Parish Announcements

Mom & Tot Playgroup on August 3
Come join us for Mom & Tot Playgroup the first Tuesday of every month from 10:00 to 11:30 am. We meet in the Rosemeyer Room in the basement of the Parish House.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, August 3rd. Children from babies to pre-school are welcome. Stay for the entire time or just drop in for a little bit as your schedule allows. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Anne Swoboda at 847-424-0198 or anneswoboda@yahoo.com or Sarah Harte at sgharte@hotmail.com.

2010 LifeTeen Summer Service Trip
The 2010 LifeTeen Summer Service Trip will take our Youth Ministry to Cortez, Colorado from July 24 through August 1, 2010.

If you saw our 2009 Lifeteen Service Trip presentation at Mass over the summer, you witnessed what a great time we had and what a difference it made in the lives of the people we served and in the lives of our teens. If you missed the presentation, our Youth Minister, Jim Potthast, would be happy to share some of the stories and pictures.

Our teen Service (Mission) Trips have provided valuable learning experiences for St. Athanasius teens, combined with some recreational fun while white-water rafting together.

If you want more information, please contact Jim (jpotthast@stathanasius-evanston.org).

Our next Leadership Night is Monday, September 13
The 5 LEAVEN Coordinating Groups (Worship, Outreach, Community, Administration and Faith Development) will meet from 7:00 to 8:30pm, and the Parish Pastoral Council will meet from 8:30 to 9:30pm on Monday, September 13, in the Fitzgerald Chapel. Parishioners are welcome to attend to see how this new structure, put in place following our Parish Assessment and Renewal, works to lead our parish community!

Childcare is offered during 9:30am Mass
We offer babysitting for young children during our Sunday 9:30am Mass, in the Rosemeyer Room (lower level of the Parish House). Our childcare provider is Kausar Allahrakha, who has provided child care at St. Athanasius Parish for many years and is certified in CPR and First Aid. Advance reservations are not required.

Childcare WILL BE provided on Easter Sunday during the 9:30am Mass.

If you have any questions about childcare, please call Karen Sonnicksen Sellers at 847-328-1430, ext. 143.

2010 Theology-on-Tap Speakers Schedule
Host Site:
Sheil Center
2110 Sheridan Rd.
Evanston, IL 60201

8/1 Dr. Jim Papandrea
The Sacraments: Mysteries that will Change Your Life
Dr. Jim Papandrea is Assistant Professor of Church History at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary in the areas of the history of Christianity and the New Testament. A teacher in the Chicago Catholic Scripture School and the Chicago Archdiocese lay formation programs, Jim is the author of several books. For more information: www.JimPapandrea.com.

Minutes from Recent Leadership Nights
Parish Leadership Meetings
LEAVEN (Laity: Exploring, Active, Vocal, Engaged, Nourished)

Our Parish Leadership meets on the first Monday of each month. Each participant is a member of one of our 5 Coordinating Groups, and those Coordinating Groups meet from 7:00 until 8:30 pm. Representatives from each of the Coordinating Groups serve on our Parish Pastoral Council, which meets from 8:30 to 9:30 pm that same evening. Please consider participating on one of our Coordinating Groups - Administration, Community, Faith Development, Outreach, or Worship - and offering an hour of your time each month in service on behalf of your parish community.

Our next Leadership Meeting will be held on Monday night, September 13, 2010, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, in the Fitzgerald Chapel. Please come to see these Coordinating Groups in action and the work they do on behalf of St. Athanasius Parish.

Minutes from our recent Leadership Nights:

Administration:
The Administration Coordinating Group plans to facilitate the creation of a Parish Strategic Plan, to more appropriately align our Masses, our programs, and other areas of our parish life with our current needs. We are reviewing prior surveys and assessments done at St. Athanasius in the past 6 years, to begin to identify goals.

Community
The Community Coordinating group recently held receptions to recognize volunteers involved in ministries of the altar at the Sunday Masses, including Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Ministers of Care, and Lectors. A system to feature pictures of new parishioners, and newly baptized babies and their parents, in the church vestibule is also in the works. A list will be created of Ushers who are available to help on special occasions. A schedule for after-Mass Hospitality will be created and distributed, so that parish groups (or families) will have an opportunity to host over the summer. We plan to feature that group on the cover of The Chimes that weekend, with accompanying information to highlight the work they do for (or on behalf of) our parish, and the opportunities that exist for parishioner participation.

Faith Development and Outreach
The Faith Development Group has set two priorities for the coming year: Volunteer Involvement and Parish Unity. Leaders from different parish events will be invited to come to discuss the goals of their events, and evaluate the success of the event relative to these goals.

Worship
The Worship group will recruit docents and begin "Tours of Our Church", a series of 10 minute tours to be given after Mass. We have identified 5 topics for the tours: The Sanctuary, The Windows Part I, The Windows Part II (Choir Loft and Altar Windows), The Sacristy, and The Architecture of St. Athanasius. Follow-up for the Catholics Come Home campaign, and revival of our Greeters ministry, are items that will be addressed.

Parish Staff Contact Information:
To contact a staff member dial the main number (847) 328-1430 and enter their extension:

Marion Amling, Business Manager - Ext. 105 (mamling@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Judy Berg, School Communications Coordinator - Ext. 107 (jberg@saintas.net)
Barbara Bonier, Office Manager - Ext. 142 (bbonier@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Steve Carson, Music Director - Ext. 125 (scarson@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Susan Castagna, Principal - Ext. 115 (scastagna@saintas.net)
Lori Goszczynski, Bereavement and Pastoral Care - (847) 475-6324 (lgoszczynski@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Bridget Hotchkiss, Coordinator of Religious Education - Ext. 129 (bhotchkiss@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Deacon Dick Jay - leave message at Ext. 100
Jean Lauri, Generations Campaign Administrative Assistant - Ext. 116 (jlauri@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Fr. Tom Libera, Pastor - Ext. 111 (tlibera@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Mary Lietz, Assistant Principal - Ext. 123 (mlietz@saintas.net)
Jessica Suennen, School Secretary - Ext. 101 (jsuennen@saintas.net)
Janice Moore, Parish Office - Ext. 100 (jmoore@stathanasius-evanston.org)
José Moreno, Facilities Manager - Ext. 114 (jmoreno@saintas.net)
Jim Potthast, Youth Minister - Ext. 120 (jpotthast@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Mary Quish, Assistant Principal - Ext. 122 (mquish@saintas.net)
Karen Sonnicksen Sellers, Parish Administrator - Ext. 143 (ksellers@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Cynthia Splatt, Director of Adult Faith Formation & Religious Education - Ext. 124 (csplatt@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Fr. Rich Sztorc, Associate Pastor - Ext. 103 (rsztorc@stathanasius-evanston.org)
Sr. Ann Weiler, Catholic Chaplain, Evanston Hospital - (847) 570-2330

RCIA 2011 - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a several-month process for an adult wishing to become a Catholic through the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist) or through a Profession of Faith. These rites are celebrated at the Easter Vigil.

If you are interested in seeking information, or in responding to a felt movement of the spirit in your personal faith journey, we invite you to consider participating in this Process. Please call Fr. Rich Sztorc at 847-328-1430, extension 103, for more information.

St. Athanasius Parish Service Award
Our congratulations to Harry and Nancy Taylor, recipients of the 2009 Parish Service Award!

Previous recipients include Mike Bansley (1994), Mary Lietz (1995), Virginia Lindley (1996), Robert and Shari Coats (1997), Elizabeth Adamson (1998), Phil and Jean Peters (1999), Marty, JoAnn and Gail Leoni (2000), John Kelly (2001), John Gallagher (2002), Arnie Jacobson (2003), Art and Pat Schmidt, and Jim and Mary Rooney (2004), Megan Boyle-Schmitz, on behalf of all who served on the three Forward With Faith committees (2005), Toni Reynen (2006), Stan and Lori Goszczynski (2007), and Lloyd and Katie Maday (2008).

Each of these parishioners, through their service to the parish, stand as an example of the kindness and dedication of the people who make up our wonderful Parish. We thank them all for their dedication and hard work.

Older Issues of Chimes Available on Website
Previous issues of the Chimes can be accessed and downloaded through the "Resources" button in the upper right-hand corner of the Home Page. Issues for the current month are always available on the Home Page, and issues for previous weeks, from October 2005 through last month, can be found under Resources.

Weekly Food Collection
St. A’s has decided to have a food collection every week and not just on the first weekend of each month, because the food pantries are in desperate need of more donations. Donations are taken to Hemenway United Methodist Church in Evanston.

The basket will be in the vestibule near the Lincoln Street entrance.

Women’s Club Bridge
The St. Athanasius Women’s Club Bridge Marathon will begin again in September. We still have a few openings and are eager to welcome new players. Get a partner and join the pairs or come as a single. Call Barbara O’Connor at 847-328-4977.

Sign up for the ParishPay Program
More than 100 parishioners and families now contribute to St. Athanasius Parish by making monthly donations through ParishPay. Provide ease of mind for yourself, while strengthening community and stewardship for St. A's. Please consider using our ParishPay Program to make your monthly contributions. Funds are automatically withdrawn from your checking account or credit card once a month, usually on the 5th of the month. To participate, contact the parish office or sign up at www.parishpay.com. An enrollment form can be downloaded from this website - go to Reports and click on ParishPay Enrollment Form.

Brief History of St. Athanasius Church and Parish
The first mass held as a Parish was held at Lincolnwood School on March 20, 1921. Masses were held at Lincolnwood School and at Crandon School until the first Church was built. The first mass held at St. Athanasius Church was held in the basement of that first building on December 25, 1922.

Ground was broken for a new Church on July 13, 1936, and our "Old English Gothic-style" Church building was completed in September, 1937. On November 7, 1937, the new Church was dedicated, and we celebrated the 70th anniversary of this dedication on November 4, 2007, with Bishop Kane presiding.

On October 6, 1996, Cardinal Bernardin celebrated mass at St. Athanasius to mark our 75th Anniversary as a parish, and on October 25, 1998, we dedicated our Wilhelm "Opus 147" Pipe Organ.

On April 28, 2009, Berglund Construction began constructing scaffolding on the east side of the Church as long-needed repairs to the exterior of the building got underway.

Gathering of the Parish Community
Our parish leadership meets on the first Monday of each month. Each parish leader is a member of one of our 5 Coordinating Groups, and those coordinating groups meet from 7:00 until 8:30pm. Representatives from each of the Coordinating Groups serve on our Parish Pastoral Council, which meets from 8:30 to 9:30pm that same evening.

Each year, we hold a Gathering of Ministers, which this year we called our Gathering of the Parish Community. This gathering is held to recruit new members on our coordinating groups.

Please consider joining one of our Coordinating Groups - Administration, Community, Faith Development Outreach, or Worship - and offering an hour of your time each month in service on behalf of your parish community. Our next Leadership Meeting will be held on Monday night, January 11, from 7:00pm to 8:30pm, in the Fitzgerald Chapel. Please come to see these Coordinating Groups in action and the work they do on behalf of St. Athanasius Parish.

Remembering Former Principal Anne O'Neill
Our beloved former School Principal, Anne O'Neill, passed away at her home on Saturday, January 31, 2009. We extend our deepest sympathies to Anne's husband Bill and family.

Soup Kitchen Opportunities for 2010
The St. Athanasius Parish community participates in monthly soup kitchen outreach opportunities.

The Sunday Soup Kitchen coordinator for St. A's is Michael Masini (847-869-4321). Upcoming Sunday soup kitchens are scheduled to take place on dates TBA at Hemenway United Methodist Church, 933 Chicago Avenue, from 1:30-4:30 pm (the meal is served at 2:45).

The Monday Soup Kitchen coordinators for St. A's are Katie Maday (847-475-1538) and Helen Madden (847-866-8875). Upcoming Monday soup kitchens are scheduled to take place on dates TBA, at Second Baptist Church, 1717 Benson, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm (meal served at noon).

The Thursday Soup Kitchen coordinators for St. A's are Christine Carlson (847-869-4160), Kris Koenig-Morel (847-475-2104) and Karen Ryan (847-329-9426). Upcoming Thursdsay soup kitchens are scheduled to take place on dates TBA at First United Methodist Church, 1630 Hinman Avenue, 4:30 - 7:30 pm (the meal will be served at 6:00 pm).

Donate Through ParishPay
More than 100 families contribute to St. Athanasius through the ParishPay Program, in which offertory donations are automatically withdrawn (once a month) from checking accounts or credit cards. Your participation in this program will help us as we prepare our budget, and also makes giving easier for you. If you would like to sign up for this program, you may do so at www.parishpay.com, or you can download the ParishPay Enrollment Form from this website (under Reports & Forms on the main page), complete it and turn it in to Barbara Bonier at the Parish House. Call Barbara at 847-328-1430 ext. 142 if you have any questions.

Deacon Dick Jay's 25th Anniversary
On Sunday, October 7, 2007, at the 9:30 am Mass, we honored Deacon Dick Jay on the occasion of his 25th Anniversary as Deacon.

Dick joined St. Athanasius Parish with his wife and two daughters in 1962. When his wife died in 1975, he decided to become more involved in the church. He began courses of study to become a deacon and, in 1983, was among the first class to be ordained by Cardinal Bernardin. He was the first deacon at St. Athanasius and, so far, has been our only one.

Planned Offertory Goal 2010
Everything we have is a gift from God. Sharing of ourselves and our financial resources is a way to give back in gratitude, a way to say thanks be to God.

As we plan our Parish Budget, we make many decisions based upon our anticipated revenue and expenses. Each January, we ask all parishioners to complete and return a Planned Offertory Goal card, telling us how much you feel you can contribute to St. Athanasius in the coming year. In addition to assisting us achieve a balanced budget, your participation in setting a personal yearly goal for financial stewardship toward your parish becomes a concrete way for you and your family to be attentive to the gifts God has granted, be they financial, time to share, or special abilities to use.

Planned Offertory Cards are mailed in January to all parish households, and extra cards are available in the back of church. Thank you for your continued generosity to St. Athanasius Parish.

Eric Miller's Documentary on those who are Homeless
Parishioner Eric Miller has created a moving and compassionate documentary, "A Day in the Life of the Homeless," featuring homeless men and women, in support of an Evanston organization called Connections for the Homeless. You can see this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Gf5HAg6_0.

Generations Campaign Coloring Contest
Our thanks to the boys and girls who offered their artistic rendition of one of our beautiful stained glass windows. Entries were judged based on creativity, use of color, technique, and overall beauty. With so many extraordinary submissions, judging was not an easy task. Our thanks to Mary Ryter, Bridget Hotchkiss, and Jean Lauri, for being our judges for this contest.

THE WINNERS ARE:
Henry Brady (age 5)
Madison McGuire (age 6)
Peter Caldwell (age 7) and
Anna Henthorn (age 8)

All artwork submitted for this contest is on display on the pillars in the Church. Also, watch the cover of the Chimes bulletin when their inspiring art will be featured at various times this summer. Our thanks to everyone who participated in this contest.

NU Football Parking 2010
Use the St. Athanasius Parish parking lot for $26 per reserved space per game ($182 per 7-home-game season). Reservations will be accepted after July 1, 2010, for this year's games. The lot opens 2 hours prior to each game.

No alcohol is allowed. No heat source allowed, picnicing without heat source is allowed. No glass containers please. Garbage cans are available. Bathroom is available.

Make your check payable to: St. Athanasius Parish (memo "football parking" is helpful) and mail it c/o Karen Sellers, 1615 Lincoln Street, Evanston, Illinois, 60201. You will receive colored parking slips by return mail, and your name will be placed on our check-in list. For more information, call Karen at 847-328-1430, ext. 143.

Children's Envelopes
We recently distributed Children's Parish Offertory Envelopes to our School and Family Program children. Additional boxes of these envelopes, each with a short paragraph describing a Patron Saint, are available in the back of the Church for preschool children or young adults who want them.

The goal with this effort is simply to teach children stewardship, and to remind them of the importance of contributing their time, talent and treasure in support of our Parish, with the message that every child's effort matters. The Parish will not track these donations by child, but will report the total number of Children's Envelopes collected (and possibly the total $ amount they held) in our weekly offertory report that is published in the Chimes.

If you have any questions, please contact the Parish House.

Lindley Park
Fr. Tom blessed Lindley Park in a ceremony following the 9:30 am Mass on June 10, 2007.

Lindley Park is the property located at 2511 Eastwood Avenue, next to our parking lot. For 44 years, this was the home of Virginia Lindley, a long-standing and devoted St. A’s parishioner and volunteer. The property was purchased by Friends of St. A’s, LLC, a group of dedicated St. A’s families. The acquision of this property by the Parish and its addition to our campus footprint, will be funded as a component of our Generations Campaign.

Virginia Lindley was a dedicated sacristan who was faithfully there in the church almost every morning preparing for Mass. She also helped out at weddings and funerals and kept track of the wine and candles for the liturgies. Her immense level of energy was hidden within her petite stature. She often made wonderful baked goods to give away and we could always count on her for a smile and a hug. She died on January 17, 2006 at the age of 80.

St. Athanasius Women's Club 2009-2010
Our Women's Club does many things for the St. Athanasius Parish community. They purchase altar wine, altar breads (Communion hosts), purificators and hand towels for Mass; they maintain and clean the vestments and cloths used for the altar; they enhance the worship space every weekend with beautiful flowers. The Club supports and staffs the monthly Monday Soup Kitchen, supported in large part by donations of food and money from members. They conduct an annual Coat Drive for the Howard Area Community Center in November, and last year the Club supported the USO, Meals at Home, our own Angel Ball, the Evantson Shelter for Abused Women & Children, the Family Program Scholarship Fund, and the St. Athanasius Parish St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Membership is open to all women in the Parish. For more information about becoming a member, please contact Sue Harmon at 847-491-9197 or Bridget Hotchkiss at 847-733-0219.

Registration for Family Program Classes 2009-2010
The Family Program offers religious instruction and sacramental preparation on Sunday mornings, from 10:45 to 12:00noon for children in Kindergarten through 8th Grade, and from 9:30 to 10:30am for preschool children ages 3 and 4. Classes are held from the end of September until the beginning of May. Our first class was Sunday, September 20.

Current students were mailed a white re-enrollment form with their family information as we have on file. If you did not receive your re-enrollment form, please contact Bridget Hotchkiss (847-328-1430, ext. 129) to request another copy.

A Registration Form for new students can be downloaded through a link on the right side of this page.

Please complete all necessary information and return with your registration fee of $50.00 (per family) by July 1, 2009. You may make your checks payable to St. Athanasius Parish.

2009-2010 Family Program Tuition Schedule:
Parishioner - One Child $295, plus $225 for each additional child
Non-Parishioner - One Child $450, plus $350 for each additional child

Payment Schedule
$50 Registration Fee was due July 15, 2009
50% of Tuition was due on September 30, 2009
Balance of Tuition is due on January 31, 2010

Scholarships are available based on need and a commitment to assist with Family Program activities. To inquire about financial assistance call the Religious Education Office at 847-328-1430, ext. 129 and we will be happy to make the necessary arrangements. (All information will be kept confidential.)

Please be advised that there is also a Sacramental Fee to cover the cost of the additional books and materials if your child will be preparing to receive a sacrament.

First Communion & First Reconciliation (2nd grade) - $50.00
Confirmation (8th grade - includes retreat) - $60.00

If you need additional information or have any questions, please feel free to call the Religious Education Office at 328-1430 x129.

Blessing of the Pets seen online
On Thursday, October 4, Fr. Tom blessed our pets at Lindley Park. To see a slide show of this blessing, go to https://www.pioneerlocal.com/flash/petblessing-101107/. This beautiful presentation was created by Allison Williams, Pioneer Press Staff Photographer.

Church Repair Construction Updates (Archived)
June 30, 2009:
Our scaffolding now surrounds the bell tower, where much of the work in the coming weeks will take place. Tuckpointing has begun on the east elevation, and grinding on the tower will begin, as the upper levels are documented and disassembled.

Some roof deterioration has been discovered near the bell tower. The roof cricket has significant damage/decay, which was not visible when the slate and flashing were in place. This damage will be repaired. The roof decking adjacent to the south gable slope roof, and extending along the west slope, also shows evidence of some decay. Further investigation and repairs will take place.

Inspection of one of the columns took place from the exterior of the building, and revealed that the underlying wood (Douglas Fir) was free of wood decay. The trusses will be inspected from inside the Church to confirm accuracy of the drawings and actual field performance, which will require a boom lift inside the Church. The concrete floor structure under the main entrance will be temporarily shored to accommodate the weight of the boom lift.

Mortar mock-ups, showing mortar color choices and joint profiles, were reviewed and selections have been made (natural white mortar color, and flush joints) to match the original appearance. Silicone sealants will be used around the windows, with additional samples to be provided before selections are made.

June 21, 2009:
The exciting first phase of our Church repairs began four weeks ago with the assembly of scaffolding around the exterior of the east wall and at the southwest corner around the bell tower of our Church. Our contractors, Berglund Construction, are working hard to keep us apprised of the progress of this important project, and to keep us safe as they work in our midst.

To that end, the following information is provided to bring you up-to-date with the current status and anticipated progress we will see this week. We will provide you with updated information and pictures showing the progress each week going forward.

WORK FOR THIS WEEK
Work on the exterior of the Church began last week on the east side of the building and will continue, counter-clockwise, around the back of the Church. Work on the bell tower will be on-going during the project. Last week, our construction crew prepared mortar and sealant mock-ups for review and selection of mortar colors. Their work includes grinding at existing joints. An inspection opening at the 2nd bay on the east elevation created last week for review of the existing underlying conditions at the structural columns.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS AND ENDS EACH DAY...
Our crew is on site at 6:30 am and work begins at 7:00 am. The construction crew parks nearby, but not on our parking lot. Works ends and everything is cleaned up by around 2:30 pm. Berglund knows of any special events now scheduled. The exterior work on our Church is expected to continue through November, and we expect that the scaffolding will be removed by Christmas.

SAFETY NEAR THE SCAFFOLDS
Care should be taken as you walk near the scaffolds, being mindful that workers are overhead as well as at ground level. Children should be cautioned to avoid the scaffold area between the Church and the Parish House. They should ALWAYS WALK THEIR BICYCLES if they are entering the Parish grounds from Lincoln Street.
MASSES DURING CONSTRUCTION
Our 6:30 am and 8:15 am weekday morning Masses will continue as usual in the Church, for now, unless otherwise indicated. If the noise outside becomes too distracting, we will consider the possibility of moving the 8:15 am Mass to another location. Weekend Masses will proceed as usual. The windows on the east side of the Church will remain closed during this phase of our construction, and Berglund will monitor interior dust levels to ensure that dust does not enter the Church as a result of the grinding.

DUMPSTER, PORTABLE TOILET, CEMENT MIXER, AND EQUIPMENT LOCKER...
are all located to the west of the playground equipment, in the parking lot previously used by some of our teachers. This area is fenced off with chain link fencing, so that balls cannot roll in or near there. Workers will walk between the Church and this area via a narrow sidewalk, often with wheelbarrows to bring mortar to the Church after it is mixed inside the fenced area. Children should be cautioned to stay away from the area and the workers.

BIKE RACKS
There are bike racks located behind the Church, and outside the gym hallway. Please remind your children to WALK their bikes to the bike racks when they arrive on the school grounds. Again, children must not ride their bicycles under or near the scaffolding. We are exploring the possibility of alternate locations for additional bike racks, and will keep you apprised of this as it develops.

CONTACT INFORMATION REGARDING CONSTRUCTION
We are in daily contact with the on-site superintendent of the Berglund crew. If you have any questions or concerns about the construction, at any time, please call Janice Moore in the Parish Office (847/328-1430, ext. 100).

In Memory of Beth Bansley McCarthy
A memorial Mass to celebrate the life of Beth Bansley McCarthy was held on Monday, November 30, 2009. Family and friends will gathered in the Church at 4:00pm, followed by Mass beginning at 6:00pm.

St. Athanasius Church is located at 1615 Lincoln Street in Evanston, 1 block south of Central Street and 2 blocks east of Green Bay Road, on the north side of Lincoln Street.