The voices of the faithful are multiplied when joined in prayerful celebration with musical accompaniment – Pope Francis
As you may have seen on the front page of this week’s bulletin, we are moving forward with the kind of persistent and engaging programs that our Parish Family has been thirsting for. We have already discussed several sections of the survey, showcasing the priorities for social, spiritual, wellness, and sports programs for St. John. This last set of programs we will be focusing on are the Arts and Music Programs.
There is no doubt that throughout history, the Catholic Church has been the driving force for the expansion and inclusion of the arts in society and in the world. From the inclusion of songs in the earliest church services to the Sistine Chapel, the Catholic Church has supported the arts. It has been proven that engaging in artistic endeavors, music, painting, sculpting, etc., increases the brain activity of the young and old alike. It stimulates creativity and it staves off Alzheimer’s. What we are envisioning is a fully inclusive and engaging artistic program, available to our Parish Family and the larger community which will provide both appreciation and educational opportunities for artwork, theater, and music. These programs would be available weekly and monthly as classes, seminars, and concerts.
People of all ages can learn the piano in a group setting. Choirs of various types of music can work together and perform both on our new stage and in the church for our congregation. From an Open Mic night for singers, poets, and actors to gather together in fellowship to an 8-week course on watercolor painting, these programs will help us explore the arts and our own creativity. From a Passion Play to sending carolers into the local neighborhoods during Christmas, there are so many possibilities. We need your help to prioritize these programs so the effort can be successful and enrich our church and our community.
While the money has been pledged in our Build Our Future, Serve Our Past capital campaign to build our Life Center and some of our other urgent needs, we still need our entire Parish Family to give in order to reach our additional goals, including the detailed execution of the above programs. If you have any questions, please contact Joe Lichwalla, the Campaign Coordinator at 239-495-2001 or email: [email protected].
You can also learn more information about the Campaign at: www.sjecc.com/future