On behalf of the clergy and staff of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. 2011 was a year of many changes and many great accomplishments! 2012 looks to be even better. Are you glad the holidays are over? Although the Christmas Season recognizes a very important occurrence in the birth of Jesus Christ, it is difficult to maintain any type of normalcy during this time with all of the extracurricular activities taking place. For those who have been traveling (and possibly stranded) over this hectic period and for those who may be arriving in Naples for the first time this season, welcome back. We look forward to an incredibly fun and spiritual filled 2012 at St. John the Evangelist.
What do you think of the appearance of the church for the Christmas season? Once again the Arts and Liturgical Environment team outdid themselves in creating a magnificent atmosphere to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ
Have you taken a trip to the “Horse Races” at Gulfstream Park with our parish? Bob Valentine (parishioner and horse racing aficionado) has been coordinating these outings for the past three years. This is a great way to spend the day away from home and an even better chance to win a buck or two hundred. This is also a great opportunity to meet and socialize with your fellow parishioners. The first trip of the season will take place on January 26. The bus leaves the Parish Life Center promptly at 10:30 a.m., and Bob asks that you be onsite by 10:00 a.m. After you enjoy juice and snacks on the trip over, you will be treated to a full buffet in the clubhouse, a complimentary program and a $2 betting voucher. The last race is approximately 5:00 p.m., which should put you back at St. John at approximately 7:30 p.m. Kathy Valentine will serve cocktails on the return trip while Bob assists in tending bar. The cost for this magnificent day out at the races is only $78 per person. The maximum number of seats available on the bus is 50. Please see the advertisement in next week’s bulletin for further details. Please contact Melanie by January 13 if you would like to attend.
In the next few weeks you will notice that the grass areas immediately outside the east entrance near the organ will be turning a very dark shade of brown. Our landscaper is going to kill the grass currently in place and replace with new St. Augustine Floratam sod. Due to our proximity to the baseball field next door, the grass has become infested with “common Bermuda.” The seeds from the Bermuda grass on the baseball field have blown over and taken over our St. Augustine grass. There are also several other nuisance grasses that have taken a stronghold. The current appearance of the grass is not at all aesthetically pleasing. After replacing the sod, we will maintain a tight regimen with regards to quarterly treatments to ensure that a similar problem does not arise in the future.
On Sunday, February 5, we will host our 14th Annual Super Bowl Party in the ballroom of the Parish Life Center. This party has received much acclaim over its 13 year run and this year will be no different. Tickets will be available in the parish office on Tuesday, January 3 for $25 each. We will sell a maximum of 300 tickets, and due to the increasing popularity of this annual event, I strongly suggest buying yours early. This year we will be using our new audio visual system for the game. Rather than having one large screen to watch the game, we will have four large screens providing for an amazing viewing experience. We hope to see you there. Please see the flyer in this bulletin for further details.
This is my last opportunity to stress the importance of the Catholic Faith Appeal before we are out of time for 2011. As of December 21 we were still about $55,000.00 shy of reaching our goal. Please remember that if we have your contribution by January 2, it can still be included in the 2011 appeal. With that said, unless something miraculous takes place, we will not reach our goal. But it is not for a lack of effort. In the midst of a very tumultuous economic environment, we made a great run at meeting our lofty goal. So although our streak may end at three years, there is always next year to begin a new streak. As a continual reminder, if you are a seasonal resident or visitor, please make your check payable to the Catholic Faith Appeal with St. John the Evangelist in the memo line. Thank you once again for your continued support of the Catholic Faith Appeal.
Due to numerous requests, I have included a recent picture of the triplets waiting for their dinner. They are now seven months old and thriving. They are eating apple sauce, pears and bananas in addition to their bottles. Nate is beginning to crawl, and I am sure the others will follow suit after watching the efforts of their big brother. Thanks for your continued kind words and prayers for the health and prosperity of our little ones.
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA
General Manager