| Christian Family Movement or CFM The Christian Family Movement organization has been strengthening families nationally for the past 50 years. We use CFM program books or other related Catholic materials to guide our discussions about topics relating to our families and community. We are encouraged to act to become better Christians. CFM provides a close Christian community in which individuals, marriages, and families are supported and grow. St. Theodore has had an active CFM group since 1994. We meet in each other’s homes, on float trips and Christmas caroling. All activities include the whole family, meaning children are always welcome! This group is open to all parishioners and is an easy, no pressure way for new and existing families to get to know others in the parish. Meetings: 3rd Friday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in each other’s homes. Dinner Auction Committee This committee plans the February Dinner Auction which is a major fund raiser for the buses and the parish. The monies collected provide significant financial relief to cover the escalating expenses incurred from the operation of school bus services at St. Theodore and to help cover costs associated with the expansion of our facilities which support our growing parish community. A minimum of 6 couples leads the committee serving a 3-year or longer term. All parishioners are encouraged to support the Dinner Auction by their contributions or donations and by calling on vendors and businesses in the area to donate items for the support of the auction. Meetings: First meeting in the fall, then as needed before the Auction. Dates and times are announced in the church bulletin Facilities Committee This group is responsible for the coordination of routine maintenance and repairs for the parish. The committee reports to the Parish Council. A list of skilled tradesmen is kept in the parish office for the Facilities Committee to contact when the parish is in need of routine maintenance or repairs. All skilled tradesmen within the parish are encouraged to join the growing list of volunteers. Meetings: As needed. Finance Committee This committee prepares the operating budgets for both the parish and the school, and monitors them for any variances. They submit the budgets to the Archdiocese. They serve as advisors to the Parish Council, School Board and parishioners on expenditures and income as well as making recommendations to increase income and/or lower expenses. They review and approve/disapprove requests from the parish and school on purchases/expenditures. They participate in parish activities, task forces, and events to increase income for the parish. They review and respond to the Archdiocese’s requests on financial issues. They apply for grants when applicable to St. Theodore Parish. Volunteers serve a 3-year term. Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Teacher’s Workroom at school. No meeting held in July. Home & School Association and Room Parents Association These associations plan and coordinate a variety of activities for the students, teachers, and parents of St. Theodore School. They plan the August and January PTO meetings. In addition, their primary responsibilities include: fund raising; enlisting and coordinating all school volunteers for parties, playground duty, teacher helpers, etc; setting up and hosting all school special events i.e. Grandparents Day, First Communion, Confirmation, Veterans Day, etc; coordinating school contests such as Box Tops for Education, soda can tabs, etc. Volunteers are St. Theodore School Parents. Grandparents and extended family members are welcome to assist Room Parents/PTO. 2 to 4 parents volunteer to serve a 1-year or, if they wish, longer term. Meetings: No regularly scheduled meetings. Volunteer parents meet on an as-needed basis. Knights of Columbus The Flint Hill Knights of Columbus Council 9023 is an organization of Catholic men devoted to fostering charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. As an international organization the Knights of Columbus has provided the financial resources to renovate St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Locally, the Knights of Columbus help to maintain St. Theodore’s Cemetery and church grounds. The Flint Hill Knights sponsor annual events throughout the year that support Archdiocesan Pro-Life efforts. Membership in the Knights of Columbus is open to all practicing catholic men who are eighteen years and over. Participation in the Knights of Columbus allows each member the flexibility to participate as much or as little as they wish. This organization provides camaraderie for the Knights and their families while working for the good of the Universal Catholic Church. Meetings: 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are held in the Knights of Columbus Hall on Grothe Road. The St. Monica’s Ladies Sodality The St. Monica’s Ladies Sodality has been a part of the St. Theodore Parish tradition for many years. The Sodality is made up of all of the ladies of the parish. Members’ names are inscribed on the Sodality register at the time of enrollment in the parish. The Sodality gives the women of the parish an opportunity to participate in their faith community. Some of our activities include the Parish Picnic, the Fall Festival, the organization of funeral luncheons, Quilts of Valor as well as making many charitable donations. The Sodality renews their commitment to the parish annually during the Mothers’ Day Mass Celebration. Meetings are held 5 times per year on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Father Schmidt Room (January, March, May, October, December). All ladies are encouraged to attend. Liturgy Committee This committee works with our parish priest in all aspects of worship. Meetings: Usually one Monday evening each month, check bulletin for date and time. Marriage Preparation Program Marriage preparation in the Catholic Church begins with an engaged couple making an appointment with the priest or deacon six months prior to their wedding date. All engaged couples are required to participate in the marriage preparation program. The Archdiocese of St. Louis offers a beautiful program called “Today and All the Days of Your Life” which is an eight segment video series that can be completed in a weekend program or in four evening sessions. St. Theodore has two facilitator couples in the parish that are certified to teach this program. The program can be taught in a group with other engaged couples or with just one couple in the facilitator’s home. Men’s Sodality Officers volunteer each year in April or May to make up the picnic committee that hosts both the annual Parish Picnic and the Fall Festival. After the president serves his first year term on the picnic committee, he moves up the following year to Chairperson for the Picnic and Fall Festival. All other officers (Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer) serve one year on the picnic committee. Meetings: There are no meetings held at this time Music Ministry Those who sing, pray twice. Please join us if you would like to make a joyful prayer to the Lord in song! The following make up the Music Ministry at St. Theodore. Adult Choir The adult choir sings at Sunday Mass periodically and at Christmas, Easter and other major feasts. Open to everyone who can carry a tune and who enjoys singing with a friendly group of people. Practices are short, casual and lots of fun! Teen Choir A fun group for St. Theodore teens to join! The choir consists of the young people of our parish participating in Worship and Praise Music. We are dedicated to active involvement with the congregation at Mass. We strive for a wonderful, loving, excitement of praise to our Lord during our music liturgy! We sing once a month and for special requests. The choir is open to young men and young ladies in grades 8 through 12. Practices are important and attendance is expected. Teen schedules are extremely busy, but we try hard to work around this. Cantor The Cantor works with the organist to lead the music celebration at Holy Mass and other special events. He or she does not need to be a choir member. Open to any qualified parishioner. Musicians All qualified musicians (adult or youth) within our parish are welcome to lead our music celebration at Holy Mass and other special events. Parish Council Member The Parish Council is the coordinating and unifying body of the parish. It consists of 9 members who are chosen for a 3-year term. Major decisions affecting the parish are brought to the Parish Council. The Council is responsible for the long range planning of the following sub-committees: Liturgy, Christian Education/Formation, Christian Service, and Finance/Administration. Council members serve as an officer and/or head a sub-committee. Meetings: 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the Teacher’s Workroom at school. No meeting held in July. Parish Picnic and Fall Festival These are the major fund raisers of the parish. All of the profits go to create financial security for the parish. Beginning in grade 3, all parishioners are expected to work their assigned shift to make our picnic and fall festival a success. All families are also asked to participate in the following ways: Picnic Fall Festival 3rd Sunday in July 3rd Sunday in September 1. $20.00 meat donation 1. $20.00 meat donation 2. Bake 2 cakes 2. Bake 2 pies 3. Work your shift 3. Work your shift If you cannot work your shift, you must trade or find a replacement and inform the picnic committee. 4. Donate baked goods, home canned food items and fresh produce to the Country Store. 5. Donate items to the Craft Stand, Grab Bag, and Toy Stand. 6. Donate towel sets and quilts for the Fancy Stand. 7. Help clean up picnic grounds Saturday before picnic/festival at 8:00 a.m. and Monday after picnic/festival at 8:00 a.m. Quilt Committee The Quilt Committee furnishes beautiful, handmade quilts for the Parish Picnic, Fall Festival, and “Quilt of the Month” raffle. Four women volunteer each year to lead the committee and put the quilts in frames for all the ladies in the parish to quilt on. All of the women of the parish are asked to participate in donating a quilt. This is done in various ways. 1) Embroider quilt blocks. 2) Pick up completed quilt blocks from the quilt committee and have them set into a pattern by another lady of the parish. (You pick out the color scheme of the quilt.) Make a cash donation, which helps the committee buy the necessary supplies throughout the year. 4) Do the whole process at home with the help of friends and neighbors. 5) Volunteer to bring a dessert on any Tuesday or Wednesday. 6) Come and help quilt. If you do not know how to quilt, these friendly ladies will be more than happy to teach you! Meetings: Tuesday evenings: 6:30 p.m. to around 10:00 p.m. and Wednesdays: 9:00 a.m. (after church) to 3:00 p.m. Begins at October Ladies Sodality meeting and continues each week through April in the Fr. Schmidt Room. RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Are you interested in the Catholic Faith? Do you want to know what we believe? RCIA is a wonderful program that will take you through the journey to become Catholic. Meetings are usually once a week. They start in September and go through to the Holy Saturday Vigil of Easter, where candidates will complete their journey into the faith. Meetings are determined by the facilitator, but are usually on Sunday mornings. Respect Life Committee Open to all parishioners who are committed to helping build respect for all Life. The committee coordinates, through the Archdiocese, educational and public advocacy efforts to restore respect for human life with a special focus on abortion, infanticide and euthanasia. Parish coordinator attends several meetings per year and acts as a liaison between Archdiocese Respect Life Apostolate and parish. The coordinator informs the parish about upcoming Pro-Life events, news, legislation, etc. Pro-Life projects include organizing “Giving Trees” for Birthright at Christmas, collecting sponsors for annual Pro-Life Convention book, sponsoring Pro- Life Poster contest for school children, coordinating Life Chain sign-ups in October, etc. Pro-Life Phone Tree volunteers call or write legislators about bills coming up in the House or Senate. Meetings: As requested by the coordinator. Prayer Tree The Power of Intercessory Prayer – many people praying for someone who is sick, or has a special intention, etc. These people call each other with prayer requests. All parishioners are welcome to join the St. Theodore Prayer Tree. Society of St Vincent De Paul The SVDP is a worldwide lay organization of Catholic men and women numbering 880,000 of whom some 60,000 are in the United States. The Society supports and operates rehabilitation workshops for the handicapped, free dining services and children's camps, and organizes its own overseas aid. The aim of the SVDP is to bring social justice and the friendship of true charity to all those in need |