Our excitement is growing and we hope yours is too! The Chapter Planning Committee (CPC) met to continue our work on July 17-18 at St. Elizabeth Motherhouse in the summer beauty of Allegany. Joining us, for their first visit to Allegany, were Connie Gilder SSJ, our Chapter Facilitator and Mary Ann Mulzet SSJ, our Chapter Liturgist. Meeting in Allegany gave Connie and Mary Ann the opportunity to meet the sisters at the Motherhouse and to see our meeting room, where the Chapter will take place, and our beautiful chapel. They truly enjoyed their time with us!
We began each morning with prayer and shared reflection based on our Chapter theme: "Behold, I am Doing Something New...Listen!" (Isaiah 43:19). Much of our meeting was spent planning the components for our upcoming Assemblies, which will be a day and a half primarily devoted to the Chapter Processes.
Please bring your completed
Consultation 2 - Response Form(CPC-3b) to your Assembly. With this form you were asked to meet in your local community, cluster and/or SOG to share your reflection on the
Common Threads(CPC-3a) that were surfaced at the Assemblies in March, April and May of 2019. This Consultation 2 process will be the basis for our conversation during the upcoming Assemblies.
TABLE FACILITATORS
As we continue the Communal Discernment process we will have Table Facilitators for the Assemblies and at Chapter. Sisters and Associates were contacted and invited to participate in training sessions. The first training session, in English, was held on July 18 with sisters and associates gathered in the Motherhouse meeting room while other sisters and associates participated via Zoom teleconferencing. Another session, in Portuguese for our sisters in Brazil, will be held via Zoom on August 30th. A final training session will take place in Allegany on the morning of July 25, 2020 before the Chapter begins. We are grateful to all who have agreed to take part in the training and to serve as table facilitators.
CHAPTER LOGO
We received some drafts for the Chapter logo from
Camille Robinson, a graphic artist in Kingston, Jamaica. Reviewing the drafts, the committee proposed some changes which were sent to Camille for refinement. We feel we are coming close to having our Chapter logo and will share it with you when we have the final design.
MODES OF PARTICIPATION AT CHAPTER
At this time of preparation, we ask you to consider how you wish to participate at the Chapter. Once again, Sisters will have the choice of being Fully Engaged, Consulting or Supporting participants. Associates and Partners in Ministry may choose to be Consulting or Supporting participants.
We invite you to read and reflect on the
Personal Reflection Guide(CPC-5a) before making your choice. Linked here are the following forms to be returned by September 1, 2019:
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHAPTER
As in past Chapters, the CPC invites you to share your gifts and talents. The document
Committees - Chapter 2020(CPC- 5d)
gives an explanation of the work of each committee. We ask that you prayerfully reflect on the committee needs and where your gifts might best be used. Please use the
Volunteer Sign-up form(CPC-5e) to indicate your choice and return it to Kristen Luther by September 1st. Thank you in advance for signing up!
Reminder:
In past CPC newsletters we included a number of items (linked below).
In addition, we offer an article for your reading, reflection, sharing in your local community, cluster, SOG or small group. The article by Julia Walsh, FSPA,
Looking Forward into the Mystery appeared in the
Global Sisters Report.
We are grateful to the Motherhouse Sisters and staff for their gracious hospitality.
