Dear Parish Family,
We are so excited to once again host our fall Come and See: Faith Formation & Ministry Event! And we invite YOU to join us on September 11th or 12th! Save the date and stop by after any of the Masses that weekend.
Our ministry leaders and faith formation team are in the midst of preparing for this special weekend where they can share the many service and faith formation opportunities that St. John Parish has to offer. You might recall fall of 2019 when we had our last event and the Parish Center was lined with tables around the perimeter. It was well-attended…two days of fellowship and meeting new people, signing up for new groups and classes, and learning more about all the activities that make our parish so vibrant!
And speaking of our ministry leaders and ministries, this is an opportune time to commend them for the way they kept their groups flourishing during the pandemic. Just as our parish staff so quickly “switched gears” into new ways of outreach, so did our ministry teams. Our St. Vincent de Paul group, for instance, hosted two very successful drive-through donation days (thanks to our generous parishioners and the team of Jan VanBuren and Mary Konkol). Paper Hugs Card Ministry sent greeting cards at four different points to parishioners who had no email address, thinking that maybe they also didn’t have internet capabilities that would allow them to livestream Mass and stay connected. And our Parish Reps reached out by phone on two or three occasions to check in with our parishioners. These are just a few examples of how our ministries shine even in adversity.
Besides ministries, we’ll be joined by many of our staff members who can answer your questions: Jenny Mietelka and Brian Mick from St. John Cemetery; our Finance Manager, Alison Burch, who can help you set up online giving; Todd Gale who will share the exciting details of this year’s revamped Family Religious Ed (which will be right here in the Parish Center after the 10 a.m. Mass); Diane Manor representing the upcoming Women’s Conference; and more.
Fall can often feel like a “new beginning” after a summer’s bit of rest! We’re excited to use this weekend as a second “Welcome Back” of sorts as people return from vacation schedules and more. We invite you to join us to explore how the Lord might be calling you to something more…a Bible Study, service in the community, learning more about the faith by attending Catholicism 101 classes, fellowship and community with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Ask the Lord in these weeks leading up to this event just what He may have in mind for you!
Check out our ad on page 4 this week, and watch for our special bulletin edition the weekend of the event!
Come and See!
Shayne Slough
Director of Parish Life
PS—Speaking of service opportunities, if you’d like to help out the weekend of the event or donate any gift cards as prizes, please contact me at shayne@saintjohnjackson.org
PPS—Did I mention that we’d have prize drawings? All you need to do is turn in a Come & See form that weekend, and we’ll draw from those who participated.