February 14, 2021 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) 1 February 14, 2021, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Father Gerry’s Message: February 10, 2021 My Dear Friends in Christ, I am very grateful to all parishioners for your continued support during the COVID-19 pandemic. With churches closed, community worship and activities were turned upside down. However, you continued to support our parish in many ways including on-going financial support, and we were able to keep our parish functioning. As members of the Francis de Sales family, we are called to be stewards in our parish community including prayer, worship, outreach, and financial support. Your future support of FdS is reflected in our Stewardship Campaign. Our Treasure or wealth, however large or small, is meant to be shared in order to serve the needs of our community. Financial gifts can help FdS to continue our growth as a faith community, and to continue our service in the broader community. As in all families and organizations, the Church of Francis de Sales cannot remain viable unless income exceeds expenses. Our current expense budget is approximately $193,000, which is the minimum amount needed to keep FdS functioning. Our current operating expenses include the following: • Personnel Costs • Utilities Expenses (church & rectory) • Rectory Expenses (food & housekeeping & housekeeping supplies all of which are shared with Visitation) • Worship Expenses (sanctuary supplies, worship aides, flowers, funerals, sacraments, Sunday & Daily Masses) • Repair & Maintenance Expenses (church & shared rectory) • General Church Expenses (housekeeping, office supplies, internet & phone, collection envelopes, postage, Christian formation, parish life social events, sacramental preparation, RCIA, pastoral care, security, grounds) • Payment on the Church Debt • Diocesan Assessments (Cathedraticum, Insurance Assessment, Catholic Virginian, Catholic Schools Tax) The Stewardship Campaign is extremely important in order to accurately plan for the future since the current difference between church income and expenses is extremely small. All contributions are significant regardless of size and method (loose change, checks, envelopes, e-giving, or automatic bank payments). Therefore, each family should prayerfully reflect on increasing current giving so FdS can continue to be a vibrant catholic community. The FdS 2021 Stewardship Campaign Pledge Document is the key to making your commitment for Time & Talent & Treasure. I am asking every parish family to submit a Pledge Document, which will signify that you are active members of FdS, and that you will provide your Time, Talent, and Treasure, as you are able. The Pledge Documents are available at Sunday Mass, at the church office, in the electronic bulletin, on the FdS website, and is attached to this correspondence. Pledge Documents are due back to the Church no later than the 21st of February and may be mailed, emailed, dropped off during office hours, or dropped in the Sunday offertory collection basket. These documents are strictly confidential. Thank you in advance for your continued prayer and financial support of FdS. May God continue to bless the Church of Francis de Sales and each of its members. Very Rev. Gerry Kaggwa Pastor, Church of Francis de Sales) 2 FdS 2021 Stewardship Campaign Pledge LIST OF PARISH MINISTRIES LITURGY CATECHESIS & EVANGELIZATION PARISH LIFE Liturgy & Worship [LW] RCIA [RCIA] Socials & Food Preparation [S&F] Eucharistic Minister [EM] Scripture Study [SS] Activity Planning [AP] Lector [L] Adult Faith Formation [AFF] Funeral Receptions [FR] Music & Choir [M&C] K-8 Religious Education [K8R] Receptions Clean Up [RCU] Sacristan [S] Sacramental Preparation [SP] Sunday Hospitality [SH] Usher [U] Youth Ministry [YM] New Members [NM] Environment/Flowers [EF] Small Group Scripture Study [SS] Parish Picnic [PP] Funeral Mass Planning [FM] Greeters [G] SICK & HOMEBOUND ADMINISTRATION Acolytes [A] Pastoral Care [PC] Administrator [AD] Building & Grounds [B&G] SOCIAL OUTREACH [J&P] PRAYER MINISTRIES Bulletin Preparation [BP] Social Ministry [SM] Prayer Chain [PC] Sunday Offertory Counter [SOC] Emergency Medical Relief Fund [MRF] Adoration [A] Finance Council [FC] St. Noa School [STN] Fundraising [F] Right to Life [RL] Parish Council [PC] Hands Across Mathews [HAM] Webmaster [WEB] Bereavement Counseling [BC] Columbarium [COL] Memorial Bricks [MB] TIME & TALENT FOR CHURCH OF FRANCIS de SALES Name & Phone Number: New Ministries (use code above): Existing Ministries (use code above): Name & Phone Number: New Ministries (use code above): Existing Ministries (use code above): CutLine=================================================================================Cut Line CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION NOT TO BE SHARED Dear Father Gerry: I will commit $ [Circle one: Weekly – Monthly – Annually] to the support of the Church of Francis de Sales. These funds will be given in regular offerings [Circle one: Weekly – Monthly – Annually]. I plan to use [check below all that apply]: Checks Cash Offertory E-Giving Auto Bank Envelopes Payments 3 Announcements: ALL PARISHIONERS OF FRANCIS DE SALES ARE INVITED TO COME TO MASS IN PERSON. INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES WILL BE SEATED TOGETHER, ALL OTHERS WILL BE SEATED SIX FEET APART. If you are planning to attend, please notify the church office by 12:00 noon on Friday via email or phone with how many people in your family will attend. SOCIAL DISTANCING AND FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES IN THE CHURCH BUILDING Please arrive 20 minutes before Mass begins to allow time for the COVID-19 no-contact temperature checks and answer the following questions: 1) Do you currently have a fever, i.e., temperature higher than 100.4 degrees F? 2) Do you have other symptoms of COVID-19, without an alternative diagnosis, i.e., chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea? 3) Have you had a positive diagnostic test for the virus that causes COVID-19 in the past 10 days? 4) Have you been exposed to a COVID-19 case in the prior 14 days: exposure being less than six feet away for greater than a cumulative 15 minutes over a 24-hour period without wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment as defined by the CDC? PLEASE NOTE: 1) Next Wednesday, February 17th, is ASH WEDNESDAY, and Mass will be held at CFDS at 6:30 p.m. 2) STATIONS OF THE CROSS (NO SOUP) will be held every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. during Lent beginning February 23rd and ending March 23rd. Volunteers are needed to lead the Stations. Please contact Helen Yacobucci (804) 815-7606 or Patty Sarosy (804) 832-3642 if you wish to volunteer. CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES (CRS) RICE BOWL: What is CRS Rice Bowl? Each Lent, Catholic Relief Services encourage catholic families across the country to unite and put their faith into action through prayer, fasting and alms giving. Through CRS Rice Bowl, families learn how our brothers and sisters across the globe overcome hardships like hunger and malnutrition, and how through Lenten alms, we have the power to make the world a better place for all. CRS Rice Bowl shares stories of hope from CRS’ work around the world. These stories are examples of your alms giving at work. Take a virtual tour of Madagascar, El Salvador and Timor-Leste by checking the web site below. What does your donation provide? Forty dollars can purchase an infant scale to measure an infant’s growth, $80.00 can help raise chickens for eggs for protein and income, and $120.00 contributes toward a household garden for family nutrition. Only a portion of your contribution is used abroad. Seventy percent of your donation supports the work of CSR. Twenty percent stays in the diocese for local hunger and poverty alleviation efforts. For more information, videos and recipes for meatless Lenten meals, log on to the web site at: crsricebowl.org Rice Bowls are in the Commons, please pick one up and begin your alms giving on Ash Wednesday, February 17th. They should be returned on Palm Sunday, March 28th. Yours in Christ, Helen Yacobucci Social Outreach Committee The CFDS 2020 Donation/Contribution Tax Letters are on a table in the Commons area. Also, the new 2021 Donation/Contribution Envelopes are also on a table in the Commons area. Please pick yours up at your earliest convenience. The link to watch the videos of each Sunday and Tuesday and Friday Daily Mass services at the Church of Francis de Sales is: https://www.facebook.com/Church-of-Francis-de-Sales-102720301404594/ We still have available copies of The Bicentennial books about the history of the diocese. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this book, the price is $40. To order one you can contact the office or Claudia Hale at (804) 854-5410 or her email is: [email protected] If you would like to have Father hear your confession, please call the office during normal hours and an individual appointment will be set. Please don’t forget to periodically send or bring in your normal weekly donation, as our Church still must operate during these trying times. 1) You can bring your Sunday Offering (i.e., envelopes, checks or cash) to the Parish Office (Monday & Tuesday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon). 2) You can send cash or checks to the Parish Office for each week. 3) If you pay bills online, please consider making your weekly/monthly Offertory an online payment or set up automatic bill pay. 4) You can use the Catholic Diocese of Richmond website to donate online and 100% of all proceeds will go towards your selected parish. Go to: https://offertory.richmonddicocese.org Then select our Parish: “Church of Francis de Sales, Mathews – 4011” Please know that our Church and office are open on Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 Noon and you are welcome to come for individual adoration.