care of Creation. “We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.”
And best seen in the words of Pope Francis in
On Care for Our Common Home, “
The notion of the common good also extends to future generations. The global economic crises have made painfully obvious the detrimental effects of disregarding our common destiny, which cannot exclude those who come after us. We can no longer speak of sustainable development apart from inter-generational solidarity. Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently; we realize that the world is a gift which we have freely received and must share with others. Since the world has been given to us, we can no longer view reality in a purely utilitarian way, in which efficiency and productivity are entirely geared to our individual benefit. Inter-generational solidarity is not optional, but rather a basic question of justice, since the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us."
We must strive to find ways to preserve our living planet for current and for future generations. The young people at Saint Bartholomew School are living this responsibility in their daily studies.
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Ministry Spotlight on St. Bartholomew School Sustainability Successes
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Greenhouse at St. Bartholomew School by Jan Banister
The Outdoor Learning Lab at Saint Bartholomew School has been completed and maintained with the aid of a Raskob Foundation Grant. Its purpose is to provide enriching educational experiences by offering new ways to connect to nature.
The Raskob Foundation is an independent, private family foundation. Founded in 1945, the Foundation is proud of its legacy of grant making and philanthropic activity in service to the Catholic Church and institutions and organizations identified with it. Currently, five generations of family members continue the vision established by its founders, John and Helena Raskob.
The Outdoor Learning Lab was created to facilitate cross-functional and hands-on learning. Teachers at the school have developed multi-disciplinary lessons including math, reading, art, and computer science technology. Students have found new ways to connect with nature due to collaborative efforts among teachers, administrators, parents, parish leaders and members, and community volunteers.
Master Gardeners, Sierra Club, commercial nurseries, Purdue University Agricultural Extension and the Columbus Food Co-op have all volunteered to assist.
Projects include the creation, maintenance and analysis of many of the following:
- Plant life cycle projects
- Creating and managing worm habitats
- The Monarch Butterfly’s life cycle
- Weather stations
- Pollinator plants projects
- Cricket habitats
- Seed analysis and seed libraries
- Native wildflowers
- Biodiversity
- Archaeological dig site
- Genetics
A Junior Master Gardener Program is being planned for this school year, which will engage children in learning experiences that promote a love of gardening, develop an appreciation for the environment, and cultivate the mind.
A planned Mary Garden was inspired by a donation to purchase a statue of the Virgin Mary for the garden. The pollinator Plant Pathway will lead to the Mary Garden, and second grade students will plant the perennials with their fifth-grade book buddies. A planned peaceful seating area for prayer and meditation is planned for the future.
For further information, please contact Saint Bartholomew School
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A Greenhouse With A Purpose
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- Enrich educational experiences by offering new ways to connect to nature
- Expose students to hands-on learning activities
- Foster learning across all disciplines
- Incorporate projects utilizing math, reading, art, and computer science technology
- Demonstrate collaboration with teachers, students, administrators, parents, parish leaders, community volunteers
- Create a peaceful area in The Mary Garden for prayer and meditation
- Illustrate Care of Creation
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We Are The Peace & Justice Ministry
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- Chairman David Harpenau
- Programming Team: Steve Audretch and David Harpenau
- Grants & Finance Team: David Harpenau
- Communications Team: Jan Banister
- Blood Drive: Greg Scherschel, coordinator
- Next drive Fall 2018
- Voter Registration: Steve Audretch coordinator
- Next drive Fall 2018
- Ecumenical Assembly: Rebecca Reeck
- Pro-Life: Kelley Snoddy
- Giving Tree: Theresa Westerfeld, coordinator
- Meal Site: Susan Chandler,
- Sundays 4-6 PM
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- Friends of Haiti: Judy Harpenau, liaison
- Bread for the World Offering of Letters: Rachel Rice coordinator
- Next campaign April/May 2019.
- Bread for the World, Fr. Marty Peter, Convener
- Second Tuesdays 7 PM at First Presbyterian Church
- Abolition Coalition: Donna Keogh, liaison
- St. Vincent de Paul: David and Hilary Baker, liaisons
- Women's Jail Ministry: Sevy Badgley, liasion
- Family Self Sufficiency: Jan Banister coordinator, December 8, 2018
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Peace & Justice Ministry Reports
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Friends of Haiti Ministry Report
for August 2018
The Polidor 5K walk, which supports adult literacy is scheduled for November 10th.
Twenty-four new clients are being identified in Pister to receive SOIL in-home sanitation services.
The next Haiti trip is planned for September to include meetings with staff of adult literacy (Alfa) and Nutrition Centers. The teachers' mission trip has been rescheduled for the fall of 2019.
St. Bartholomew youth who traveled to Haiti spoke at each of the Masses during Haiti Sunday weekend.
Submitted:
Judy Harpenau
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Voter Registration 2018
Your Vote is your Voice
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As Americans, voting is our civic duty. The Catholic Catechism (#2240) says that citizens have 3 primary responsibilities: to pay taxes, defend our country, and
vote
.
Mid-term elections are taking place on the 6
th
of November. The deadline to register to vote is October 9
th
. To vote in Indiana in the mid-term elections, one must be 18 years of age by the 6
th
of November, a US Citizen, and a resident of Indiana.
Peace and Justice Ministry will sponsor Voter Registration following all Masses the weekend of August 25-26. This weekend was chosen to give high school graduates as well as those heading off to college the opportunity to register. A table will be set up in the narthex with members of Peace and Justice Ministry available to assist.
Re-registering is required if you have changed your surname or have recently moved to a new address.
Registering or re-registering is very simple, and it requires only a few minutes to complete an application. Applications in English and Spanish will be available.
Stop by the registration table before or after Mass for information!
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News From Saint Bartholomew Hot Meal Site
There is a hot meal provided in our community through Ecumenical Assembly each evening. On Sunday evenings the meal site is Saint Bartholomew School cafeteria.
The number of meals served the last two weeks in July has increased, serving 54 meals one week and 62 the next week.
The meal site coordinator for our parish,
Susan Chandler, is hopeful that more teams and individuals will consider assisting with meals this fall. Info here:
Sun 5pm-6pm
- SAINT BARTHOLOMEW CATHOLIC CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
- FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
Tues 5pm-6pm
Wed 5pm-6pm
Thurs 4:30pm-5pm
Fri 5pm-6pm
- FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
4th Fri 6pm-7pm
Sat 4pm-5pm (excluding the 3rd Sat)
2nd Sat 11:30am-12:30pm
- OGILVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
3rd Sat 4pm-5pm
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Ecumenical Assembly Update
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The Ecumenical Assembly of Bartholomew County Churches, otherwise known as Love Chapel, is an outreach program serving Bartholomew County.
For I was Hungry, and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.
Matthew 25:35
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50 Year Celebration:
The Ecumenical Assembly will be celebrating their
50
th
Anniversary.
The celebration will take place on Saturday, September 8 from 11-1:00 at The Commons. The committee is still requesting historic artifacts to share at the event. Any volunteers or church members that have artifacts please share.
with information and stories from people who have volunteered or received help over the 50 years that Love Chapel has been at work in this community.
New Staff for Pantry Warehouse:
Donna Barajas is the new Food Pantry Manager, and Janice has moved into Operations Manager position.
Onboarding for Volunteers
New Volunteer onboarding
takes place each month on every 2
nd
& 4
th
Monday 12:30 p.m. and 1
st
Thursday
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Volunteers:
Special Thank You to all the volunteers, and for the church representatives recruiting and encouraging volunteers. The Volunteers help mitigate expenses
for payroll and allow funds to go toward additional services.
- About 155 people attended the 2018 volunteer dinner this year
- Pantry 953 pantry visits, 118 additional for bread and produce
St. Bartholomew has approximately. 30 Volunteers
on a regular basis. The EA: Love Chapel & Brighter Days are both in need of more regularly scheduled volunteers.
Additional Needs or Changes:
Despite attempts to collaborate with other agencies with trucks, beginning July 8 we may have to rent a truck to begin picking up donated from Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club.
Please keep our Ecumenical Assembly Ministry in your prayers for their needs to be met to continue supporting the ongoing needs within our community.
– God Bless, Rebecca Reeck
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