In this Issue: 1. Winter Retreat Jan. 13/14 2. Deacon Community Leaders 3. Community Gathering with our bishop 4. Vocational Promotion: Deacon Information Nights and You 5. Newsletter Feature to be added 6. January Celebrations 7. Year Calendar 2006

Our Community News Winter Retreat is to Focus on Marriage Our Winter Retreat is set for Friday evening and Saturday, Jan 13-14 at St. Peter’s. Fr. Dick McGuire will have us enter into discussions of the Four Characteristics of a Healthy Marriage. Our retreat starts on Friday evening with a social from 6:30 to 8:30. Out-of-town couples are being invited to stay with in-town deacon couples on Friday evening. On Saturday, we begin with hospitality at 8:30 AM, Morning Prayer at 9, sessions led by Fr. McGuire from 9:30 to 2:30, and dismissal at 3:00. Deacon Community Leaders Your leadership is appreciated! We would not be able to do what we do without the many people that volunteer additional time to assist the deacon community. Below is a list of these invaluable people. Diocese of St. Cloud Deacon Community Leadership Updated 12-01-2005 Vicar for Deacons Fr. Bernie Gruenes Deacon Community Leadership Dc Steve Dupay - Pres Dc Russ Hackett - V Pres Dc Earnie Kociemba – Sec Dc Andy Kunkel – Treasurer Deacon Personnel Board Dc Jim Clack Fr. Bernie Gruenes Dc. Mike Keable Ms Marilyn Murray Ms Rita Reker Dc Vern Schmitz Dc Don Tzinski, Jr Dc Todd Warren             Deacon Spirituality Committee Chuck & Sharon Kampa Dc Bill & Linda Ritchie Dc Larry & Carol Sell Dc Joe & Marlene Wood Deacon Program Advisory Board Fr Tim Baltes Ms Linda Christen Dc Steve Dupay Fr Bernie Gruenes Fr Bob Harren Ms Carol Jansen Mr Jeff Kaster Sr Cordelia Korkowski OSF Ms Brenda Kresky Fr Bob Rolfes Dc Vern Schmitz Community Gathering with Bishop Kinney Don’t forget our Annual Gathering with Bishop Kinney on March 4th . Location not yet determined. See included calendar for the other deacon community dates you may want to get on your calendar(s). Vocational Promotion: Diaconate Information Nights and You We need your help to promote vocations to the Diaconate. Last year, our Deacon Information Night efforts brought forth three of our new men/couples in formation and two others that are still considering the diaconate. With that, we know that these evenings are very helpful in getting people to explore their vocational call. So, with your help we wish to again do a number of Deacon Information Nights throughout the diocese in the months of January through May. What is needed from you, is an invitation to use your facility and be available as one of the two to three deacon or deacon couples. I am also seeking some deacons and deacon couples willing to attend one or more of these efforts during these next five months. Please send me an email or call me at 320.248.6835. The Joy of Ministry! Newsletter Features to be Added What are you doing out there? I am looking to provide an opportunity for deacons and wives to share with the rest of the community an aspect of your ministry. Do it in a short story, a poem or with pictures. The ideal would be 300 words or so and a picture. We would include one or more in each newsletter. This effort would be especially helpful for those in formation – getting to know you and your ministries better. Story deadline is the 25th of each month. This should be fun! We would also like to include milestone wedding Anniversaries in our monthly celebrations below, but our records don’t include about half of your wedding dates. Please send me your dates so that we can update and share your big anniversary dates with the community!

January Celebrations! Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary to Deacon Ernie & Denise Kociemba on January 10th! Birthdays! Birthdays... January Birthdays! Happy Birthday to all celebrating January Birthdays! We wish you the very best of blessings as you celebrate another year! Joan Leisen ~ January 2 Deacon Gerald Snyder ~ January 3 Celine Kunkel ~ January 4 Dr. Jeffrey Kowitz ~ January 5 Deacon Richard Scheierl ~ January 6 Louis Hughes ~ January 9 Marlene Wood ~ January 16 Charles Kampa ~ January 27 Lorraine Kowitz ~ January 27 Deacon Ernest Kociemba ~ January 30

Diaconal Community Calendar of Events 2006 Updated Dec. 28, 2005 VJS   Jan 13-14 Deacon Community Winter Retreat, St. Peter’s, St. Cloud   Jan 26 Deacon Advisory Board Meeting, 1 PM   Feb 25 Men’s Conference, SJU   Mar 1 Ash Wednesday   Mar 4 Community Meeting with Bishop/Couple Formation Day in St. Cloud Area   Mar 23 Deacon Personnel Board Meeting, 3 PM   Mar/Apr Women’s Retreat   Apr 16 Easter   May 20 Couple Formation Day Princeton Deanery   May 25 Deacon Advisory Board   June 10 Deacon Ordination   June 15 Deacon Personnel Board Meeting   June 22-25 Blue Cloud Retreat Thurs evening to Sunday AM   Jul 28-30 Region VIII Diaconate Conference - Duluth   Aug 10 Deacon Advisory Board Meeting   Sept 21 Deacon Personnel Board Meeting   Sep 21 Admission to Candidacy   Oct 14 Couple Formation Day - Melrose Deanery   Nov 6 Installation of Reader/Acolyte   Nov 16 Deacon Advisory Board Meeting   Dec 7 Deacon Personnel Board Meeting ------------------------------------- 2007 ------------------------------------   Jan 2007 Deacon Community Meeting with bishop/Couple Formation St. Cloud   May 12, 2007 Couple Form ation Day Little Falls Deanery   Oct 13, 2007 Couple Formation Day Sauk Centre Deanery