As you all know, I am a staunch believer in the power of prayer. The multitudes that prayed for our triplets (in and out of the womb) was overwhelming and has certainly had a dramatic effect. We are blessed with three healthy and happy little ones. Many of you pray daily for those on the prayer list with absolutely no idea who these individuals are. From July through December, many of you prayed intently for the Grabinskis who are parishioners at St. John the Evangelist. Matt and his wife (Laura) delivered twins (Leo and Lola) extremely early and as a result, they spent 98 days in the NICU at The Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. The twins were only two pounds at birth and at one point weighed less than two pounds before beginning their miraculous recovery. Matt created a magnificent video of their journey entitled (98 days in the NICU.) If you would like to see the video, I have attached a link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL4-wVZmeY8. You may also access the video by visiting YouTube and searching for “Leo and Lola.” Matt and Laura have expressed their sincere gratitude for your prayers and invite you to see the little miracles that you prayed for.
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 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.
Save the date…..On January 28 and 29, we will host the second annual Ministry Fair to be held in the PLC ballroom from 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 7:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. This will be your opportunity to come down and meet representatives from all of our ministries and sign up to join. There will be giveaways and raffles at the fair so make sure to attend. We will serve refreshments during the fair on both days. Our goal is to create 100% participation by our parishioners in ministries at St. John the Evangelist. With so many choices, we invite you to join us for this magnificent event.
After partnering with Fleming’s during the months of October through December, we have partnered with Charlie Chang’s for the winter months in an effort to generate additional revenue for the Catholic Faith Appeal. Please see the flyer in the bulletin. They have an amazing lunch special as well as great sushi and a fantastic dinner menu. Charlie Chang’s is located only one mile north of Immokalee Road on US 41 at the Double Tree Hotel.
Thank you for your extreme generosity during the second collection this past weekend to benefit the Seminarians of the Diocese of Venice. The collection totaled over $11,000.00. As you know, it is very expensive to prepare these young men for the priesthood. Due to your generosity, we will be able to continue to turn out amazing priests in the Diocese of Venice.
Unfortunately, we failed to reach our goal for the 2011 Catholic Faith Appeal. We fell short by $23,000.00 and will have to recognize the shortfall out of our operating revenue. Thank you to all who contributed in an effort to reach our goal. I will take a brief respite and we will begin anew next month for the 2012 appeal.
Bob Claussen (Stewardship Council President) and I attended a training seminar this past week in Tampa to learn more about the new email module we are planning to launch by the end of the month. I can promise you that this will greatly increase communication within the parish. In addition to basic email, we will be able to send you interactive newsletters with links to important or interesting content. In order for this campaign to be successful, we need your email address. Your email will be kept secure and only used by the parish to convey pertinent information. If you are willing, please provide the requested information below and drop in the collection basket or turn in at the parish office. Thank you in advance for your cooperation to enhance communication.
First name______________________________________________________________________
Last name______________________________________________________________________
Email Address___________________________________________________________________
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA
General Manager