Church Carpeting Project
Thanks to the generosity of of time, talent, and treasure of our parishioners, our church space and narthex are getting new carpeting installed. On November 12, a dozen and a half volunteers came together to move the pews into Hughes Hall and tear out the old carpeting. Workers then applied a skim coat and sealer to the floors. The carpeting is now being installed.

Masses will be held in Hughes Hall until this project is complete.
Please enter through the school building doors.

Thanksgiving Day Liturgy
Fr. Jim Vanoss & Deacon Gerry Scopilliti will preside at our Thanksgiving Day Mass, November 22, at 9:00 a.m. Please join us as we give thanks for all our blessings. There will also be a blessing of food. All are welcome.



 

Aging Religious Need Your Help
Senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests ministered for years for little or no pay. Their sacrifices now leave their religious communities without adequate retirement savings. Your gift to the second collection the weekend of November 24/25 for the Retirement Fund for Religious helps to provide medications, nursing care, and more for tens of thousands of elderly religious. Please be generous.

Celebrating Advent with Mary
A Morning of Reflection for Women

Advent is the Marian season
of the Church Year

Take time to deepen
your knowledge of
Mary of Nazareth
on
Saturday, November 24
9:00 a.m.-Noon
in Hughes Hall

Using sacred scripture and film we will consider Mary’s life in 1st Century Galilee, as she prepared for the Nativity, so that we can bring the grace of her virtues into our homes and carry the grace of her spirit into our communities. Cost for this Advent Retreat is $5.00 per person (payable that day). Presenter:  Sr. Joyce Schreiber / Discussion Facilitator:  Peg Haney

  9:00 a.m. - Registration, Coffee, Donuts
  9:30 a.m. - What was life like in Mary’s village: 1st Century Nazareth
10:30 a.m. - Break/Conversation
10:45 a.m. - Revisiting the Annunciation to the Nativity in Sacred Scripture
11:30 a.m. - Break/Conversation
11:45 a.m. - Living the season of Advent with Mary

Please sign up in Narthex or contact Parish Office by Monday, November 19
(330-274-2253 or parishoffice@stjosephmantua.com)

Lottery Raffle Fundraiser
St. Joseph’s Lottery Raffle Fundraiser is well underway to assist with the cost of church improvements. This follows the daily Ohio 3-Digit Lottery based on the evening drawing only. Tickets are $5.00 each with only 1,000 tickets sold numbered #000 - #999 each month (November, 2018 through October, 2019). Each ticket is good for the entire month. Winning tickets are worth $50.00 (payouts mailed weekly). Tickets are $5.00 each and you may purchase the same number for the entire year. For more information, please look for the table in tthe Narthex at weekend Masses or contact Deacon Gerry, Jay & Greg D’Aurelio, Greg Pastor, Debbie & John Kruis, Annette & Stan Carlisle, Luci Curtin, or Bill Custer. Look for winning numbers & names by clicking here.

Update on St Joseph Cares
Thank you all for supporting St Joseph Cares, one of the outreach ministries of St Joseph Church. Our whole parish, all of us, are in this ministry together. Through your support we are able to bring aid and a little relief to those who are much less fortunate than we are. As an update for the year 2018, we have so far helped over 50 families with things such as food, clothing, electricity, water, rent — the basics of what people need. Additionally, we have collected, through your generosity, over $8,300.00 and distributed more than $7,500.00. Every penny that SJC collects is distributed to people in need. Together we as St Joseph Parish are making a difference. THANK YOU.
 
What’s Happening Now with SJC
You may remember that we have been working with the Mantua Center Christian Church over the last several years supporting the Free Clothing Giveaway for our local community. This giveaway was a very successful activity and ministry. A few months back the clothing ministry was postponed until some issues could be resolved at the old Mantua Center Elementary School. We are happy to tell you that we have been given permission to start this ministry once again. The target timing of the first Giveaway is January 18, 2019. Click here to learn more about being a part of this ministry.

Giving Tree In The Narthex
Our annual Advent tradition of the Giving Tree begins the weekend of November 24/25. Coordinated by the Nuti Family, this community outreach provides those in need with a little brighter Christmas (this may be the only gifts they receive). As in the past the “wish lists” were obtained from Catholic Charities of Portage County. To participate, please select a tag (remember to sign the list), shop, and return your wrapped gifts to the Narthex with the tag securely attached and visible by Sunday, December 9. Assembling of the family gift bags will take place on Monday, December 10. Please contact Dan & Wendy Nuti (440-476-2881) for more information.

3rd Annual Live Nativity
St. Joseph Church will present its 3rd Annual LIVE NATIVITY on Saturday, December 8 & Sunday, December 9, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Come out and enjoy a live reenactment that really makes the first Christmas come alive. Free will donations of cash or 4C's items accepted. Volunteers to serve as actors, greeters, carolers are needed. Live animals would also be a wonderful addition to our event. To volunteer or for more information, please contact Kathy Paroff (616-723-3091).

Feast of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
A Holy Day of Obligation in the United States, this is the day on which we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, the conception of Mary in the womb of her mother. This feast intensifies our preparation during Advent, remembering how God prepared for Christ's birth by creating Mary free from original sin at conception. We will have 7:00 p.m. Vigil Mass on Friday, December 7, and 9:00 a.m. Mass on Saturday, December 8. The anticipated Mass on Saturday evening is for Second Sunday of Advent and does not fulfill the holy day obligation. There is an obligation to participate at Mass for both the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and for the Second Sunday of Advent.

Advent Reconciliation Opportunities for 2018
Several opportunities to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the Christmas Holidays will be offered throughout the month of December. Confessions will be heard the following dates and times.

• Private Reconciliation - Saturdays, 4:00-4:30 p.m. (year round)

• Portage County Deanery Communal Penance Service
  Tuesday, December 11, 7:00 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, Ravenna

• Private Reconciliation - Monday, December 17, 7:00-8:00 p.m.

• Private Reconciliation - Tuesday, December 18, Noon-1:00 p.m.

• Or By Appointment (please contact Fr. Stafford at the Parish Office)

Christmas Cheer Cookie Project
If you know of anyone who could use a gift of homemade cookies for the holidays, we invite you to share their name for this special parish activity. Please submit them on the Narthex sign-up sheet in by Sunday, December 2. Or you may contact Sr. Joyce Schreiber or Jane Kennedy through the Parish Office (330-274-2253 or parishoffice@stjosephmantua.com).

Donating Cookies
Each baker is asked to donate
5 dozen homemade cookies
weekend of December 15/16

Assembling Boxes
Monday, December 17
10:00 a.m. Parish Center

Making Deliveries
Week of December 18-23
 
Please sign-up in the Narthex or contact the Parish Office (330-274-2253) to
participate in the various aspects of this project as we spread some Christmas cheer.

Christmas Environment
To remember a loved one at Christmas you may wish to make a donation to the Christmas Flower Fund. Please use the special Christmas Flower envelope included in your contribution envelope packet (or a plain envelope). Be sure to PRINT the names of those you wish memorialize and indicate whether your contribution is “in memory of” (deceased) or “in honor of” (living). Online givers should enter the names in the “Other Comments” section of their ConnectNow donation page. We ask that your intentions be turned in by Monday, December 17, to be included on the Christmas bulletin insert. These donations not only help provide our beautiful Christmas environment but also assist with church environment expenses throughout the year.

Christmas Wafers (Oplatki)
The people of Central Europe have had oplatki as part of their Christmas Eve meal for many generations. The wafer bears an image from the Christmas story and the bread signifies the “Bread of Life”, Jesus, who is among us in the Eucharist and in our lives. Generally the eldest member of the family will begin the ritual by breaking off a piece of the wafer and passing it to another family member with a blessing.  This blessing can simply consist of what you desire for your loved one in the upcoming year – whether it be good health, success, or happiness. The purpose of this act is primarily to express ones unconditional love and forgiveness for each member of his or her family. Just as we share in the Eucharist as one family in Christ and receive Christ’s love through the Eucharist, the Oplatki allows for one’s immediate family to come together and share the love they have for one another. Oplatki is available in the Narthex beginning the third weekend of Advent for those who would like to celebrate this tradition of unity. Your donation to help defray the cost is appreciated. (FYI - Leftover Oplatki from last year may be used for the current year. Each person receives a very small piece so the large wafer should be ample for many people).

Christmas Season
Next to the yearly celebration of the paschal mystery, the church holds most sacred the memorial of Christ's birth and early manifestations. This is the purpose of the Christmas season which typically begins with a worship service or a Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on the Sunday after January 6.

Feast of the Nativity of the Lord - December 25th
The Feast of the Nativity is a most joyous one that celebrates the incredible reality that the Second Person of the Trinity was born of a Virgin. The mood is summed up by Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will."

Our Vigil Masses are held on December 24, at 5:00 and 10:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. Mass includes a children's choir). There is no midnight Mass at St. Joe's. On December 25, there will be a 10:00 a.m. Mass for Christmas Day. Prayers of the Faithful for all Christmas Masses will be for our Christmas Flower Fund Intentions.

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph
Formerly it was celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany, but since 1969 the feast falls on the Sunday after Christmas, or December 30 if Christmas falls on a Sunday. This Feast is celebrated after Christmas because in Old Testament Law, a child wasn't a son of Abraham or a true part of the family until his circumcision at 8 days of age, an event of Christ's life that we celebrated on January 1 (from December 25 to January 1 are 8 days). We ask for the grace that our families too may live as the holy family united in respect and love.
 

Feast of the Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God - January 1st
The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord

On this Holy Day of Obligation, we focus on the divine motherhood of Mary whom we proclaim to be the mother of Christ and the mother of the Church. We seek God's blessings as did Mary. Because of her Son, we can confidently call God, "Abba"! Masses will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 31, and at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 1.
 

THANK YOU to everyone who returned a commitment card and renewed their commitment of support to St. Joseph Parish. If you have not yet responded, please do so by dropping your commitment card in the collection basket. You may also bring it or mail it to the Parish Office. Your response in faith will help sustain our parish community into the future by providing the necessary resources to meet our operating expenses and goals. Generous responses to the program will also provide for the ongoing maintenance and improvements of our parish buildings and properties, and help to ensure support for our existing programs and future ministries.

Bishop's Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church
The 2018 Bishop’s Appeal for Catholic Charities and Church continues through Pentecost. This important annual fund raising campaign unites Catholics throughout the six counties of our diocese in a spirit of compassion and charity to serve the needs of others. In 2017, Catholic Charities provided help and hope to over 11,000 of people in Portage and Stark Counties. Your generosity and support for the Bishop’s Appeal helps to change lives . . . one family at a time. As of October 31, St. Joseph Church has 172 households contributing $37,265.00 in support of the 2018 Bishop’s Appeal — that’s nearly 118% of our goal of $31,601.00! Bishop Murry has approved a 25% rebate to all parishes that exceed their goal (in cash received) for this year’s collection. To make your gift to the 2018 Appeal online, visit www.doy.org. Thank you for helping Catholic Charities change lives one family at a time through the Bishop's Appeal.

St. Joseph Church now has a new system, called My Own Church, for updating your family information! All you need to do is hit the blue "Update Your Info" button and create an account. Then, someone in the church office will approve your account, and you’ll be able to update all of your family information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses. Your family members' sacrament information is also among the information available. You’ll be able to view the St. Joseph Church pictorial directory (photos from the 2008 and 2014 Parish Pictorial Directories are already loaded into the database). You’ll be able to upload your favorite family photo and chose whether you want that photo (or other information) to be visible to other members who’ve logged in—or you can keep some information private and available only to church administrators. If you’re involved in ministries here at St. Joseph Church, the information you put into My Own Church will help us schedule your ministry. You’ll be able to update your preferences and availability. For more details including FAQs and how to videos, click here.

Please remember to check out My Own Church soon! 

Parish Business Directory & Directory of Talents
St. Joseph Church is creating a Parish Business Directory of parishioner-owned businesses and professional services in an effort to help the parish provide economic support within our own community.  This new Business Directory is intended to be an online resource that gives current information such as contacts, links to websites and other descriptions of these businesses. In addition, we're putting together a comprehensive list of talents and services. There will also be a printed edition created as the lists develop. Click here to learn more.

ParishSOFT Giving (formerly ConnectNow Giving)
We’re pleased to announce that St. Joseph Church now provides online giving through software called ParishSOFT Giving (formerly ConnectNow Giving). This is a convenient and safe way to make a one-time or recurring donation. It replaces the WeShare Online Giving that we previously used. ParishSOFT Giving is part of our parish database. It is less expensive for the parish and contributions are automatically entered into the database (rather than the secretary printing out a report and manually entering them). Getting started is easy! - just click on the ParishSOFT Giving button (on the right hand column under Links). To learn more about this convenient way to donate to St. Joseph Church, please visit our ParishSOFT Giving webpage.