Honoring Memorial Day and Welcoming Our New Business Manager

Honoring Memorial Day and

Welcoming Our New Business Manager

Once again, our towns and our nation celebrate Memorial Day. This year it is going to be a relatively cold holiday weekend, which can serve to remind us that it only secondarily marks the unofficial start of summer! During the Easter season, our liturgy frequently proclaims from the Gospel According to John, especially Jesus’ discourse with the disciples during the Last Supper. An important part of this teaching is when he says, “No one has greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (Jn 15:13) He clearly is speaking of his own passion and death on the cross, but he also gives this as a general principle. In this same spirit, then, let us give thanks for all those whose love of our nation have given this supreme gift to defend and protect the country we enjoy and celebrate today.

 

In this spirit of celebration, I’m pleased to announce that Renee Wassersug has accepted the position of Business Manager for our Collaborative Parishes. While it was a thorough search process for the right candidate, this is a natural next step for Renee, who has been serving on our Pastoral Team in administrative roles for nearly five years.

 

The role of Collaborative Business Manager is an important one, even if it’s not always visible. Under the pastor’s leadership, the Business Manager oversees the day-to-day financial and employment matters for both parishes. This includes tasks many of you may have encountered: financial reports in the bulletin or annual mailings, processing reimbursements for parish ministries, supporting online giving, and more. The position also plays a key part in ensuring we follow Church and civil policies, addressing HR concerns, and assisting our Finance Councils in their role as advisors and representatives of the parishioners.

 

Renee brings strong qualifications to this position. Before coming to work in our parishes, she worked in corporate accounting and as a certified CPA. Her business and interpersonal skills have served us well in recent years, and they will be essential as she takes on this wider role. She is organized, attentive to detail, and has a steady, thoughtful approach to her work. She also has a strong rapport with other members of the Pastoral Team and understands how the “business side” of parish life supports our mission of proclaiming the Gospel.

 

Many parishioners already know Renee, whether from her assistance with funeral arrangements, liturgical scheduling, or the Protecting God’s Children trainings she has coordinated. She is a member of St. Martha Parish and works in our St. Mary Parish offices, so she has connections across the collaborative. While she tends to keep a low profile, those who have worked with her directly have come to appreciate her professionalism and pastoral care.

 

In a previous column, I shared more extensively about our debt of gratitude to Bill Nash, our outgoing Collaborative Business Manager, and now I can add my appreciation for his staying on a few extra weeks to help ensure a smooth handoff before he retires. He has put excellent systems in place—especially electronic records and reporting tools—that Renee will now continue to maintain and adapt as we move forward.

 

This transition is a reminder that good stewardship depends on capable people working together with a sense of purpose and trust. We don’t take your support and trust for granted. I am confident Renee will serve our parishes well in this role, so please join me in congratulating her.