JAN | 2022
CONTENT PAGE 3 Start 2022 with a Clean Spiritual Slate PAGE 4 Parish School Celebrates the New Wilhelm
Johnson Scholz STEM Lab PAGE 6 Financial Report PAGE 7 Stewardship: New Year’s Resolutions
GETTING TO KNOW OUR FIRST-GRADE TEACHERS,
LORI BERTRAM AND CHERYL SOWELL “God Has Blessed Our Lives”
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ho wouldn’t want to work alongside a friend each day? What a blessing to be there for one another through all of life’s ups and downs! First-grade teachers Lori Bertram and Cheryl Sowell are living that dream each day, as they teach first grade together at St. Peter Catholic School. They’ve been teaching together for seven years, and Mrs. Bertram has taught at the school for 11 years. They both know teaching is their vocation, and they feel blessed to be living out that vocation at a Catholic school. “Our vocation is teaching 6 and 7-year-olds about His love and His forgiveness,” Mrs. Bertram says. “God has blessed our lives, and it’s nice we can match that with the continued on page 2
(From left) Cheryl Sowell and Lori Bertram both know teaching is their vocation, and they feel blessed to be living out that vocation at a Catholic school.
ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
GETTING TO KNOW OUR FIRST-GRADE TEACHERS continued from front cover vocation to serve Him.” St. Peter Catholic School isn’t just any Catholic school — it’s a very special place for both teachers. “Teaching here is so family-oriented,” Mrs. Sowell says. “Any day I come in, somebody will greet me — anything that I ever need, someone will help me out and pick me up. That is what I love most. It’s all a family, from the faculty to my students and their parents.” When someone at the school is struggling, both Mrs. Bertram and Mrs. Sowell love that they can bring God into the conversation — they don’t have to practice their faith in private. “This morning the whole school was singing (religious song) ‘10,000 Reasons,’” Mrs. Bertram says. “I looked out at them, 400 students worshipping God, and I thought, ‘I get to be a part of this.’” Mrs. Bertram and her husband have four kids, and Mrs. Sowell and her husband have three kids. With all of their children St. Peter Catholic School isn’t just any Catholic school — it’s a very being past the first grade, the two teachers special place for both teachers. love that they get to hold on to this age for years to come. that is a big joy for Mrs. Bertram and Mrs. Sowell. “I love their innocence,” Mrs. Bertram says. “I just love the things they get so excited about, “It’s so easy to see God in them. I just love that we, as adults, don’t,” Mrs. Sowell says. “The having a relationship with them. First-graders first time it started to snow [this season], it was are so quick to forgive and quick to understand like they won a million dollars!” differences.” Mrs. Bertram and Mrs. Sowell are there for First grade is a big year for the students, one another through everything, and that brings and both teachers enjoy teaching reading. They joy to them, as well. They are there to pick up the love how excited the kids are to learn new words pieces for one another, for instance, when there’s and put them together to read sentences and, a busy week. eventually, paragraphs. Another thing the women share is their love “Even the students notice that they come into for their families and high school football. Even the school year reading books that only have three though Mrs. Bertram doesn’t have anyone playing or four words, then they leave reading a chapter high school football anymore, she loves to watch book,” Mrs. Sowell says. “They are super proud with Mrs. Sowell, whose son plays. Both women and excited. It’s fun for us to see the growth and also love being active and reading the Bible. praise them through that.” “Our lives mostly revolve around faith and The students are so full of life and joy, and family,” Mrs. Sowell says.
A LETTER FROM OUR PASTOR
START 2022 WITH A CLEAN SPIRITUAL SLATE Dear Parishioners,
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e were all taught in school that the month of January gets its name from Janus, the ancient Roman god of doors and gates. His image was always carved or painted with two faces, one looking forward and the other backward. This reflected, of course, that you can go either out a door or in through one. From this very specific function, his role was generalized to include all beginnings and new endeavors. Because of Janus’ place in the Roman pantheon, it seemed natural to the Romans to name the first month of the civil year after him. (The Church year began back with the First Sunday of Advent, you’ll remember.) And although we no longer worship the pagan gods of the ancient Romans, the name has stuck down the centuries. But we’re not immune to the human instinct that moved the Romans to name the first month after Janus. His double countenance, facing forward and backward, reflects how we approach the coming of each new year. The last week of the old year finds the newspapers and TV programs giving a glance back at the past year (“the 10 best, or worst, movies of…” and such) along with predictions of what the new year will bring. My personal favorite is always “the 10 worst predictions” for the year just ending. Just like the secular world does — Janus-like — we both look back at our own successes and failures, happy events, and sad ones, during the year just ending, and forward to the new year as we prepare our resolutions. When we reflect back on the blessings we’ve received, our hearts should be filled with gratitude — and blessings there have been, no matter how difficult the year has been. But for most of us, there have been failures and failings, too. That calls for repentance, and perhaps a trip to the confessional — but God, who makes “all things new” (Rv 21:5),
will then give us a clean spiritual slate with which we may begin the new year. I’d also like to challenge you to include your grateful response to God as you make your resolutions for the new year. You don’t have to wait until you fill out a commitment card to decide this is the year when you’re actually going to attend Mass once a week in addition to Sunday (or begin worshiping every Sunday if you haven’t been doing so) or to pray the Rosary every week or to begin regular prayers with your family. Include in your resolutions how you are going to get involved in some ministry in the parish or some service to the community, and then do so. Decide to become more faithful in your financial stewardship if your treasure commitment is less than it should be. Look forward to the new year and bring Christ and His Church to the center of your resolutions. Then see what a good year it will be, with God at the center! Have a happy, and holy, New Year. In Christ,
Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Enlow
ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
PARISH SCHOOL CELEBRATES
THE NEW WIL
Providing Students with Valuable Opportu
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ogether with the community, St. Peter School celebrated a great milestone for the school with the dedication of the new Wilhelm Johnson Scholz STEM Lab on Nov. 4, 2021. What started out as an idea between Principal Cindy Venvertloh and Chris Reichert to replace the computer lab became a reality through the generous support of the Scholz family and the greater St. Peter community. “The Wilhelm Johnson Scholz STEM Lab is designed to foster an excitement and love for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for students in kindergarten through eighth grade,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. “We are so excited to provide our students with the opportunity to have handson experiences, as well as real-life experiences with trying to solve problems.” The STEM lab curriculum is divided into grades K-3, 4-6, and 7-8 in order to engage the children most effectively at their level. Through modern tools like 3D printers, Lego Robotics, and blue/green screens, the children have valuable opportunities to investigate and solve problems. The exposure to
these resources allows our students to learn more about STEM careers and foster their interest in these subjects. “The most exciting part of the lab is the student’s excitement to come to the STEM lab,” Mrs. Reichert says. “The lab has created a new place where learning is fun!” Throughout the fall semester, projects executed in the STEM lab included reenactments of the Mars Rover landing, the study of butterflies, coding a robot to travel through mazes, and the mixing of colors to create the color wheel. During the dedication on Nov. 4, students shared some of their STEM creations with guests and parents, demonstrating how the children have engaged in these subjects. “There were many highlights of the dedication ceremony — students interacting with guests with their STEM creations, Fr. Leo blessing the lab, cutting of the ribbon, officially naming the lab, and supporters of the lab seeing how their gifts have been used to create amazing learning opportunities,”
The dedication of the Wilhelm Johnson Scholz Lab — (front, from left) Chris Reichert, Nicole Genenbacher, Amelia Scholz, Charlotte Scholz, Olivia Scholz; (back row) Mary Scholz, Nancy Scholz, Rebecca Scholz, Chuck Scholz, Jake Scholz, Becca Scholz, Suzann Johnson, Cindy Venvertloh.
Olivia Scholz (fifth grade) and Amelia Scholz are working on the robotic obstacle course to help the robot navigate the course in the STEM Lab.
LHELM JOHNSON SCHOLZ STEM LAB
unities for Hands-On Learning Experiences Mrs. Reichert says. “But the most moving moment was seeing the video of (Wilhelm Johnson Scholz’s parents) Becca and Jake sharing their son’s life story and how through his memory they created a place where his life will touch so many future student’s lives at St. Peter School.” Indeed, the dedication evening was a grand opportunity to showcase the lab to the community. Many generous benefactors were present and able to see the impact of their sacrificial giving. In less than a year, St. Peter School was able to raise over $58,000 to support the STEM lab. We could not have done this without the community’s support, especially that of the Scholz family. “I must say, I am extremely blessed to have such a staff that works so hard to make things become a reality,” Mrs. Venvertloh says. “A day does not go by without such forward-thinking to always do our best. Our parent and parishioner support is overwhelming. All of this happens because of the great leadership and support from Fr. Leo.”
Jake Scholz and his daughter, Olivia (fifth grade) use a 3D pen in the STEM lab.
“The Wilhelm Johnson Scholz STEM Lab is designed to foster an excitement and love for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. We are so excited to provide our students with the opportunity to have hands-on experiences, as well as real-life experiences with trying to solve problems.” — CINDY VENVERTLOH, PRINCIPAL
Harper Hough (seventh grade) helps Charlotte Scholz (second grade), Olivia Scholz (5th grade) and Amelia Scholz navigate their robots through the obstacle course that the students created in the STEM lab.
ST. PETER
CATHOLIC CHURCH
PARISH FINANCIAL REPORT Jul - Sep 21
Jul - Sep 20
417,784.53 23,239.27 105.56 141,152.62 604,588.80 1,186,870.78
399,123.04 25,728.49 7,945.69 156,647.61 616,012.32 1,205,457.15
EXPENSE Payroll Expenses Contractual Services Utilities Insurance -Property & Liability Repairs and Maintenance Equipment & Supplies Professional Fees Charitable Contribution Religious Education Expenses Parish Organization Expense ACSA Expense Other Expenses TOTAL EXPENSE
568,591.69 5,215.30 19,279.19 24,380.03 33,670.28 47,479.72 1,572.25 0.00 3,227.70 10,755.37 24,332.00 25,632.28 764,135.81
568,946.92 8,102.40 23,045.57 23,667.84 12,628.83 133,782.59 682.30 30,000.00 2,995.46 13,791.48 95,634.00 4,865.06 918,142.45
NET INCOME
422,734.97
287,314.70
INCOME Regular Church Support Other Sources of Parish Support Investment Income Restricted Income Tuition Income TOTAL INCOME
STEWARDSHIP
New Year’s Resolutions
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he New Year has arrived, and we have all been busy making — and trying to keep — our list of New Year’s resolutions. Many of us choose resolutions geared toward health and fitness. After all, possessing good overall health is critical to our wellbeing. Others may try to avoid a particularly bad habit. Maybe you need to quit smoking or stop swearing. Still, many of us plan things we have always wanted to do, but never get around to doing. As the days of January continue onward, however, many of us find the inspiration of keeping our good-intentioned resolutions to be fading fast. By the end of the month, most of us have given in to our temptations and returned to our old ways. We are only human, right? Discouraged by this yearly failure, many of us don’t even bother making New Year’s resolutions anymore, especially if we feel like we won’t succeed. Maybe our failures lie in both how we make our resolutions and what resolutions we actually choose. What we need to understand is the “root” of our resolution. For example, if you resolve to eat less candy to drop those recently added holiday pounds, is the “root” of your resolution a selfish one — wanting to look better since you overindulged? Or, are you genuinely seeking to stop giving in to each “sweet tooth” craving by practicing mortification — continued on back cover
Tying your New Year’s resolutions into the principles of stewardship — giving of your time, talent and treasure back to God — is a great way to ensure that the “root” of your resolution is right on track!
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STEWARDSHIP: New Year’s Resolutions continued from page 7 giving up of a personal pleasure to glorify God? If the “root” is a selfish one, only to benefit yourself, then it is often difficult to keep in the long run. However, if we are trying to glorify God, our mission is much more important and worth keeping. Tying your New Year’s resolutions into the principles of stewardship — giving of your time, talent and treasure back to God — is a great way to ensure that the “root” of your resolution is right on track! For instance, resolving to pray each evening before going to bed glorifies God, brings you peace before slumber, and allows you to grow in your relationship with Christ. The “root” is pure. Your desire to keep it will be stronger and make it easier for you to keep. In the same way, resolving to return your talents to God by helping others in need is
an excellent choice in creating a selfless resolution with the right “root.” Furthermore, resolving to reevaluate your finances is also extremely important, and the beginning of a new year is a great time to do it. Are you giving back to God out of gratitude for all He has given you? Or are you merely dropping a dollar or two in the collection basket just to feel good about yourself? If you are not where you would like to be as a good steward — either with sharing your time, talent or treasure — you can resolve to do better. The New Year is a perfect opportunity to start anew and become the good steward that God desires each of us to become. And when we choose selfless things that build His kingdom instead of ours, we are sure to not only stay on track, but to succeed!
MASS SCHEDULE Weekend Masses Saturday: 5:00 p.m., Sunday: 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Weekday Masses Mon-Sat: 8:00 a.m., except for Wednesdays: 8:30 a.m.
Reconciliation Saturday: 7:30-7:50 a.m., 3:30-4:30 p.m. or by appointment