September 2018 Newsletter

Transcription

1 September 2018 Newsletter

2 Holy Family Mass/Weekly Schedule Saturday: 5:00pm Sunday: 9:00 & 11:00am W-Fri: 9:00am Adoration: Thurs: 9:30am-7pm Sacraments: Baptism & Sacrament of Matrimony: (616) Reconciliation: Saturdays 4:00-4:30pm Office Hours: 8:30-4:30 M-Th, Fri 8:30-12:00 Phone: Fax: Website: Pastor: Fr. Loc Trinh SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM For Infants and Young Children If you will be presenting your child for the Sacrament of Baptism in the coming months, the Diocese of Grand Rapids requires parents attend a Parenting/Baptism Class. We encourage expectant parents to attend before your child is born to ensure that enough time is allowed for proper preparation for this Sacrament. We also encourage you to carefully review the qualifications for Godparents before asking the candidates you re considering. Please go to the parish website to read about Baptisms here at Holy Family Parish, to obtain a Baptism Application Form to register for a Baptism and a class, and to see the class and Mass schedule, I would like to. Contact Christine Shafer with questions you have. The next class is November 7, 2018 at 6:30pm; registration is needed using the application form. Sacrament of Marriage Congratulations to Kelly & Zachary Marsh Quinn & J.R. James Who were married at Holy Family recently. We pray their Marriage be blessed with happiness, strength, and ministry to others. As well, please hold in prayer the following couples preparing at Holy Family for the Sacrament of Matrimony. Nicole Chase & Andrew Tibbe Stephanie O Connor & Ryan Coe We pray that this period of engagement be one of strengthening their bond, learning more about one another and the permanent bond they will form, and a witness to the World of the love Jesus has for each of us and His Church. May they find many blessings during this period of preparation. What s happening at Holy Family... September /1 Men s Adoration and Prayer Group 6am 9/3 Parish Office Closed 9/4 Blood Drive 2-7pm Adoptive Parent Support Group 6pm 9/6 Caregiver Support & Prayer Group 6:30pm 9/8 Men s Adoration and Prayer Group 6am Welcome Weekend 5pm Mass 9/9 Welcome Weekend 9am & 11am Mass Catholics Returning Home group after 9am Mass Baptism Mass 11am 9/10 SoulCore 7pm 9/11 Food Pantry Self Shop 4-5:30pm Order of the Secular Franciscans 7pm 9/12 That Man Is You 6am 9/13 Job Transition Group 10am Food Pantry Self Shop 10-11:30am Family to Family Mental Illness Support 6:30pm Grieving with Great Hope Support Group 6:30pm Special Needs Parent Support Group 6:30pm Divorce Support Group 6:30pm 9/15 Men s Adoration and Prayer Group 6am 9/16 Catholics Returning Home group after 9am Mass Top of the Hill Gang Potluck 12:30pm 9/19 That Man Is You 6am Council of Catholic Women Membership Mtg 1pm 9/20 Grieving with Great Hope Support Group 6:30pm Family to Family Mental Illness Support 6:30pm Divorce Support Group 6:30pm 9/22 Men s Adoration and Prayer Group 6am 9/23 Catholics Returning Home group after 9am Mass 9/26 That Man Is You 6am Widow/Widower Mass and Offsite Breakfast 9am 9/27 Family to Family Mental Illness Support 6:30pm Grieving with Great Hope Support Group 6:30pm Soul Core 6:30pm Cancer Support Group 6:30pm Divorce Support Group 6:30pm Knights of Columbus General Membership Mtg 7pm 9/29 Men s Adoration and Prayer Group 6am 9/30 Catholics Returning Home group after 9am Mass Don t forget to put on your nametag for welcome weekend, September 8/9 and introduce yourself to someone you have never met! Holy Family Parish Mission Statement We are called as a family to know, love and serve God. 2

3 Caregiver Support & Prayer Group Whether you re caring for a spouse, aging parent, ill friend, elderly neighbor or adult child with special needs, either nearby or from a distance, either in a care facility or at home, you are a Caregiver. Caregivers need support, resources, ideas, nourishment. Please join other caregivers on September 6 at 6:30pm in the lower level at Holy Family. The meetings are a time to learn, pray, share experiences, ask questions, and grow. We use Nourish for Caregivers which is a Catholic Christian based caregiver group format that gives various topics for discussion. You do not have to be Catholic to benefit from this group! We hope you can make it! Our future meeting dates are the first Thursday of the month and will be: October 4, November 8, and December 6. A reminder that the meetings are open to those you may know who could benefit. Feel free to invite them! Cancer Support & Prayer Group Those with cancer, those in remission, survivors, and caregivers/loved ones are welcome; all ages, stages & diagnoses, to our Cancer Support & Prayer Group. The group will meet each Last Thursday of the month. Please share this with your friends and family affected by cancer. The first gathering for our cancer support & prayer group will be Thursday, September 27 at 6:30pm at Holy Family, Lower Level room 6. The meetings will offer an opportunity for support through prayer, open discussion about one s own personal experiences and challenges, resources available in our community, speakers on topics such as nutrition, side effects, stress, communication, care options, saints to look to, and ways to support one another. This support group is to allow persons touched by cancer to be with others touched by cancer to gain insight, support, pray for one another, and share in a warmhearted and understanding environment. We will primarily be using the resources from Our Journey of Hope and Together Living with Cancer, both Christian/biblical/faith based materials, as well as several resources that are specifically Catholic. If you have questions, want to be on the contact list/register, or have an interest in assisting with this ministry, please contact Christine Shafer, cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org or x224. Job Transition Group This ministry serves Holy Family parishioners and community members considering a job change, between jobs, entering the workforce for the first time, considering getting back into the workforce or exploring new opportunities. The goal of the ministry is to provide attendees with information, contacts, and leads to support them in their search. Each meeting starts with short networking introductions of all attendees and ends with prayer. Some meetings will have a speaker on various job-related topics. No registration is required; although feel free to contact Christine Shafer to get on the contact list for meeting reminders, updates, cancellations, etc. Just come to network and learn new search strategies! Bring your resume if you d like! If you have any questions about this ministry, please contact Christine Shafer, x224 or cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org. Meetings are held the 2 nd Thursday of the month in the parish library from 10-11am. Our first meeting will be Thursday, Sept. 13. Please share this with anyone who might benefit. (If you are interested in this group and are not available during the daytime, please let Christine Shafer know so an evening group can be added if needed.) Employers/ HR Managers/ Business Owners/ Potential Speakers If you have job openings, are available for informational meetings with job seekers, are able to meet with individuals for career coaching, resume/application coaching, networking, etc., enjoy referring eligible candidates to your employer (potentially for a referral bonus), or able to speak at a meeting on a job search related topic, please contact Christine Shafer. Fourth Wednesdays For Widows & Widowers! If you have lost your spouse, please join others like you for Morning Mass and breakfast each month. It's an understanding and caring group, who have some laughs, share common experiences, and swap stories. People who attend say how nice it is to be with others who understand by walking the same path of loss same, but different. We come to Mass in the St. Patrick Chapel at Holy Family at 9 a.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month, and then go out for breakfast, coffee, or brunch. September 26 th we ll go up the street to The Vault Café on Main Street in Caledonia. If you would like to know more or double check that you have the right date, contact Christine Shafer in the office. We look forward to seeing you! BIAMI Conference The Brain Injury Association of Michigan s Annual Fall Conference is the largest of its kind in the country and is excellent! It is in Lansing on Sept It averages over 140 exhibitors and over 1500 attendees each year. The event has the purpose of providing state-of-the art information about brain injury treatment and therapies, which will maximize rehabilitation and foster a good quality of life. The conference is designed to benefit therapy providers with their patients, as well as caregivers and brain injury survivors. Survivors can get one day free by becoming members of BIAMI (which is also free). Holy Family is passing along this excellent opportunity to our parishioners with brain injuries in order to support you in your journey of healing; know that we also hold you in prayer. For parishioners who may not be familiar with brain injury (sometimes formerly called concussions), in Michigan, 58,500 will sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year; in our parish, we are aware of at least 22 parishioners with brain injuries, and there are likely many more whom we don t know about. Feel free to visit the BIAMI website to learn more about brain injuries: help, hope, healing. Website: 3

4 Holy Family Parish is a community who Knows Loves Serves. Parishioners can volunteer to comfort and support our bereaved, terminally ill, sick, homebound, divorced, living with cancer, caregivers, mentally ill, developmentally disabled, and other persons/families. Consider these opportunities. Contact Christine Shafer in the parish office if you are interested in learning more. cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org x224 Phone-A-Friend Keep in touch with a parishioner who could use the call each week or two. They ll know someone cares and we ll know when they need something more. This is a ministry a homebound person can do for others, too. Calls may be to the homebound, those suffering from a mental health crisis, caring for a loved one, going through a divorce, new baby/mom, etc. Callers will be matched to the person they are calling, and the callers can pass on an invitation to be the caller if it doesn t seem like a good fit or situation for them. Greeting Card Ministry These volunteers reach out to the bereaved for the first year following their loss or other parishioners in special situations by sending cards and notes periodically. These could be cards of support, prayer and care, or could be congratulatory like retirements, pregnancy, weddings, anniversaries and a new baby. Companion Ministry Qualifications include compassionate adults comfortable with difficult life circumstances (illness, dying, divorce, parenting, emptynest, loss of a child, grief) that can be open to all people and possess good listening skills. The companion journey typically lasts 3 months to a year and usually includes a weekly or monthly visit, phone calls/texts, and maybe an outing now and then depending on the scenario. Training is provided. Witnesses on Wheels Sometimes parishioners are no longer able to drive. They might need a ride to a parish event, like a party or speaker, or to Mass, or sometimes even to appointments or a few errands. If you wouldn t mind being called upon to see if you could help with transportation occasionally, we can add you to our rotating list of Witnesses on Wheels. You can say no if it won t work for you this time, or you don t feel comfortable with the situation you re being asked to help with. Helping Hands Helping Hands members may be called upon to help with small home repairs, yard work or clean up, Light housework, running errands, reading and visiting, baby care, helping to care for small children when a mother is on bedrest, raking leaves, light handyman help, reviewing/reading difficult documents, moving something, or building/installing a safety or mobility aid such as shower bars or wheelchair ramp. These services are for shut-ins, the ill, families with emergencies like house fires, storm damage, or temporary disability. When volunteering to help, please let us know if there is an area that is your preference or specialty, or if there is an area that would not be in your realm of skill or gift so we know whom to call upon as needs arise. Take Them A Meal - Meal Ministry Our parish is seeking people who would like to bring meals to parishioners in their time of need. This might be while a family is experiencing a death in the family, post-surgery when the extra help could make a lot of difference, after a new baby in the family, and a number of other times. Lisa Ziemke is coordinating this ministry of care and full bellies, but meal-makers are needed. You will be notified of an opportunity for meals and given instructions on delivery address, time to deliver, food allergies, etc., and then can sign up for a meal. If you would like to be put on the notification list, please contact the parish office by or phone. Many parishioners have benefitted from the generosity and cooking of volunteers, sharing their care and love through meals. Catechetical Conference witness and testify 1 John 1:1 The 35th annual Parish Ministry and Catechetical Conference will again have something for everyone to enrich their ministry experience on Saturday, Sept. 29 at West Catholic High School. Over 70 workshops and two all day institutes will be offered. Workshops include topics on: Leadership and communication RCIA Ministry with youth and families Sacraments and Prayer Interfaith dialogue Adult faith formation The institutes You will be my Witnesses : Shaping a Gospel Spirituality Engagement and Encounters in the Classroom Whether you are a teacher by profession, a new volunteer catechist, a veteran parish catechetical leader, liturgical minister, parish youth ministry coordinator, youth ministry team member, or pastoral associate, this day will offer you an opportunity to grow in faith and knowledge. The Conference is paid for by Holy Family so there is no cost to you. Watch the website and Ministry Cart for registration information. 4

5 Ready. Set. GO! Here comes the start of a new school year for a lot of us. I hope all of you had enough summer to eat your fair share of ice cream cones! I always find it a little sad to watch as summer passes into fall, but at the same time; I am looking forward to the full year ahead. One change I m making this year involves our Youth Music Ministry Program. I ve tried to simplify things a bit by only offering one youth choir. Children grades 2-5 will be invited to sing together in our Youth Ministry Choir. This group will no longer rehearse before CFF on Monday or Wednesday evenings. The kids have such a busy, long school day that adding extra time to those days seems to be difficult for both parents and kids. Instead, youth choir will meet after the 11:00 Mass from 12:15-1:15 in the choir room. This way parents can enjoy coffee and doughnuts, or make a quick run to the grocery store after Mass while the kids are at rehearsal with me and Sheryl. No more extra trips back to church during the week trying to juggle another thing beyond getting your kids to weekly CFF classes. Choir will begin for the kids, October 14 th, after your fall schedule has gotten a good start. Youth Choir will sing four times during the year at two Masses during Ordinary Time, as well as, Christmas Eve, Easter Sunday morning and First Communion, the week after Easter. Our program will finish on April 28 th. There will also be a nice break from rehearsals after Christmas until the middle of February and, of course, Spring Break. I have some fun things planned for this group. Our first Pizza Movie Night will be on Friday, October 19 th here at the church. We had such a great time last year! Music ministry goes far beyond music. I look forward to building this group into a ministry that becomes a special community of friends that not only sing together, but learns to minister to each other and to our parish family; God in motion. Teens in grades 6 and up will be filtered into a Praise and Worship group that will sing once a month at the 5:00 pm Mass on Saturday evenings, as well as the 7:00 pm Mass on Christmas Eve. Rehearsals will be held from 4:30-5:30 on Sunday evenings before CFF classes starting on September 30 th. From time to time this group will also lead some Praise and Worship music that Whitney would like to include during Sunday evening class time. Rehearsals will be held two Sunday evenings per month. We are so excited to get both of these choirs off the ground this fall! Music Ministry is a great place for kids to become active in what will hopefully become a lifetime of service and fun for them and for the future parish communities they will serve as adults. Please me with any questions you might have. We will have sign up tables at coffee and doughnuts the weekends of September 9 th and 16 th Hope to see you then! Lisa ~ music@holyfamilycaledonia.org Grief & Loss Support Group Perhaps you have lost a loved one during the last few years. It may feel like you want to get back to normal or others are making you feel like life should be moving on, but your life has been changed forever by this loss. You d like to share the grief you are still experiencing and receive help along the journey. We offer Grieving with Great Hope, a 5 week support program with education on the grief journey. Parishioners have found this program to be helpful and comforting, giving them hope for their loved one s eternal rest and their own hope for joy and hope in this life on earth. For more information on this process, more can be seen at index.html. If you have lost a spouse, a child (including pregnancy loss), a grandchild, a parent, another family member or a friend, you are encouraged to attend. This group combines the Catholic faith with practical learning and personal fellowship. The workshop presentations will be given in DVD format, and then there is time for prayer and supportive discussion led by a trained facilitator. The next group will run on Thursday evenings from Sept. 13-Oct. 18 at 6:30pm in Lower Level room #7. Contact Christine Shafer x224 for more information or to inquire or register. There is a $15 registration fee to cover the cost of the participant guide; if a financial burden, assistance is available. Please pre-register for childcare. Holding Our Military Personnel & Their Families in Prayer Help us provide prayer support and recognition for the men and women of Holy Family and our loved ones who are serving in active duty in the United States Armed Forces. If you have a family member or close friend serving in active duty whom we could prayerfully support for their health, well-being and safe return, please contact Christine in the office. We would also like to post a list on our military board in Ministry Hallway. Please provide the name, rank and branch of service of your loved one(s). If you have a photo of him or her please submit this to the parish office so we can add it to our board as well (4 x6 preferred). CHRIS STEFANICK is coming to ST. JOHN VIANNEY PARISH (Wyoming, MI) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, :00 9:30 PM Go to to purchase tickets ($22) 5

6 Surgery, Illness, Pregnancy, Family Crisis, Death ---- Communicate Early & Often If you or a loved one are hospitalized, in a nursing facility, having surgery, or experiencing an illness, are pregnant, experiencing a family crisis, or have lost a loved one, please contact Christine Shafer in the parish office by phone or early on in the illness. It is often difficult to arrange for sacraments, visits, or pastoral services from your church on short notice. Please let us know if something is happening with your loved ones early on, even if you call us just to let us know to have it on our radar. This way we may pray for you, bring you a prayer shawl or care package, offer you our parish care ministries, set up the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick when appropriate, or offer Eucharist to the homebound where needed. Most hospitals have Holy Communion ministers arranged if you ask for this from the Hospital Pastoral Care Ministry while there, but if you need help getting this arranged, please let us know. Of course there are emergencies that can t be planned for, and for those, Chris answers the emergency line and will get back to you promptly or make arrangements for emergency care if needed. The Lord listens to our prayers. It is important for us to be praying for one another and our needs as a parish community. When you have a prayer intention, there are several avenues for requesting those prayers around Holy Family. Prayer intentions can be specified, or may be anonymous by stating for a special intention or for the prayer intention of. Parish bulletin: contact the parish office to be added to the prayer list in the weekly bulletin to be held in prayer by fellow parishioners. chain: contact Marcia Dohm, parishioner, if you would like to offer a prayer intention or to be added as a recipient of the s to pray for others. momdohmnew@yahoo.com Parish Staff prayer: the parish staff holds your prayers dear and will often pray for your prayer intentions at weekday Mass or in personal or staff prayer. Contact the parish office or Christine Shafer if you would like to request to be added to the staff prayer. Mass Intention: you may contact the parish office to schedule a weekday Mass to pray for your prayer intention. Coffee and Donut s Beginning September 16 we will be back to our regular donut schedule of after the 9am and 11am Masses. God At Work - Auction 2018 After many months of team work from the auction committee we had a very successful and fun evening for our second Holy Family Auction. Through the generous donations of many parishioner, friends and local businesses we were able to raise $49, The money was donated to our local Veteran s Home to help purchase items on their wish list and to pay for a container of medical supplies to be shipped to Uganda. Both very worthwhile causes. Please consider volunteering to help with the next auction and attending this evening of fun and fellowship. More to follow in the bulletin in the coming months. Rachel s Vineyard Weekend Retreat October Rachel's Vineyard is a weekend where you will get a chance to get away from all the daily pressures of work and family and focus on this painful time in your life through a supportive and non-judgmental process. The time away provides an opportunity to deeply enter the grieving process and identify all the ways your abortion may have effected you. Mourning and grieving are necessary milestones which must be passed so that our lives can continue. When this process is complete there is re-birth and resurrection. There is new life within our spirit which gives us hope in the future. There is an opportunity to explore our lives, and appreciate our human fragility. Through a very personal and intimate encounter with the Living God, we come to know that God knows and loves us despite our many weaknesses and human failures. To register contact Maggie Walsh , toll free at or mwalsh@ccwestmi.org Adoptive Parent Support Group The Adoptive Family Support Network holds an Adoptive Parent Support Group here at Holy Family once a month. The group offers parent -to-parent support, trainings, and more for those parents who have adopted. The groups are through DA Blodgett, and the one at Holy Family is run by a parishioner. The group meets the 1st Tuesday of each month from 6-8pm. Please contact Shelley Garcia gro.nsfa@aicrags (616) for more information or with questions. 6

7 Stewardship Corner Where Not If We re still in the grip of a hot and sunny summer, but September brings a wakeup call. By August s end, visiting relatives have gone home, schools will be open, swimming pools will be closed, and college kids have packed up and left for the halls of academia. What s all that mean for the Christian steward? As we journey through September, parishes begin to team with plans and new vitality. The parish is where the Church lives, and stewards are the lifeblood of a successful parish. In the parish, we find community and support, liturgy and ritual, sacrament and healing. In the parish, we find a way to give and a way to receive. On a practical level, fall is the time when parish planning gears up for the seasons ahead. Now, for a Christian steward, is the time to prayerfully consider your own involvement in the life of the parish in the coming year. How might we serve and be served? The Christian steward knows participation in the parish is a win-win situation, feeding us as we feed others. Where to begin? Our parish website or the staff can provide a list of ministries in the parish. What calls to you? Respond to your deep desire. Maybe you re the party planner who d love to serve on the parish life ministry. Or perhaps you have a heart for helping the bereaved. Are you called to lector, or perhaps to take the Eucharist to the homebound? Maybe this is the year you need to soak in the fruits of adult education. Possibly you see a ministry missing and want to propose it. Maybe you see the future in our youth and want to work with our children and teens. Maybe your heart needs healing and encouragement, and a support group is the place for you. Perhaps, as a long time steward, you want to be part of revitalizing the stewardship efforts of your parish. September is a perfect time to reflect on where not if -- you are called. September provides time to decompress from a busy, fun summer and pray about where your own road to discipleship leads you next. Pope Francis says, if you re not doing something as a disciple, DO SOMETHING. New Online Giving Information Holy Family will be transitioning in the next few months to a new online payment program and phasing out the Paypal option. We have chosen to roll out a new online giving option that better fits with our new database system. Recently, Holy Family converted the parish database to ParishSoft to better fit with our diocesan accounting system. ParishSoft Giving will be the new vendor that we will be using for online giving. We will also be offering a mobile app and text giving options. For those of you that are using the Paypal and OSV Online giving options, a letter will be sent explaining what needs to be done to make the change to ParishSoft if you wish. Please watch the bulletins for more information to come! Catholics Returning Home Do you know someone who has been away from the Catholic Church for a while? Have you ever heard them thinking of returning, but they aren t sure they can, or if they should, or what to do? If so, we would like to welcome them back to their home, the Catholic Church. We would like to address their questions and make them feel at home once more in the Catholic Church. We would like to bring peace to any areas of frustration or hurt that may have caused them to leave the Church or just slowly stop coming to Mass. Whether they were hurt by a member of the clergy, by a lay person, went through a time of trial in their life and just fell away, got angry with God in a time of pain and crisis, or aren t even sure why they are away, we are here with open arms, ready to talk and listen. A couple of times a year we have a special ministry for Catholics who have been away from the church, who have questions and are thinking about the possibility of returning. The Catholics Returning Home program is a series of four to six sessions which include the stories of returning Catholics, an opportunity for questions and answers, as well as an update on The Mass, The Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Vatican II and the Church Today. It is low pressure, and no decision to return is forced or expected. The sessions are presented by a team of adults who have been away from the church, have happily returned and are now actively involved. Respect and compassion will always be demonstrated. If you know of someone who has been an inactive Catholic and has been thinking about returning to the Church, please let them know of this nonjudgmental and loving opportunity. Send them a text inviting to them to come; tell them you ll come with them and sit there with them to listen; send them an or give a phone call. Bump into them in your neighborhood, grocery store, kid s practice, school parking lot; share the Facebook post far and wide or send it by private message to someone you know and love who would be intrigued by the invitation. If you have any questions, please call Christine Shafer in the parish office at x224 or cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org. The Fall 2018 Catholics Returning Home will begin Sunday, September 9, after 9am Mass at Holy Family Church in Caledonia in the church library. Bread Bakers Wanted! Do you enjoy making yummy homemade bread? Our welcome ministry gifts our new parishioners a fresh bread, baked with love by our own parish family, on welcome weekends. If you would like to be on the bread baking rotation, please call or the office to be put on our list, and when it s your turn, you ll be contacted. Any type of yummy bread is welcome when it s your turn. 7

8 Special Needs Parent Support Group Never Alone Special Needs Parent Support is a monthly support group for parents (or primary care givers) of children and adults with special needs. Parents with children/adults with learning, social, intellectual/cognitive, physical, medical, developmental, emotional or behavioral needs are welcome. The group is called Never Alone, in order to emphasize that parents like yourselves aren t alone on your journey of caring for, advocating for, guiding, loving your special needs child/adult. The support group serves to bring parents together to support and encourage one another, build friendships in the faith community, connect with resources and ideas, and pray together for strength, guidance, courage and the group s special intentions. The mission is to provide a supportive environment where we can help each other to cope with life in a positive way, share experiences, discuss various topics and resources, pray together, and find support in the church for our special families. The first meeting will be Sept. 13 at 6:30pm, and every 2 nd Thursday thereafter. There will be sharing among parents, some months there may be a short speaker, and some months there may be a discussion topic. The group meets at Holy Family Church in Lower Level room 6. Childcare may be provided with advanced registration of at least one week ahead of the meetings. Please contact Christine Shafer to register and get on the contact list, cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org or x224. Make a Connection That Could Save Lives - Donate Blood Holy Family will be hosting the next Caledonia Community Church blood drive on Tuesday, September 4th from 2:00 to 7:00 pm. Donations are needed to sustain blood inventory after the long holiday weekend. By sharing 45 minutes of time you could save someone s life. You only need to be at least 16 years old (with parental permission), weigh 110 pounds and healthy. Females age 18 and younger must weigh 120 pounds or more. Please consider giving the gift of life. A new process has been implemented to enhance the donor experience. Appointment times are every 5 minutes. Donors without appointments will be fit into an open timeslot. You may schedule an appointment up until noon the day of the blood drive. If interested in donating blood you may sign up online at donate.miblood.org/donor/schedules/ drive_schedule/ or call Char Mello, chairperson Please join us for good fellowship, trail mix and snacks. Childcare is available by appointment only. Coming to Holy Family twice a month this year! SoulCore is a movement that pairs core strengthening, stretching and functional movement with the prayers of the rosary. A sensory experience combining candlelight, music, scripture and movement to nourish body, mind & soul and encourage deeper reflection on the virtues of the rosary. SoulCore is not affiliated with any other exercise discipline. It is not yoga, nor are yoga poses or Sanskrit referenced at any time. SoulCore is simply an invitation to discover the beauty of the rosary; a gentle path to grow in virtue and interior peace. SoulCore is an invitation to integrate body & soul in prayer, fully orienting the heart & mind toward Christ, while discovering the beauty of the rosary. What Does The Workout Entail? The workout involves a combination of core-strengthening and isometric exercises, stretching and overall strengthening of the entire body. We begin with some basic stretches to warm up the body and recite the Apostle s Creed. Push-ups are done throughout each of the Our Father s. The movements vary for each of the Hail Mary s. And a stretching position of surrender brings us to each Glory Be. Each Mystery begins with a scripture verse and a reflection, offering a time of rest. The end result is a feeling of relaxation, strength and renewal of body, mind and soul. A preview video can be viewed at: SoulCore will be held on the 2 nd Mondays at 7-8:00pm & 4 th Thursdays at 6:30-7:30pm (September 10 & 27), usually in St. Mary Hall East. Watch the bulletin for a few dates this year when the class won t be held according to schedule or may be moved from St. Mary Hall. Contact Christine Shafer in the parish office with questions. Bring an exercise mat (or beach towel) and water. THIRSTY? Do you know someone not baptized or baptized in a non-catholic Christian tradition, who is thirsting for what it means to become Catholic? Do you know someone who wants to know Jesus? Is there someone you know who has asked about your faith, who asks you questions about the Catholic Church, or who is looking for guidance, an anchor, or hope? Do you know someone already Catholic but has not yet received Confirmation & Communion? They may be thirsting too! Do you know someone who has been coming to Mass for years, but is hesitant to join the Catholic Church due to time constraints, fears, myths, privacy, family or other reasons? Many people are thirsty today both young and old! Please contact Christine Shafer in the parish office to discuss joining the Catholic Church whether you re looking for information for getting started for yourself, want to ask some questions about the Catholic Faith that you have wanted answered, or to talk about how to encourage someone you know to take that first step in faith. cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org 8

9 Evangelize? Catholics Say What? For years the Catholic Church and various Popes have talked about evangelization and the New Evangelization. Maybe you ve heard those terms and thought you would evangelize someone if they ever ask you about your faith or maybe you ve thought it s something others do, going door-to-door, or deciding your faith is a private matter. Well, Jesus clearly gave us a command to Go! And make disciples! The Catholic New Evangelization is about converting our active Catholic hearts and lives, the inactive Catholics those who are away from the Church, and those who don t have a faith or aren t affiliated with a church. Evangelization also includes children and youth. Evangelization is basically following one of the missions of the Church, to bring others to a deep relationship with Jesus Christ, Our Lord. We are looking to form an Evangelization Team (E-Team). The team will have a clear picture of the present situation of the parish, and how the parish can advance in evangelization over the next five years. While some of the team s attention will focus on the ongoing transformation of active parishioners, the majority of its attention will focus on those who are not present Catholics who are no longer active in their faith, and the growing number of people who have no active church family in the Caledonia/Middleville area. Even the most successful parishes are missing almost 60% of Catholics (not to mention people hungering for faith). So that s about 2/3rds of the Caledonia/Middleville area whom we could be reaching, who were born with that place in their soul that longs for Christ. Who Makes Up the Team? The ideal evangelization team would have between 6-10 members. Others in the parish, of course, will also get involved in the organizing of evangelization work (of course, everyone is involved in the doing of evangelization work!). These members would have the broad support of the parish, the pastoral council, and the general lay ministers of a parish, as they will interact with all ministries in the parish in increasing the evangelization efforts in all ministries. The members will not necessarily be perfect because they are pillars of the parish, or involved in everything. In some cases, the great members will be those who were inactive Catholics or had no faith and found the Catholic Church. The team will meet mostly on a monthly basis. The members see themselves as facilitators of evangelization in the parish midwifing strategies and pastoral initiatives more than as the direct agents of these pastoral initiatives, although members will surely want to be actively involved in some way. The members are somewhat visionary folks, but also folks who can activate the parish membership in evangelization and passing on the faith. They can be acutely aware that we are a parish of about 1100 households, but should be a parish of about 3300 households. While other parishioners tend to the ministries in the parish for those who are already here, this team will also look outside of those who are here, and yearn to meet those who haven t come back to the Church or found a church home yet. Team members will also be comfortable with studying and learning from trends, data, methods. Hmmm. Now What? If this team seems to nudge you, interest you, speak to you, please Christine Shafer in the parish office. Please include a bit about why you would like to be a part of this team. If you don t think the team is for you, why not nominate another person in the parish who would be great on the team. You can either tap the person yourself, or you can Chris to recommend them and she will contact the person either with your recommendation or anonymously. Go! And make disciples! cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org CSA Update We would like to bring this year s Catholic Services Appeal to a close. First of all, thank you to all those who participated in this year s campaign. Your pledges are vitally important in continuing God s work here in our parish, the diocese and beyond. Your yes, will make a difference in supporting the many programs sponsored through CSA. Secondly we were called to a pretty hefty increase in our parish goal of $162,992, and to date we have received pledges of $161,034. This leaves us still short by $1,958. Again, thank you to all those who have committed to this year s CSA campaign with their pledges, please make sure you follow through in your giving. To those who have not given, we are asking you to prayerfully consider to do so now. We have 1,005 registered families here at Holy Family and of those 1,005 families, 410 families have participated in this year s campaign. That leaves us with 595 families who have not. So I was thinking, if we had 80 more families give at least $25.00, we would easily hit our goal and more. That would put us at $2,000. Yes, that would put us over but that is okay, because every dollar we go over we will get back for us to use here at Holy Family. So if you are one of those 595 families who elected not to participate, it is okay to change your mind, right now! All you have to do is pull out the check book, or pull $25.00 out of your pocket and designate it to the CSA Campaign. You can give it to the office either by mailing it, dropping it by, or better yet put it in an envelope (write CSA on the envelope) and drop it in the collection basket. You will be glad you did. Remember, God loves a cheerful giver! Again, thank you to all who participated in this year s CSA campaign! Pete Murray CSA Campaign Chair, Holy Family 9 9

10 Register soon as classes are being formed now! Here s how to get a form (pick one option): Pick up a registration packet from the Ministry Cart. Print your registration form from the website. Complete the form using the fillable.pdf link found on our website. Here s how to submit your registration (pick one option): Via to Mary Krell at mkrell@holyfamilycaledonia.org. (If using the fillable pdf, be sure to save it and then the saved form.) Fax forms to Drop in the secure mailbox in the Parish Office Reception Area. In person to the CFF office. You can make your tuition payment by check, cash or by using the Giving and Payments link on our website (choose CFF Tuition). If you have any questions, please call the CFF office at Faith Formation Volunteers Formation and Training dates Catholic School Tuition Fund - Holy Family Futures Foundation Holy Family s Futures Foundation is made up of two funds: the Founders Endowment Fund and the Catholic School Tuition Fund. The Founders Endowment Fund contains restricted principal which generates interest and dividends. The Catholic School Tuition Fund annually distributes a limited number of grants to families, which will assist with Catholic school tuition. The Holy Family Futures Foundation has granted tuition support of over $104,000 in the last 10 years. If your family needs financial assistance for Catholic school tuition (beyond parish support already received), you may apply to the Futures Foundation for a grant. Families interested in applying to the Futures Foundation for a 2018/2019 school year tuition grant can pick up an application from the Parish Office or the Ministry Cart to complete and turn in ASAP. This completed application, along with information from Smart Aid, will be utilized in the distribution of grant monies. There is a limited amount of funds to be distributed so please apply early. If you have any questions, please contact the Parish Office. The Foundation is also accepting donations to continue to build the Catholic Tuition Fund. Please remember us when making your annual charitable donations and or writing up your bequests during your financial planning. Thank you! Please mark your calendars to attend important trainings Formation and Training dates: EL Catechist & Aides for grades K-1 and 3-5 will have training on Mon., Sept. 24 from 6-8pm EL 2nd grade Catechist & Aides will have training on Tue., Sept. 25 from 6-8pm Middle School (6-8th gr.) Core Team: Sun., Sept 23 from 12-3pm High School (9-12th gr.) Core Team: Sun., Sept 30, from 12-3pm Young Adult Upcoming Events: Training date change for all EL/MS/HS Support Volunteers Our generation lives in a world of nearly unlimited choice, from the important (our careers, where to settle down) to the not-soimportant (there are now over 60 different Oreo flavors). With so many options, it s become harder and harder to make these choices and researchers tell us that the more options we have, the less satisfied we are with our choices. The Holy Spirit can help! Come, learn about and discuss the process of discernment. What it is, how it works, and how it can help us make important choices and feel more at peace with them. Oreos included! Registration Required: Call or register@catholicinformationcenter.org There is a special Safety & Security Training session that all Support Volunteers are asked to attend. The purpose of the training is to make sure that in case of an emergency in our facility, you are aware of how to respond. Incidents of all kinds happen every day in churches and we want to be able to prepare our volunteers on how best to respond to situations that may arise. Some of the topics to be discussed: Security, Emergency Evacuations, Medical Emergencies and New door locking procedures. You can choose from the following two dates: Wednesday, Sept. 19 or Tuesday, Sept. 25. Both trainings are at 6:30pm and will be held in the Holy Family Center Hall. Please contact the CFF office to RSVP for the day you will attend. Faith Formation Volunteers Are Needed Can You Lend A Helping Hand? Many volunteers are needed to make our programs a success. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, older brother or sister, neighbor or friend, WE NEED YOUR HELP! There is always a place where you can fit in. Please contact the CFF office at TODAY to volunteer! God s teaching is in his heart; his steps do not falter. Psalm 37:31 Holy Brew for Adults in their 20s and 30s: What s Brewing in Your Life? Discussion Topic: Choice, Discernment and the Holy Spirit Tuesday, September 18, 6-7:30pm With Fr. Michael Hennessy, CSP Meeting at Brewery Vivant (925 Cherry St SE, Grand Rapids Attention Parents - Sacrament Catch Up If for any reason your child missed a Sacrament at the typical age and you would like them to prepare and celebrate in the coming year, please contact Chris Shafer at ext. 224 or cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org as soon as possible, as arrangements are being made in the coming weeks. 10

11 Council of Catholic Women September We will be holding a coat drive to benefit local schools, and will be collecting new or gently used coats, sizes infant to adult. Anything that is not needed at the schools will be donated to a local Free Clothing Center. Look for the collection bins when you enter church at the Main & North entrances. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Membership Drive ~ September 15/16 & 22/23 We are seeking new members who would like to serve our Parish in a variety of ways, while experiencing joyful fellowship with their Catholic Sisters in Christ. If this sounds good to you, stop by the table in the Narthex after Mass for more information. Grand Rapids Council of Catholic Women s 79 th Annual Fall Seminar Brokenness, Mental Health; Faith and Family, will be held Tuesday, October 23 rd at St. Sebastian Parish Hall (behind the rectory) in Byron Center. The Most Reverend David J. Walkowiak, Bishop of Grand Rapids will celebrate Mass with us. Our guest speakers feature Christy Buck, be nice. Campaign and Kevin Matthews author of Broken Mary. Morning hospitality at 8:30am, Program 9am-3pm with lunch. Cost is $20. To register grdccw@dioceseofgrandrapdis.org or call (616) Deadline to register October 15 th. About the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Did you ever wonder what the Knights of Columbus is all about? We are the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. One of the pillars of our organization is Charity. Our council is involved in many projects throughout the year and on Saturday, September 8 th starting at about 9 AM at Paris Ridge Elementary school, the Knights will be helping with the Special Olympics Soccer tournament. Mark your calendars to help pass out food, help out our Special Olympians, give FREE hugs when they request it. This will be a great opportunity to see the Knights in action. Holy Family Breakfast Buffet will be held on Sunday, Sept 9 th after the 9:00 AM Mass. The Knight will be serving an awesome breakfast. Come and learn about the Knights while enjoying breakfast To become a Knight of Columbus, you must be a practicing Catholic gentleman and 18 years or older. For more information: Contact Phil France at md7341@mikofc.org or (616) Watch Youtube video: KofC an Invitition I am a Knight and I am not receiving monthly communications! Please send your name, address info, info, cell and home phone number to: gk7341@mikofc.org or call Grand Knight David Kempisty ( is preferred) Holy Family Parish in Caledonia is offering a care program for divorced and separated Catholics. It is centered on twelve professionally mastered DVD shows featuring twelve REAL LIFE divorce stories of hope and healing. They are young and old; their spouse left some of them. Others felt forced to file divorce. Regardless, no one wanted to end up this way. They are worried about their kids, money, the future, what others will say, and what the church says about state of life. Can they go to Communion? Are they excommunicated? Do they have to get an annulment? These are questions they had, and ones others may have, too. With each DVD there is then time for discussion, reflection and support. Each week covers topics of shock, denial, anger, grief, guilt, forgiveness, money, the courts, the children, the exspouse, annulment, dating, sexuality, spirituality, remarriage or staying single, and much more. Whether you got divorced ten days ago or ten years ago, the program offers valuable insight for everyone. Experts in the series include some of the best and brightest professionals in Catholic media: Rose Sweet (series producer and author of the book), Dr. Ray Guarnedi (Catholic psychologist, author, and EWTN talk show host), Fr. Mitch Pacwa (EWTN host and a child of divorce), Fr. Donald Calloway (Catholic priest, speaker, and child of divorce), Christopher West (theologian and teacher of Theology of the Body), and Fr. Steve Porter (Catholic priest and spiritual director). The DVD series also includes Catholic men and women who share their gut-wrenching but inspiring stories of divorce and recovery. You ll cry, laugh and be encouraged. The group will meet at Holy Family on Thursdays at 6:30pm starting Sept. 13 through mid-december. If you are divorced or separated, or know a Catholic who is - whether practicing the faith or away from the Church right now - please contact Christine Shafer, Director of Pastoral Care & Faith Formation, for more information at or cshafer@holyfamilycaledonia.org. There is a $10 registration fee to cover the cost of the participant guide; if a financial burden, assistance is available. Please preregister for childcare. Top of the Hill Gang Ever wonder what the Top of the Hill Gang is? We are a group of 55+, married and singles who meet once a month on the 3rd Sunday for a pot-luck and fellowship. All parishioners 55+ are welcome to join us, just bring a dish to pass and a place setting (main dish is supplied). Contact the parish office for more information. Next Pot-luck: Sunday, September 16 at 12:30pm 11

12 Holy Family Catholic Parish 9669 Kraft Ave., SE Caledonia, MI Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID CALEDONIA, MI Permit #28 Fall Study Groups Forming Now! Starting Early October Divine Mercy In the Second Greatest Story Ever Told is a dramatic DVD journey featuring best-selling author and popular speaker Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC as told in 10 sessions. Fr. Gaitley weaves a tapestry of wonder and beauty from the threads of the dramatic history of Poland, the message of St. Faustina, the prophetic apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, St. Maximillian Kolbe, and the world-changing papacy of Pope Saint John Paul II. Several of our parishioners participated in this study last year and found it to be life-changing, miraculous, awe-inspiring, mindblowing, and phenomenal. This is a story that few truly know, but once you do, there is no way you can deny God s activity in our world still today or the providential love he has for each one of us. Don t miss this! The study group meetings are 1.5 hours and require no homework outside of the group meeting time. Please contribute $20 for the cost of the study guide. Please write Study Group on the memo line of checks, or pay online at our website and note Study Group. Childcare maybe available for a low cost and advance notice/registration. Additional forms available on the Ministry Table in the Narthex and our Parish website. Questions? adultff@holyfamilycaledonia.org TEAR OFF HERE & RETURN TO THE PARISH OFFICE Name: Phone Availability* (please circle all that apply, as groups must have at least 4+ people) I would be interested in being a group leader (starting videos and leading questions from the manual) I may need childcare if available. Ages of children: Check for $20 is attached I paid $20 via the web site (Please Remember to note Study Group ) Availability* (please circle all that apply, as groups must have at least 4+ people) 6:30 or 7am Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri 10:00am Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri 7:00pm Mon Tues Thur Fri Saturdays: 8am 10am After 5pm Mass Sundays: After 9am Mass After 11am Mass 12