Christ has Risen, as He said He would, Alleluia!!!
Happy & Blessed Easter to everyone. I pray you have a holy and joyous Easter Season.
Thank you Karen!!!
This weekend, we celebrate and thank Karen Schoenfelder for her 11 years of faithful service to the Holy Family parish and community. Please stop in and share your appreciation for her ministry these last many years. While much of her assistance is ‘behind the scenes’ few things have happened in the parish these last 11 years without her.
Karen joined the Holy Family parish ministry team in July of 2012 under Fr Dan Atkins. And she has been ‘running things’ pretty much ever since! For those who know her, you know that’s true! You also know how capable, considerate, and caring she is. Karen has a true servant’s heart. For those who somehow don’t know her, please know you’ve benefited from her tireless energy, attention to detail, and love for the parishioners and parish of Holy Family.
The list of duties that she has handled over the years is extensive and nearly all inclusive. From the basics of greeting people at the door and answering the phone to providing emergency pastoral care to a distraught parishioner walking in the front door, she has done it all. She kept the office supplied and office members on task. She helped oversee the safety of our children by ensuring volunteers completed the Archdiocesan Safe Environment trainings prior to volunteering. She is the person you talk to when you needed to register in the parish or needed a copy of your Baptismal records. She has managed the parishioner database, Sacramental records, and helped schedule Mass intentions. She has stepped into assist with processing our monthly Faith Direct e-giving as well as managing donor envelopes. She was the point person for the Archdiocese for various reports and databases they require for the United Catholic Appeal, Criterion, Second Collections, and Rice Bowls. She was the first to greet our newest members through the New Parishioner Packets as well as keeping longstanding members connected through monthly mailings to the homebound. If a parish wide event has taken place in the last 11 years, you can be assured that Karen was somehow involved with the event planning. She also keeps – or tries to keep – all the various parish organizations and groups with a place to meet by handling the calendars and facility reservations. Over the years, she’s taken on at least 2 Parish-wide Pictorial Directories, plus numerous other phone & address only directories. She has organized three parish censuses and the army of volunteers to process & update the data. She has also been the ‘Keeper of the Keys’. Don’t dare borrow a key and not return it, or you will hear from her!
Even Mass would not happen without Karen, who has ordered hosts & wine, palm branches & candles. And this doesn’t even account for her non-staff parish volunteering as a Lector and Extraordinary Ministry of Holy Communion which she has assisted with for years. Nor her assistance with many things St Vincent de Paul.
The biggest bullet point on her job description was the most innocent looking one: “Assist Father as needed”. As you can imagine, that is a much taller task than one can think. She has been ‘office mom’ to many staff members (and at least 1 pastor!). Upon my arrival, she greatly assisted me get the lay of the land, know who’s who, and how things work here at Holy Family. And over my time here, she has become a trusted friend and encouraging support. Karen earnestly and wholeheartedly wants to make Holy Family Parish a thriving Christ centered community. She will be missed dearly.
This is not quite retirement for Karen, but at the end of May, she will be stepping back from her day work with the parish to pursue some long time dreams and personal enrichment with her husband Dan. We wish her well.
Nothing Less than saints for the Holy Family of God.
Holy Family, Living New Life in Christ, Pray for us.
~ Fr Jeremy M. Gries