11  Special Service Database

The name of this database may appear on the Main Menu as Special Mass or Special Service, etc., depending on what you entered in the Options dialog box for the name of your church meetings. Here, it will be called “Special Service.” If you want to schedule Special Services by hand, you can skip this chapter. 

 

When you click on Special Service on the Main Menu, this dialog box appears:

 

 

The number in the upper right corner is the page number of the Database. The Special Service Database initially has 1 page. You can Add pages up to a maximum of 25 pages. After that you must delete pages of Special Services with dates that have already passed. Then add a new page.

 

This database is used for Services that do not occur on a regular schedule every week. Examples are Christmas Day, Ash Wednesday, Ascension, Confirmation, Easter overflow, etc.

11.1 Setting Up the Special Service Database

Initially, the Special Service Database form will have one blank page.

Fill in a Time, Date and Category for the first Special Service. Also fill in the number of slots for each ministry and any Suffixes required. Refer to the sections below for information about each of these fields.

 

If you want to add a second Special Service, click the Add button to add another page to the database.

 

When you are finished with the Special Service Database, click the Save button to save the Database and return to the Main Menu.

  

TIP: Don’t delete pages of Special Masses unless you’re sure you won’t want to reschedule that date; once a page is deleted, it is erased from the database and that Special Service cannot be scheduled.

 

TIP: Instead of deleting and adding a new page, you can just find an obsolete page and type over it with the new data and other information. If you have 25 or fewer Special Services per year, just keep a list of which page number goes with which Service. Then each year just type in the new dates and the task is all done! 

11.2 Time and Date

The Time field is a 4-character identifier for the Service. You can use any 4 characters, but it is usually used for the time of the Service. Examples: 530P for 5:30 PM, 830A for 8:30 AM, 1030 for 10:30 AM. The Date field tells which date the Special Service is held. Enter the date in the form mm/dd/yy. Examples: 12/22/10 for Dec. 22, 2010 or 9/3/08 for Sept. 3, 2008. 

11.3 Category

The category is a way of matching a Special Service with volunteers who are able and willing to serve at it. You can have as many categories as you want, but a volunteer can be assigned to no more than 6 categories. Special Services can be divided into any categories you want, but here is a typical way that will categorize the conflicts with work and school that many people will have:

Category           Time Period

A                        Weekdays, before 6:00 PM

B                        Weekdays, after 6:00 PM

C                        Saturdays

D                        Sundays

E                         School holidays

F                         Normal work holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.)      

Assign the appropriate Category to the Special Service.

 

Example: A Service on Christmas Day -- a normal work holiday

Category:F

 

Example: An Assumption Mass on a Thursday evening at 7:00 PM -- a weekday, after 6:00 PM

Category:B

 

Example: A Confirmation Mass on a Saturday

Category:C

 

In the Personnel Database, indicate all Categories that the volunteer is able and willing to serve. You can assign up to 6 categories to each volunteer.

Example: Charlie is an usher who works full-time and cannot serve until after 5:30 PM on weekdays, but is willing and able to serve whenever he is not at work.

Specials categories:BCDF         

 

Example: Jennifer is an altar server who can serve anytime school is not in session.

Specials categories:BCDEF        

 

Example: Richard is a lector who only wants to serve on Sunday at his favorite regular Service. Leave his Specials Category field blank to exclude him from all Special Services.     

Specials categories:        

 

TIP: You must assign a Category letter to each Special Service or it cannot be scheduled. You must also have enough volunteers with matching Specials Categories to fill the available slots.

11.4 Groups, Number of Slots

Fill in the number of slots and Suffixes that apply to this Special Service. These fields work exactly the same way as for a Regular Service. (See Chapter 10)