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Clement Community Turned Out at Fall Fest
 Faith, fellowship, food, and fun were all out in abundance at Fall Fest Sunday, September 22. After the 9:30 and 11:15 Masses, parishioners of all ages gathered and browsed the information tables of 24 parish ministries and groups set up in front of the parish center and along the driveway. We held an additional, "mini" Fall Fest after the 7:00 evening Mass, which was also enthusiastically received.
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A young parishioner is inspired to donate a dollar after learning more about the Finance Council.
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Members of our parish groups stood by to hand out printed information, take names from those who were interested in getting more involved, and provide personal stories of the difference the ministries make in their own lives and those of others. Of course, what would fellowship be without a little competition? Many groups handed out treats to lure passersby. But some stood out: Defying gender stereotypes, the Mens' Communio group table featured fresh flowers and mini quiches. Meanwhile, over at the Respect Life table, refreshments included yogurt parfaits, orange juice for kids and a "special orange juice" for adults: Mimosas. Smart marketing.
"It was great to see so many people socializing and getting more information on the many ministries of Saint Clement," said Pat Kosmerl, a Eucharistic minister who greeted people at the Liturgical Ministers' table for part of the day.
 Volunteers and attendees enjoyed gorgeous weather and munched on burgers, hot dogs and chicken salad pitas served up by the Clement Dads. Clement Moms organized a children's Pray.Serve.Give.Learn.Belong. craft, games, and kept the Noah's Ark bouncy house from descending into gleeful chaos. Members of the Young Adults Community served up drinks.
 Other members of the Young Adult Community and their fellow 7pm worshippers enjoyed the mini Fall Fest following the evening Mass. Beverages were served up and plenty of volunteers from 12 groups enlisted a good number of potential new members.
At Saint Clement, we're blessed with a relatively large, definitely talented staff, but that's not enough to sustain the many ministries and functions of our parish. We rely on each other to volunteer our time and talent. If you missed Fall Fest, don't be discouraged from exploring our many ministries. Visit clement.org to see the many ways you can Pray.Serve.Give.Learn.Belong. and become more engaged with your parish.
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Stories of Stewards
As part of our ongoing engagement process, we have come to realize the importance of parishioners sharing their personal stories of how they have connected with Saint Clement as an important factor in their lives. As a feature twice a month, we share the stories and reflections of our engaged parishioners who are living a stewardship life of prayer, service, and giving. This week we hear from Beth Rochford.
 "The bulletin recently quoted that 'stewardship calls us to use well all that we have' and it has been said that 'all that we have' can be broken down into time, talent and treasure. When this concept was presented to me, I evaluated how I was doing in using these resources. I felt comfortable with how I used my time. My family began to volunteer at a nursing home when I was seven months old and continued until I was out of college, so giving of my time was like second nature to me. In terms of treasure, I was also encouraged to do this from a young age and realized that I was blessed to have enough to share. The concept of talent was much more difficult. I could not sing, or play an instrument, and did not feel my professional skills were relevant to what the church needed. Though I could not define what my talents were, I hoped that I was using them as best I could.
In the fall of 2011, I was asked to join a Strengths for the Journey pilot group and through this process learned that each of us has particular, God-given gifts. This program gave me the language to understand myself and others in a new way. I came to understand that my 'Responsibility' and 'Discipline' strengths made me a good candidate to represent the Human Concerns Commission at our booth for Fall Fest and why others with the 'Woo' and 'Empathy' strengths are so good at being Ushers/Greeters at Mass, a job I would not want to do. I have used this knowledge both personally and professionally to better understand how I think, feel and behave and to be more accepting of the unique gifts of others. I strongly encourage anyone considering the SFTJ program to take the risk so you too can learn 'all that we have.'"
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Opportunities to Pray.Serve.Give.
For more information on upcoming events, including our regular, weekly opportunities, please view the parish's master calendar.
Weekend Masses in 2013: New Mass Journal initiative, to support our participation and reflection at Mass. Extra journals available in the church vestibule.
Sunday, October 6: Baby Bottle Project begins, benefiting The Women's Centers. Please take a baby bottle home from church, fill it with your spare change, and return it the weekend of October 27. Sponsored by the Saint Clement Respect Life Committee.
Monday, October 7 @ 7:00 p.m.: Jesse Tree volunteer kick-off meeting (Chapel); contact Georganne Palffy if interested in helping out, but unable to attend. Wednesday, October 9 @ 6:00 p.m.: Training for New Eucharistic Ministers (Church); contact Flo Merkl-Deutsch.
Sunday, October 13 @ 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: Chicago Marathon road closures (Clark St. from Diversey Pkwy. to Webster Ave.) and traffic reminder. Please leave extra time to get to Sunday Mass, and if possible, walk or take public transportation.
Sunday, October 13 @ 8:00 p.m.: YAC Wine & Cheese Social (Chapel)
Wednesday, October 16 @ 1:00 and 7:00 p.m.: Faith in the Next Generation: Parish Parent Meeting (Fireside Hall)
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Did You Know?
Discover & Enhance Your God-given Strengths
"We are God's work of art, created in Christ Jesus for the good works which God has already designated to make up our way of life"
(Eph 2:10).
 Saint Clement will continue to offer the opportunity for parishioners to participate in the Strengths for the Journey program. More than 300 parishioners have already participated in this common journey and have overwhelmingly expressed their gratitude and enthusiasm. Strengths for the Journey was designed to enrich each parishioner's awareness and understanding of their unique God-given gifts and the unique gifts of others, enhancing our homes, work, community, parish, and spiritual lives.
Participants meet in small groups once a week for four weeks. Click here for more information, or here to register. Session dates full or don't fit in your schedule? Don't worry, more sessions will be added as we plan to offer this program several times a year. Questions? Please contact Lisa Friedlander of the parish staff.
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Submit Your Ideas
We hope you have enjoyed this week's issue of The Plaza. If you know of a parishioner living their life as a steward or a topic that would interest other parishioners, please submit your idea here.
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And finally...
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