For the week of Sunday, July 22/29, 2018
Dear Members of Pax Christi,
On the weekend of July 28 and 29, we will have our annual Missionary Cooperation Appeal. This year, Kathleen Groh, Director of the Twin Cities Ignatian Volunteer Corps, will be here at all the Masses to present about the good work of this organization. The Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC), a Jesuit-affiliated ministry, offers opportunities for semi-retired or retired men and women to share their skills, wisdom, and life experience in direct service to those who are materially poor or vulnerable. In return for a commitment of 1 or 2 days a week with a local service site, the IVC provides guidance for personal reflection and prayerful conversation in the Ignatian Spirituality tradition. IVC is a non-profit in need of funding to recruit, train, and provide spiritual resources for their members while working with other non-profit agencies. More information about this ministry can be found on their national website at www.ivcusa.org. A second collection will be taken at the Masses next weekend. If you wish to write a check, please make it payable to Pax Christi, and in the memo line write “Missionary Appeal.” Thank you, as always, for your generosity to this important cause.
Thank you for your support for PROP during June. Your generosity netted 777 pounds of food, with 15 pounds being garden produce from local gardens, including the Pax Christi Giving Garden.
Next week we will have a renewed energy in our indoor and outdoor spaces during Vacation Bible Camp, with 150 preschool and elementary-aged children learning more about their faith as Disciples on a Mission, shepherded by over 80 youth and young adults who will lead them in their activities. Additionally, our Middle School Service Camp coincides with VBC. There are 30 youth registered for a variety of service experiences across the metro area, including Senior HOME Outreach, PROP, Brookdale Memory Care, Feed My Starving Children, and here on the Pax Christi grounds. More adults are still needed to assist our young people. Please contact Jessie Johnson at jjohnson@paxchristi.com if you can lend a hand throughout the week.
The space outside your building, which we normally don’t see or pay much attention to in our comings and goings, offers us some nourishing respite from the day-to-day busyness that surrounds our lives. The property on the west and north ends of the parish grounds has the beautiful St. Francis in the Woods Shrine. The freshly mown trail around the pond allows you to pause and enjoy the beauty of the wild flowers, the pollinator garden, the wood duck houses, the beehives, the shade and the sun that mark the path to the butterfly garden, the labyrinth walk, and the paver pathway that remember and honor loved ones, as well as the lovely gardens around the buildings. These are grace-filled spaces of beauty and creativity. We are offered a few cooler summer days ahead of us with less humidity. I hope you are able to take some time to breathe and renew your senses around the property of your parish.
Blessings to you this summer week!
Jane
Jane Schmitz, Parish Director
jschmitz@paxchristi.com
952-405-7238
THIS WEEK'S BLOG POST
CLICK HERE to view "Visiting the Holy Land with Fr. Bill Murtaugh"FATHER MIKE'S HOMILY BLOG
CLICK HERE to view Fr. Mike's homily from this past weekend.
SAY CHEESE!
We are excited to announce that we will be producing an Online Pictorial Church Directory this fall to celebrate our parish and introduce our new Pastor to our church family. Because Pax Christi is blessed with a beautiful campus, we have made arrangements for photos to be taken outdoors* OR indoors using the grand stone wall as the backdrop. In November, ALL photo sessions will move indoors.
Also, being the pet-loving parish we are, we’ve reserved two dates this fall for families who would like to bring their furry family member. We are now scheduling for sitting dates in August, so hurry to make your reservation now!
The start of the school year is coming up fast—schedule your session before your kids head back to the campus or classroom. Go to www.paxchristi.com/saycheese for complete details and link to register online. Volunteers of all ages are also needed for this project. Please contact Melissa Nault in the parish office, mnault@comcast.net, or 952-405-7221, if you are able to help.
* In the event of bad weather, photo session will not be reschedule but will be moved indoors.
EARLY BIRD RATE ENDS AUGUST 1
Registration for the upcoming Faith Formation program year is now open!
Join us for a year of community, faith, and fun! This year we have new program time offerings: Sundays from 3:30-4:45pm, Sundays from 6:30-7:45pm, or Wednesdays from 6:30-7:45pm. Early Bird Registration rates are available now through July 31 at $100 per student with a family cap of $300, moving to regular rates of $125 per student with a family cap of $375 on August 1. Registration fees are waived for families of catechists. This year we also have new ways to get involved; join us as a Hall Monitor or Kitchen Aid! These roles are available as a whole year commitment or on a rotating basis. If you commit to seven or more sessions in these roles we offer a $50 discount. More program information and registration is available on our website. If you have any additional questions, please contact Andrea Ward at award@paxchristi.com or 952-405-7207. CLICK HERE to register now!
The start of the school year is coming up fast—schedule your session before your kids head back to the campus or classroom. Go to www.paxchristi.com/saycheese for complete details and link to register online. Volunteers of all ages are also needed for this project. Please contact Melissa Nault in the parish office, mnault@comcast.net, or 952-405-7221, if you are able to help.
* In the event of bad weather, photo session will not be reschedule but will be moved indoors.
COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY
Have you had a chance to complete the Pax Christi communications survey mentioned in the July PaxChristiNews? Please take a minute to answer a few questions about your preferences for receiving news and information from Pax Christi. Give your feedback online at www.paxchristi.com/survey. We appreciate your input. Questions? Contact Melissa Nault, Communication Arts Director, mnault@paxchristi.com.EARLY BIRD RATE ENDS AUGUST 1
Registration for the upcoming Faith Formation program year is now open!Join us for a year of community, faith, and fun! This year we have new program time offerings: Sundays from 3:30-4:45pm, Sundays from 6:30-7:45pm, or Wednesdays from 6:30-7:45pm. Early Bird Registration rates are available now through July 31 at $100 per student with a family cap of $300, moving to regular rates of $125 per student with a family cap of $375 on August 1. Registration fees are waived for families of catechists. This year we also have new ways to get involved; join us as a Hall Monitor or Kitchen Aid! These roles are available as a whole year commitment or on a rotating basis. If you commit to seven or more sessions in these roles we offer a $50 discount. More program information and registration is available on our website. If you have any additional questions, please contact Andrea Ward at award@paxchristi.com or 952-405-7207. CLICK HERE to register now!
VIDEO HELP NEEDED DURING BIBLE CAMP WEEK
Please contact Melissa Nault, mnault@paxchristi.com, if you are available to film for a few hours next week during Vacation Bible Camp. We will provide the equipment. Thank you!FUNERAL HOSPITALITY
Thank You Funeral Hospitality Ministers! Pax Christi is blessed with an active, committed group of volunteers who provide the gift of a meal for family and friends following the Funeral Mass of a loved one. Over 5,000 funeral meals are served here at Pax Christi each year. A message to all who donate food for Funeral Hospitality: Your empty serving dishes are now waiting for you to pick them up in the Bill W. Lounge (Room #130). Please stop by soon. Interested in joining the ministry, contact Renee Reardon at 952-405-7200. Thank you for sharing your culinary gifts!
SINGLES GROUP FOR AGES 45–65
Saturday, July 21, 6:30pm, Champp's, Eden PrairieSingle, divorced, widowed—social group with Pax Christi as our common ground. We are a group of older (45-65) single, divorced, or widowed parishioners looking to build community and have some fun! Look for the yellow balloon—we will be on the patio having fun. For more information, contact parishioner Maureen, 612-839-8683.
VACATION BIBLE CAMP
July 23-27, 9:00–12:00pmDisciples on a Mission is our theme for Bible Camp 2018. We will explore faith-filled Scripture stories brought to life by our fabulous Drama Team. We will sing and move to upbeat Christian music. We will make new friends by playing games and making crafts together. Outreach is a huge part of our camp experience. We will be making wonderful projects for our friends in local care centers and in the YouthLink organization. Our middle school and high school friends are invited to participate as camp crew leaders, craft leaders, nursery helpers, game leaders, or on our Drama Team. Adults—we need you! Come be a part of camp! No experience is necessary. If you love your faith, we welcome you. We do require that adult volunteers complete the essential three requirements for promoting a safe environment, as indicated on our online registration form. Don’t miss the BEST WEEK OF THE SUMMER! Registration is open—register today! CLICK HERE for additional informaiton.
CLICK HERE to register online.
MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP WEEK
July 23–27, 8:30am – 4:00pm (7:00pm on July 27) The fee is $175 per youth.Will you be a sixth, seventh, or eighth-grader this fall? You are invited to be part of Pax Christi's Middle School Service Camp! Join PaxConnex for a week of service and fun at Pax Christi and in our local community. Mornings will be spent at local organizations serving those in need. Service sites may include People Reaching Out to People (PROP), Feed My Starving Children, and Senior Community Services. Youth also have the option of serving as crew leaders at Vacation Bible Camp. During the afternoons we will spend time having fun with games, movies, and trips to Grand Slam, Cascade Bay, and Valleyfair! Fee includes lunch each day, transportation to all off-campus locations, admission to all afternoon activity sites, and a t-shirt. CLICK HERE for additional information.
CLICK HERE to register online now.
PAX DAY AT PROP
Collection weekend August 4/5It’s time to grab your burgundy bag. The weekend of August 4/5, a Burgundy Bag Food collection will be held to re-stock depleted food shelves at PROP. Donations are especially needed at this time of year when children are eating more meals at home instead of at school. Fill your burgundy bag, or any bag you might have, and join in our parish effort to help those in our community facing hunger. To view the food needs - CLICK HERE #Shop4PROP
TWELVE BASKETS BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE
Weekend of August 11/12This annual parish event, sponsored by the Twelve Baskets ministry, helps to make sure children in need are well equipped to start the new school year and focused on learning. Shop early and drop off items when you come to Mass. Flyers with detailed lists of needed items are available at the entrances starting July 28/29. Red bins at doors 1 and 3 will be ready to receive your contributions. Items will benefit students at Risen Christ Catholic School in South Minneapolis, Blessed Trinity Catholic School in Richfield, Community of Saints Catholic School in St. Paul, and Gichitwaa Kateri Catholic Church in Minneapolis, as well as PROP, serving students in Eden Prairie and Chanhassen.
QUARTERLY MINISTRY SHOWCASE
Weekend of August 11/12This quarter's Ministry Showcase highlights the following ministries. Short blurb about the ministries that are being highlighted follows. Visit our display after Mass and learn more about how you can support the ministries of of Pax Christi. You can also check out the "Immediate Needs" section on the SERVE tab of the website.
EXPLORING MIGRATION: A FAITH JOURNEY
Eight sessions beginning Monday, September 17, 6:30–8:30pmJustFaith Ministries’ new eight-week program, Exploring Migration: A Faith Journey, invites participants to formulate a personal response, inspired by their Christian beliefs, to the 21st century reality of migration. The module is designed for small groups of 8–12 and explores some of the central questions related to the reality of migration on a global level and in the U.S. context. The sessions provide historical, biblical, and theological perspectives and suggest ways participants can take faithful action for God’s people. The fee is $20 to cover materials and books, scholarships are available. Register online now!
WELLNESS EVENT:
FINDING JOY THROUGH LIVING WELL
Saturday, September 22, 9:00am–12:30pmBoomers and Beyond and members of Care and Support Ministry are excited to invite you to a fall wellness day. The theme of this event is Finding Joy Through Living Well. Nourishing the mind, body, and spirit will be the focus of the day. We will start the morning with keynote speaker Julie Neraas, educator, writer, retreat leader and longtime friend of Pax Christi. Guided breakout sessions will then be available on a number of topics. You choose which topic interests you. All adults are welcome from 20 years of age and beyond. Watch for registration and information on guided breakout sessions. Save the date. Hope to see you there!
All seniors, age 55 and older, are invited to join Boomers and Beyond Senior Ministry. Members receive monthly emails with details on upcoming events and easy on-line registration.