Tracking a New CWOC Year: Ideas for a CWOC Continuity Binder

It seems as though chapel women’s groups transition leadership every summer. Perhaps one person will stay in their leadership role, but often, women PCS, transition to another role, or take a knee entirely. No matter what the case, it’s extremely important to have a Continuity Binder, which affords women coming after one leadership board to pick up where things were left off, to review some decisions previously made, and to assist in preparing for a new program year.

Based on some discussions at the most recent CWOC Leadership Roundtable meetings, several MCCW-Worldwide board members thought it prudent to put to paper some of the items to include in a CWOC Continuity Binder. 

The binders themselves can be digitally stored (Gmail Drives are exceptional at providing space for Continuity binders from one board to the next), or they can be manual binders which live on a bookshelf in your priest’s office, CREC office, or in a CWOC-managed closet at your chapel. Each CWOC should determine the best location for their Continuity Binder, and it should be an “open secret” – meaning many members, especially the women who are with the group for a period of time, should know where the information is kept.

As the program year kicks off for CWOC groups around the globe, don’t miss out on the following ideas to record for your CWOC Continuity Binder!

Chapel Contact List: 

Include name/s, emails and phone number/s of outgoing leadership/CWOC board, priest, Pastoral Life Coordinator, Religious Education Coordinator, Director of Religious Education, Funds Manager, Wing/Battalion/Garrison Chaplain and their assistants, and Religious Services Office

Historical Information: List of past CWOC leadership contact information, history of the CWOC group: Date founded, CWOC group name chosen or changed, By-Laws initiated, elections vs. discernment for leadership roles. 

Budget Information: When and to whom is a budget worksheet submitted? Include copies of all budgets for as many years that you can gather. Using past budgets is helpful for creating new budgets. 

Possible Items to include in a CWOC budget: faith study books, videos, and other resources, field trip/pilgrimage funds, MCCW Regional Retreat or Forum, supplies for meetings (crafts, food, ice breaker game items, etc.)

Chapel Facility Request: Ask the pastoral life coordinator how and when to submit a facility request to have the space reserved for your group (this is usually submitted in the spring for the fall kickoff). A sample of one installation’s facility request form is linked below.

Calendar of Events: Include the yearly calendar of events including book study titles for as far back that you can. Include dates and times for CWOC meetings. Please see samples of events here: CWOC Year-in-Review Samples

Community Outreach: Create a list of standing community outreach events for each month and the POC for each event. For example:

• May: CWOC hosts a baby shower for Mary’s Shelter (Suzy Smith POC) 
• February: CWOC writes Valentine’s Day cards for VA residents (Sally Smith POC)
• December: CWOC collects cold weather clothing for the St. Vincent de Paul shelter residents (Sandy Smith POC).
• Adopt-A-Seminarian: CWOC adopted seminarian Zach Braff. CWOC sends him birthday cards from the whole Catholic community and offer Mass for him in October.

Annual Theme: (optional) List themes chosen and the year it was used.

After-Action Reports: Each board member should write one each May by the chapel leader for incoming future leaders. Items to include: Things that worked well, and things that need to be reviewed/reconsidered for the following year. 

Flyers: Include all electronic and paper copies of Save the Dates, monthly announcements and activities, bulletin ads, SOPs for how to structure a chapel board, how to request funds from the chapel, how/who to manage social media after leaders PCS.

Prayer Intention Book: Consider starting a prayer intention book that is passed around at each gathering. Ladies write their personal prayer intentions and they are prayed over at every gathering but not shared outside the group. 

Personal Prayer: Consider writing a prayer to your new CWOC leadership; one for each incoming board member. This is a gesture of spirituality that will help the incoming team know you will support & encourage them with prayers.

Sample Chapel Facility Request Form (Air Force)

Sample Budget Request Form (MAP) (Air Force)

 

In Christ,

Joan & Madeline

MCCW-Worldwide Director of Finance & Director-at-Large for Vocations

 

Contents of this article were shared from the following MCCW board members:

Joan LaPore and Madeline Stockman 2023