2015: What a Year!

This is the logo for the Holy Year of Mercy, which opens Dec. 8 and runs until Nov. 20, 2016. (CNS/courtesy of Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization) See JUBILEE-MERCY May 5, 2015.

Sometimes it sounds like a cliché, but I really do not know where the time is going.  There has just been so much activity, so much renewal, it lights a fire in me every single day to come to our church.  From the joyous faces of the renewed Ushers and Greeters, smiling as we enter the church, to the updates and changes we are already making to our campus due to your generosity in our Capital Campaign, every facet of this Parish Family is focused on our mission: To Know, To Love, and To Serve God, in His Church and Our Community. Here are just a few of those new events, programs, and activities from this past year that have made such a positive impact:

#ToKnow

• Adult Faith Formation – We are so excited to be able to provide our newly structured Adult Faith Formation program, which gives all ages an opportunity to learn more about our faith. Jack Kindsvater has done an exceptional job in a very short timeframe to flesh out classes and programs that appeal to a wide audience.
• STEAM Summer Camps – For the first time ever, St. John was able to host a new youth summer camp program called STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Music). These week-long humanities driven programs helped kids learn new and exciting technologies and music and how to apply that learning into their lives.  The camps were packed all summer long and even needed to add a week to the end to cover all the demand.
• Small Business Fair – How can St. John parishioners help each other? By learning about services and businesses that are owned by other members of our Parish Family.  We had several Fairs last year to provide this information and made some great connections for the local community.
• Getting #ToKnow Saint John – Many of our parishioners have not gone past the church, or gotten to know the staff members that serve them and our church. This initiative (both here in the bulletin, as well as online), not only put faces to names, but helped branch out to see there is more to experience at St. John.

#ToLove

• Doo Whop Night – For our experienced parishioners that are here year-round, the Knights of Columbus came up with a wonderful event, a Doo Whop dance, complete with Northern-inspired favorites, like White Castle-type burgers and fries. Almost 200 people attended in their pompadours and poodle skirts and rocked the night away.
• Senior Prom – We started a new “Senior” Prom event with the help of the Men’s Club. The Youth Group decked out our Ballroom for Prom, complete with the Hollywood theme, complete with red carpet pictures and decorations.  Young and old learned each others’ dance moves, had a marvelous dinner, and even crowned a king and queen of the prom.
• Divorced and Separated Support Group – As our Holy Father and our Bishop have made it clear, we need to provide support, belonging, and healing to everyone. John has begun this process for the divorced and separated individuals of our community by providing them a safe place to talk and relate to each other every Wednesday evening.
• Farmers Market – We wanted to give our Parish Family an opportunity to find some fresh produce and local vendors, so we have worked to create the St. John Farmers Market, from 8 AM to 1 PM every Friday. Come stock up for the weekend with great fruits, vegetables, and other wonderful items.

#ToServe

• Thanksgiving in the Park – Feeding over 1700 people on Thanksgiving could not have occurred without the dedication of our Parish Family in providing turkeys and volunteers to shred them during Thanksgiving week. This is a community event that has a 30-year history, but this was the first time St. John took the primary religious organization’s responsibility for the program.
• Feeding Hunger, Filling Hearts – For the first-ever fundraiser for Guadalupe Social Services, the Catholic Charities organization in Immokalee, St. John and several groups like the Ladies of Charity, Knights of Columbus and Pelican Sound, worked together to provide two seating of soup in our Ballroom. The over $13,000 in donations raised by this event was a blessing to so many in need.
• A Simple Gesture – In our first attempt at a persistent food pantry support program, St. John provided over 260 reusable bags to our Parish Family, asking them to fill them with groceries every 2 months, which would be delivered to food pantries in the area all year round. The Holy Spirit is truly alive in our work, as we received back over 350 bags worth of groceries and had another 400 bags taken for the next round.
• Companion Driving Ministry – One of the most needed services is for our own Parish Family. We know that as we get older, it becomes harder to get outside our homes and we can start to feel alone.  John was proud to begin its Companion Driving Ministry, to assist anyone who needs help coming to weekend Masses.  You should never miss out on the Holy Sacrament and our community.

That barely scratches the surface of all the new and renewed programs we have been working on this year.  Next year is going to be even bigger, but you will have to wait until next week to get a sneak peak at our plans.  Have a Happy New Year!