Walk through the Liturgy of the Mass with Bishop Barron and you’ll be transformed through insights on this most privileged and intimate encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ. See how the Mass brings us out of the fallen world and into the heavenly realm, how it resonates with a call from God and a response from His people, the Church, and, most importantly, how we are intimately joined with the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus through the Holy Eucharist. The Mass will help you understand how to fully, consciously, and actively participate in the source and summit of the Christian life. This 6-week series will be led by Father Hudgin and held on Tuesday afternoons (12:30 to 2:00 p.m.) and Thursday evenings (6:30 to 8:00 p.m.), beginning January 8th and 10th respectively, in the East Campus Meeting Rooms and Family Center. The sessions will conclude on February 12 and 14. Please register by January 2nd by calling the Parish Center at 419-885-5791, or email at jdenyer@stjoesylvania.org. We hope you will consider participating in this new program by Bishop Robert Barron, The Mass.
Memory Tree The Christmas Memory Tree will once again be outside the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Please feel free to add the name of your loved one who has passed on to God’s Kingdom to a paper ornament and hang it on the tree. They will be remembered by all throughout the Christmas Season. You may take the ornament home to hang on your tree at any time if you wish.
Christmas Bells are ringing a message for all who are feeling overwhelmed with news that a family member or friend is being treated for a health concern or perhaps just needs prayer. Deb’s Ministry of Prayer and Hope invites you to join us in prayer and friendship on Wednesday, December 5 at 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Daily Mass Chapel. Our group offers PRAYER AND HOPE for those with health concerns or anyone requesting prayers. Give the gift of prayer to those in need. Our group is confidential and handicap accessible. For further questions, please call Sue Cutshall at 419-882- 4183.
Evening Prayer During Advent Vespers (Evening Prayer) will take place in Church on December 4, December 11, and December 18th from 7: 00 to 7:30 p.m. All parishioners are invited to this public prayer as a way of celebrating this seasonal time of expectation and preparing us for the joyful coming of our Lord, Jesus. Vespers is one of the prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours – the public prayer of the Church for praising God and sanctifying the day. Please join us as we give thanks for the blessings of the day! All Catholics are called to this prayer.
Energize is a fun/social group in youth ministry. The goal of Energize is to actively grow in our faith through fun games, food and outings. It is a great place to be silly and meet new friends! Energize is for youth in grades 6-8. We meet from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on the West Campus. The dates for Energize are: January 4, 2019, March 1, 2019 and May 3, 2019 Energize Junior is for youth in grades 3-5 and has the same goal as Energize. The dates for Energize Junior are: December 7, 2018 February 1, 2019 April 5, 2019 Participation Sign-up will be available a week or two before the event on the Youth Ministry Page of the Parish Website. Please register so that we can be ready for you!! If you have questions regarding Energize, please contact the Office of Youth Catechesis and Formation at 419-885-2181.
We still have more than 80 families to place and we need your help to meet our goal to have each one adopted! We have single and elderly couples available, as well as families from 2-5 people in them. Adopting provides a wonderful opportunity to work with family and friends spreading Christ’s message of love. To adopt, please contact Laurie Foster LCMR59@ bex.net, 419-460-1702 (text or call), or sign up on the form at our display in the narthex of church. You pick the size of family and will receive detailed shopping and delivery guidelines. Many volunteers are needed during the first 2 weeks of December, wrapping, checking in gifts as parishioners drop them off , and delivery of Heroes in Action family gifts. Please contact Sue Jurski at suejurski@bex. net or 419-350-8161 if you can help. Thank you!
We will have a Parish celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Rite of Penance) on Tuesday evening, December 18th at 7:30 p.m. in the Church. It will follow the Liturgy of the Hours – Evening Prayer that begins at 7:00 p.m. and all are invited to attend. The cry of the prophet to “prepare the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3) echoes throughout the season of Advent. Our Church has long used this mantra as a call to the faithful to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance as a preparation for Christmas. Our spiritual preparation is to remove any sin from our hearts so that we might be ready to accept His presence worthily, and His gift of peace.
Annual Day of Prayer for Sanctification of Priests Kindly remember in prayer all our Priests serving in the Diocese of Toledo, as they gather on Monday, December 3 for the annual Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey. Through our prayers, may the Lord grant them grace, peace, renewed fidelity, and the consolation of His presence.
Giving Tree: The tree was in the sanctuary last weekend, November 24th and 25th. There will be about 1,800 felt ornaments individually tagged for a specific need or want. EACH TAG REPRESENTS A PERSON. The importance of these items cannot be expressed even though they may seem small. After Mass, we invite you to take as many tags as you like from the tree. Please buy the item, wrap it (unless denoted, DO NOT WRAP on tag), securely TAPE the tag to the present and return to your charity’s bin this weekend, December 2nd thru 4th. All items must have a tag to ensure they are delivered to the proper charity. Tags are recycled the following year whenever possible. The gratitude expressed by all the people we have served as a parish is immeasurable and I would like to thank you all in advance for your participation. During a time when so many people are facing financial distress, it is comforting to have the stability offered by the Saint Joseph Parish family. Please don’t hesitate to contact me or Jan Redmann with any questions, Kara Nachtrab (419-356- 4441/knachtrab@gmail.com) or Jan Redmann (419-843-5321).
Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast! Sunday, December 9, 2018, after the 7:30 and 9:30 Masses in the Banquet Hall. Please join us for unlimited pancakes and toppings. Also serving sausage, scrambled eggs, juice, milk and coffee. Families $25.00, Twelve and older are $6.00, Five to eleven are $3.00, and Under five years old are free!
