** Updates 2020
CCRMD
UPDATE ON [CCRMD] CORE TEAM ACTIVITIES
The gathering of our last joint meeting of prayer group leaders was held at the Catholic Center on February 29, 2020. Since the middle of April members of the Core Team have been meeting via Zoom, just about every other Saturday morning: April 18, May 2, May 9, May 23, June 6, June 20.
From April 13 to April 16, Deacon Werner Rose and Associate Liaison Sharon Reiter attended a virtual conference of the annual ADL (Association of Diocesan Liaisons) meeting. They had been scheduled to travel to Kansas City, Kansas, for this annual convocation, but due to the stay-at-home orders, the meeting was conducted successfully through Zoom media. The scheduled presenter was Jim Beckman who presented a report analyzing the youth of today and how we can consider bringing them into the Renewal. A summary of that report will be sent to each prayer group to study.
Beginning April 18, and almost every two weeks thereafter, the Core Team has been meeting virtually. Nick Bickle of the St. Louis Prayer Group has come on board to take over Bill Vautrot’s position as secretary/treasurer. But Bill has participated in these meetings, as a bridge during this transition period. The transfer of signatories from Bill Vautrot to Nick Bickle for the CCRMD treasury has been accomplished. The treasury has maintained its balance of $4,274.61 all during this time as no transactions have taken place.
Back in March, Deacon Werner Rose began work on creating a Strategic Plan for the CCRMD. The purpose of a strategic plan is to keep us on task with our goals as an organization. After several drafts, much thought to make the plan succinct, as well as reviews of the plan at a couple Saturday meetings, a final draft was presented at the May 23 meeting. A copy of the plan is slated to be on the website for your review. Prayer Group Leaders will be especially interested in Section II – Prayer Groups, which lists goals for prayer groups to consider.
Another on-going item of business has been the work of our crmemphis.com website. Being unable to find anyone with an interest in this endeavor, Deacon Werner Rose has taken it upon himself, the training necessary to rebuild and maintain the site. He believes this communication tool is essential in these times in order to communicate our existence in the Diocese of Memphis as well as to be a point of education about the Renewal. So with the assistance of Bryan Watson, ……., who is his tutor, Deacon Werner spends several hours each week, learning the Word Press software. One exciting feature he has discovered is a translation tab which allows the English to be translated to Spanish.
Request for Funds Form: In order to offer to prayer groups financial support from the CCRMD treasury, much time has been spent at our meetings and much outside effort on the part of Nick Bickle has been devoted to creating a form which a prayer group can use to request funds for activities promoting the Renewal. It is still a work in progress, but once it has been approved by the Core Team, the form will be sent to Prayer Group Leaders.
Deacon Werner Rose with some assistance from Sharon Reiter, has begun working on new By-laws. In view of our restructuring, clarification of how we promote the Renewal needs to be established. Deacon also wants the By-laws to define the organizational structure of the CCRMD for any and all concerned. This too is an on-going project at the biweekly Core Team meetings.
Early on, Delia reported on a couple of joint meetings held by the leaders of the Hispanic Prayer Groups. They have since organized themselves, giving each person a particular responsibility. IT was mentioned that they were excited about a National Hispanic Conference slated in Florida in April, and they were preparing for a joint Hispanic Festival of Praise to be held in August at the Church of the Resurrection.
The joint group asked Delia to relay to the Core Team their wish to find a reasonably priced location to continue their Life in the Spirit Retreats. And then, week by week, the Covid issues negated each plan. In the meantime, Deacon Werner Rose contacted Deacon Ernie Albonetti who is in charge of Our Lady of Peace Retreat Center regarding costs for using the Center as a possible LIS venue. A meeting to discuss the minimum pricing is pending.
