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August 29, 2010
We\'re off to a singing start with a choir gathering of about 33 this Saturday - at least that\'s the number we have signed up and I\'m
hoping show up. Please keep this endeavor in your
thoughts and prayers and if you or someone you know likes to pray by singing or playing an instrument, then consider being a part of our choir. It is not too late to join. See me after mass or call the parish office.
It was a bit of a tearful good-bye for Tom Nelson and our parishioners. Many gave Tom embraces and well wishes and prayer after the masses last weekend and on Tuesday morning as he left to return to the seminary. I want to thank all of you who were such a wonderful and welcoming presence for Tom. This was a year full of rich experiences, learning and growing for Tom. This
parish community has been that resource for many of our newly ordained priests over the years and this proved to be a great foundation for doing the same for a seminarian. He is grateful and so am I. Be sure to see Tom\'s note on this page where he also leaves his mailing address for you to stay in contact with him. Remembering when I returned to seminary after my pastoral year, (all those many years ago) it was wonderful to hear from the parishioners I had come to know and love.
We have had some good response so far for people
willing to participate in our \"transportation ministry\" by helping to give a ride to church for those unable to drive. If you\'re willing and able, please be sure to contact the parish office to lend a helping hand. There will be an organizational meeting as this moves forward. I would like to see us up and running with this by October or sooner.
We also need some help in the altar serving
department. You may have noticed lately that some of our masses have no server or only one. Part of this has been children out of town with their families, but also we could use some more servers. A child is eligible to serve at mass if s/he attends mass every weekend, has received First Communion, is in a religious education program
and is in the fourth grade and above. (Depending on maturity and readiness we have allowed some younger children who have received First Communion to be servers.) This is an important ministry, helpful to the parish and can foster the faith lives of our children in a special way. A child does not need to be at St. Teresa School to be a server; this ministry is open to all of the children in the parish as noted above. There will be two training times offered this week: Thursday, September 2nd at 3:30pm and Friday, September 3rd at 3:30pm. If you are interested please come to one of the trainings or call the parish office to sign up for future opportunities.
This weekend a representative from our newly formed St. Vincent de Paul Society will share a few words at mass and have a table in the gathering area for all who would like to talk with them further. If you receive parish donation envelopes, you will note that a new envelope has been added for the work of St. Vincent de Paul Society. This is a ministry of the parish in outreach to the poor of our community. We will not have any special second collection for this purpose but I encourage all who can afford a little extra each month to make a donation in this envelope and place it in the collection with your regular collection envelope. These funds will be used only to help the poor directly. The St. Vincent de Paul Society also will be installing a \"poor box\" near the parish office for donations to be made. St. Teresa\'s parish has long been helping the poor in the Carson City area and this is a new outreach opportunity that will help make this even better. In these financial times we have been getting more requests for help than ever.
A final note on financial help, I want to thank all of you who continue to support our parish to help me pay the day to day and month to month bills. I recently signed a check for over $3600 for last month\'s electric bill! We try to conserve where we can but your contributions make it possible for me to write such a check. Of course those bills happen monthly, along with salaries, insurance and all the other needs of the parish. (I do encourage the use of envelopes for your
contributions. It is a great help for our record-keeping and is a statement of commitment to the parish.) Please keep up the support and thank you so very much!
Blessings to you all this 22nd week in Ordinary Time!
Fr. Chuck
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