August 27, 2024

August 27, 2024 Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish, In this weekend’s Gospel (Matthew 7:1-23) Jesus is asking us to look deeper, to look past appearances and distractions, to the very heart of things, and to ask the question: What is my heart like and where is it leading me? That is not an easy question, because our hearts are invisible. But they do leave behind them a tell-tale trail that reveals all. The trail appears in patterns, the patterns of our choices: What do we usually do in this kind of circumstance or that? How do we respond to a risk, to a challenge, to a conflict? What are the daily interactions with other people like? Are we givers, or takers, or a healthy blend of both? Do we hold a course, or do we wander all over the course? Do we insist on walking alone or do we try to bring other folks along with us? Are we faithful? Do we let the Lord take our hand? How do we feel and what do we see as we examine these questions on this last weekend of August and as we enter our first week of September and our Labor Day reflections and celebrations? Our parish has many wonderful things to do together starting this September…certainly our time together at worship is the foundation to our spiritual journey together. It will be wonderful to see folks return from their refreshing summer getaways. As September rolls in we can look forward to: A new school year and Faith Formation, our Parish Picnic Sept. 8th, the Knights Annual Golf Tournament Sept. 20th and much more. Peace and blessings! Fr. George Couturier Join Us for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time September 1, 2024 4:00 PM Vigil at St. James 9:00 AM at St. Elizabeth Seton and livestreamed 11:00 AM at St. James REGISTRATION FOR STUDENT FAITH FORMATION CLASSES IS NOW OPEN! We have two forms this year, one for children in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade and one for children in Grades 2-10. If you are a catechist/teacher please contact the office for a separate form as your registration fee will be waived. We are still in need of catechists for grades 4 - 7, no experience necessary and teaching support provided. If you volunteer to teach, the registration fee is waived! If you need more information, please contact Monica Piombino at monica@sjbrh.org. Please click the appropriate button below to access our online registration forms and sign up your child/children for classes. In grades 2-7 we have offered some options for days and times for classes. Please note that it may not be possible to give you the option you choose in every case based on class size and catechist availability. This year all grade 8 students will be meeting once a month on Sunday from 5:30-7:00 pm at St James. Please contact the faith formation office at reo@sjbrh.org or by calling 860-529-1274 with any questions. Enjoy the rest of your summer! We look forward to sharing faith with you and your children for another exciting year of faith formation! Peace, Monica Piombino, Faith Formation Director Monica@sjbrh.org 860-529-1274 PreK, K, and Gr. 1 Registration Grade 2 - 10 Registration Click Here To Let Us Know You Are Attending The Picnic HELP MAKE OUR ANNUAL PARISH PICNIC FUN FOR EVERYONE! We need bakers, food servers, greeters, activity leaders and more. Check out all the opportunities to work a shift for our annual parish picnic. Many hands make light work! Click Here to Volunteer at Our Parish Picnic We will be taking a special collection of food items greatly needed by the food pantries we support at our parish picnic. Kindly bring the following in non-breakable containers: Soup Brown & White Rice Pasta Sauce Cereal Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard Vinegar (Red, White, Cider) Other Fun Tidbits Sixth Annual Knights of Columbus Golf Outing Friday, September 20, 2024 Timberlin Golf Club, Berlin CT Lunch/Registration at 11:00AM Scramble Format ~ Shotgun Start at 12:30 PM ~ Buffet Dinner to follow $150 per golfer includes 18 holes of golf w/cart, lunch and buffet dinner, cash prizes, raffle prizes.  $55 dinner only For more information, contact Mike DiBattisto (860-713-9070) or Mike Lombardo (860-869-2231). Learn More About Our Golf Tournament Here Seeking musical, dance, comedic acts for the First Annual St. Josephine Bakhita Parish Variety Show Friday, October 4, 2024 at 7:00 PM Parish Center at St. James For more info or to sign up email: Joy@sjbrh.org or call 860-529-8655 x17. Participants must sign up by Monday, September 23, 2024.  Giving Garden Ministry Calling all gardeners or would-be gardeners! Our Giving Garden Ministry (church garden) -- which has been growing hundreds of pounds of vegetables for the St. Vincent DePaul soup kitchen in Middletown since 2017 -- could use your help. About a dozen people plant, weed, harvest and otherwise maintain the organic garden (no synthetic chemicals or fertilizers), but we could use more volunteers from high school age through retirees. You will learn by doing and with gardening hints from our ‘garden bible.' No need to commit for every week. We plant seedlings indoors in winter, prep and plant in May and harvest from late spring through early fall. Find your calling & come once a week if you’re able. Feel free to visit the garden, facing Brook Street, on the campus of St. Elizabeth Seton anytime or come meet with volunteers most Mondays about 5:00PM. Later this fall, we’ll need to prepare for next season, adding mulch, border stone and repairing fencing. If you would like to join this awesome team, contact Bob Manzi at manzirj@sbcglobal.net. Give Blood The American Red Cross has launched a Severe Blood Shortage Appeal. All eligible donors are encouraged to schedule appointments now. The next drive hosted at our Parish Center at St. James Church is scheduled for Wednesday, September 4, 2024 from 1PM-6PM. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS or go to www.redcrossblood.org to register to give. Hospitality Bakers & Servers Needed Be one of the reasons we are a welcoming community! Prepare food for special Masses and monthly hospitality after the first Sunday of the month masses. Email joy at Joy@sjbrh.org or call 860-529-8655 x17 or sign up in the foyer of either Church. Many hands make light work (and good food!) Join the St. James Music Ministry Our Adult Choir meets every Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the small chapel at St. James Church. It is for anyone, including high school kids, who enjoys singing and spreading the Good News through song. We usually sing at the 11:00 AM Mass, but once a month we sing at the Saturday Vigil Mass. The Adult Choir also sings at all holidays and at the Advent/Christmas Concert. This is a very relaxed and fun-filled group. You don’t need to be able to read music, but must be able to sing on pitch. Don’t know what that is? Ask Joy. First rehearsal and social is Wednesday, September 4 at 7:00 PM at St. James. Instrumentalists enhance all liturgies and play at any Mass that they choose. Rehearsals are by appointment. We have a special need for Violinists. The Youth Choir sings at the 11:00 AM Mass on the first Sunday of the month and Christmas and Easter Masses. Children must be able to read. This is one of the best things you can do to help your children learn. Singing in a group gets all cylinders firing. Reading lyrics and notes, rhythms, intonation, listening to others, dynamics. We’ve got it all. Friends of the Music Ministry help with projects including putting together major programs, filing, publicity. Contact Joy for more information or help in determining where you fit in the ministry at 860-529-8655 x17 or joy@sjbrh.org. Join the St. Elizabeth Seton Music Ministry Youth Choir: This choir meets weekly on Thursday afternoons after school from 4:30 to 5:30 PM and is a ministry for singers in grades 2 through middle school. This choir sings at occasional 9:00 masses and special liturgies. Our goals are: 1. experience the joy of singing our church songs at mass; 2. develop good singing and music reading skills; 3. earn more about our faith and traditions of our liturgies; 4. work as a team in a music/spiritual setting. Young people also learn to play hand chimes which requires and develops concentration. Children like this experience – like learning to play in an orchestra or band. Rehearsals begin on September 26 and requires registration. Adult Choir: This choir sings weekly at the 9:00 AM Mass, rehearsing 40 minutes prior to the start of mass. Occasional rehearsals are head following the 9:00 AM Mass to prepare new music. Holiday Choirs: Weekly rehearsals are held 6-8 weeks before Christmas and Easter to prepare for these special liturgies. Instrumentalists: Presently, we have two accomplished high school string players and a fine percussionist, also in high school, plus our regular guitarists and a percussion section leader. For a long time, our ministry has nurtured and been gifted by young instrumentalists who’ve gone on to participate in music at their college liturgies. Students and adults with good instrumental and music reading skills are invited to audition. Contact Director of Music at St. Elizabeth Seton, Elizabeth Husmer, by speaking with her after the 9:00 AM Mass or emailing elizabeth@sjbrh.org. Read the Parish Bulletin Visit our Website Our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are available to bring Holy Communion to our homebound parishioners and those recuperating from surgery or illness. Please contact the parish office to request a visit: 860-529-8655. Stay Connected Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish l The Catholic Community of Rocky Hill

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