What Is Sister Community, What Have we Accomplished, Who are We?

Sister Community Mission is a relationship between Catholic communities as equals:

1) Jardines de Colon in El Salvador, Central America

2) St James of the Valley (now Winton Wyoming Parish Region)

3) St. Martin De Porres (now San Carlos)

Purpose

· Support each other spiritually and to learn from each other’s different spiritual an cultural practices.

· Broaden our perspective of the world, the universal Church and the Body of Christ by developing a personal connection to those outside of our community.

· Carry out Archdiocese’s In One Body Program to end racism.

Project was approved: at St James in November 1995 by 85% of voting parishioners and by St. Martins parish council in June 1996 (now San Carlos).

Significant Events and Accomplishments:

· Numerous joint projects for El Salvador have been conducted by the committee:

o Scholarship program started in 1999 when Jardines lost a leader through violence. We began sponsoring education for his two young daughters. Since then we have sponsored 600+ scholarships (K – College). Our Jardines graduates are active citizens strengthening their community, and working for the betterment of all.

o A Community Library was created. We help fund operational support and internet connectivity.

o We have helped the community raise funds for a Pastoral Center dedicated to Archbishop Oscar Romero. It serves as a witness to the catholic faith by providing hope and love for a community that suffers from violence, gangs and poverty. The Pastoral Center hosts catechism classes, community youth group meetings, weekly prayer meetings, dinners for the elderly and women’s groups. Parents and students attend regular liturgy services, participate in evangelization and Corporal Works of Mercy.

o Significant financial aid was provided for hurricane (1998) and earthquake relief (2001).

o An emergency medical loan fund was established in 2002 to help those in Jardines avoid losing their homes to loan sharks.

o A parishioner became a lay missioner to El Salvador for a year.

o Our committee visits Jardines annually to visit with students and their parents.

o Our students: developed tutoring teams to ensure success of all, select youth leaders to for youth group activities such as prayer groups, community clean up days, faith formation (1st communion), Christmas play and choir, youth celebratory outings, none of our students have ever joined a gang while >50% of youth drop out of school for gangs, students are giving back to the community and raising standard of living for all

· Our committee meets monthly to reflect on the Bible and administer the mission and grow in mutual understanding. With the changes occurring in parish leadership and structure, the committee has most recently concentrated on funding Jardines Scholarships.

· Additional spiritual and cultural focus include:

o Sponsorship of Sister Community booth at the Cincinnati Hispanic Festival

o Historical attendance at different Sister Community events such as Men’s Conference, African American Revival, talks, parish dances, festivals and other events and workshops on related topics. Pastor and choir exchange beginning in 2002. Joint music events held in 1999 and 2004, the latter t commemorate MLK, Jr holiday. Joint racial healing service held in 2001 at St. Martin de Porres. Joint visit to National Underground Freedom Center in 2004. Hosting of production on Mark Twain’s views on racism in 2009.

Donor Base

The changes within our parish have resulted in a shrinking donor base. It is at 50% of what it once was. However, our parish region survey conducted in June identified many more parishioners who were interested in learning more and getting involved. This new group of interested parishioners could more than make up for our shrunken donor base. However, we have to reach out, educate and engage.

Educate/Communicate/Celebrate our Legacy

We are taking action to educate, communicate and celebrate our mission’s legacy. We have a great opportunity to grow our mission, broaden our topics and look at strategic financial moves in the future such as creating an endowment and improve our fundraising.

Fundraising Dinner – Multiply your impact by sponsoring/co-sponsoring a table…but at a minimum please attend, engage and support us!

Our fundraising dinner is an attempt to shift our fundraising from a year-long ‘pledge chase’ to a big event that offers the ability to ‘multipy’ your pledge. If you take a portion or all of your normal pledge and sponsor a dinner table – you are potentially multiplying your pledge by up to 4x through your potential donor table guests. Since the cost of the educational/ fundraising event will be supported through a grant….we are still able to turn all sponsorships/donations directly into mission support.

And, if table sponsorship or co-sponsorship is more than someone is comfortable gifting, please attend and engage with the event through an individual/couple reservation!

It will be a festive night with great food and a wonderful speaker. Brother Duran will share his experiences travelling with Father Romero as his photographer documenting the last two years of Father Romero’s life.

It will be a very nice, tablecloth, reservations only event with entrée choices of prime rib and salmon, a beer/wine donation bar, and San Carlos will provide cultural menu items and music.

Attending the dinner is a great way to have fun and fellowship while supporting our mission!

And a great way to HONOR the LEGACY of Sister Community Members that have come before us:

Original organizing members (before St. Martins joined)

Karen Amend

Nancy Bates

Debbie Call

Dave Dietz

John Dietz

Brad Dixon

Anne Harmon

Marilyn Huffman

Jeanne Mueller Rekers

Martha Radike

Mary Reilly

Lou Rekers

Bill Vanlokeren

Ren Austing

 

Others joined many of the above and became long serving committee members:

Scott & Suzie Bartz*

Ron & Jan Fettig

Monica Gerstle

Rita Johantges

Jessica Johnson*

Ellen Kellogg*

Ron Kratz (for a short time)

Art Lindsay

Helen McIlduff (for a short time)

Monnie Miller (SMDP)

Eduardo Montes (San Carlos)

Peggy Mullane

Pam Owens (SMDP)

Melvin Satterwhite SMDP

Peter Schmid (for a short time)

Dave & Judy Skiff

Mary Stewart (SMDP)

Peter Theobald

Charlene Williams

* More recent members and SMDP = St. Martin De Porres parishioners

Fundraising & Appreciation Banquet
Supporting El Salvadoran Community
Jardines de Colon Scholarship and Leadership Mission
 
Friday, October 20
6:00 pm Social & Music
6:30 pm Dinner and Program
Franciscan Brother Octavio Duran will share his experiences and discuss his work with the El Salvadoran Martyr Blessed Archbishop Romero.
 
Click here for invitation: /documents/2017/9/invitation2017banquetsistercommunity.pdf
Please RSVP no later than October 10.
For Questions & RSVP:
Suzie Bartz
183 Congress Run Road
Wyoming, OH 45215
513-704-5535