Dear People of Saint Anne,
While reflecting on today’s gospel, it struck me that so much of the heart of Jesus is present in the Saint Anne Community. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” That is the foundation of our faith and our Faith Community. I see it every day in my work as Business and Operations Manager.
The hundreds of volunteers who make this parish vibrant have heard that call. I am blessed to work with many of them. In my role in Finance, there are so many people who ensure that our parish runs with best practices in mind. First, the ushers who take up the collection and secure it in our tamper-proof bags and lock it up until the next step in the process.
Then, our dedicated team of counters who come on a regular basis to open envelopes and make sure dollar amounts are recorded for posting to parishioner’s accounts so that your year-end statements are correct. We follow these procedures to ensure that the donations that you have shared with Saint Anne are protected and shared with the correct entity including Sharing and Special Collections such as Lenten Alms. So many other volunteers are seen by others when they work in the parish. This group is dear to my heart because they are so devoted and quietly give their time with no real acknowledgement. I would like to share their names with you so that you could personally thank them for their commitment. They areEarl Billman, Frank Comber, Elaine Conrad, Tim Dunn, Ed Gehring, Vince Giamalva, Carol Helmers, Don Kenney, Dick Kuhn, Evelyn Kurfess, Tom Walter and Jim Zelsdorf. You are all the very best.
Our Parish Finance Council, chaired by David Wirt, oversees all the income and expenses of the parish. We meet quarterly as needed so that I can present where we stand financially and the forecast of things to come. In the past two months, I have met with each member of the Core Staff to put together the budget for 2018-2019. Because of variables that can happen unexpectedly, such as a drop in enrollment at the school or a down swing in attendance and therefore, Sunday income, our staff has to be willing to adjust their budgeted expenses to compensate. I have been proud of their ability to work together to see the larger picture of the parish beyond their different ministries. Our Finance Council can be a great resource in these times of flux. In addition, we oversee the financials of extraordinary ministries such as Hope Ministries, Women’s Club, STAGG, Home & School, the Athletic Association and the collection of tuition for the parish school.
As co-animator of the Community Life Commission, I see the tremendous amount of time and talent needed to put on a successful event within the parish. Fundraising events are not only a time to socialize and build community but also a very important part of our yearly budget. These events take an intense amount of meeting and planning, but even Music Under the Stars takes a village. None of this could happen without the dedication of so many parish-ioners. A perfect example of this dedication will be seen at our parish picnic on Saturday, June 9th, when over 100 volunteers will work in shifts to put on a meaningful and fun-filled event for the entire parish.
I look at the volunteers who helped us raise over $7,000,000 for our Legacy of Faith campaign to enhance our facilities at Saint Anne. They made phone calls and home visits, which are not easy for even the most outgoing person. Because these men and women put themselves out there for the good of our parish … your response was overwhelming.
As part of my job as Operations Manager, I help to oversee these projects, as I, with the help of our maintenance and front office staff, oversee the ordinary day to day operations, vendors, scheduling and set up of the parish events and meetings. It is an overwhelming job to keep up with all the many ministries and their need for space within the parish. If not for these five employees, we would not be able to achieve the task.
Human Resources also falls under the umbrella of the Business Manager. We have just under 100 full and part-time employees in the parish and school, including the aides and substitute teachers. Our payroll is bi-weekly throughout the year, with some employees being paid until the end of the school year and others through the summer months. In addition, with the help of the Archdiocese, we coordinate benefits for all full-time employees, including Health, Dental, 403B and other elective benefits. A new software program was installed a few years ago to give employees a better sense of what is offered and what needs to be done at open enrollment every June to ensure they are taking full advantage of what the Archdiocese and Saint Anne has to offer. It is in this part of my ministry that I feel fulfilled while helping employees and their families adjust to changes in their living and benefit needs. I deal with the Archdiocese for Workers Compensation and all insurance claims for the parish as well.
I feel extremely blessed to have ministered at Saint Anne for the past nine years. Our pastor, Father Bernie, has done much to enhance my faith life over the years, and to work among such a wonderful and dedicated staff and faith-filled and enthusiastic volunteers renews me every day.