The Church of the Nativity - jppc.net

1 The Church of the Nativity rectory & All parish Offices 732-741-1714 Rev. Jim Grogan, Pastor Ext. 25 Rev. Michael Lankford-Stokes, Weekend Assistant Mr. James A. Kelly, Deacon Ext. 41 Mr. Paul Lang, Deacon Ext. 22 Mr. Sean Patrick Murphy, Deacon Ext. 22 Mr. Anthony Scalzo, Deacon Ext. 22 Mrs. Susan Hodgkiss, Supervisor of parish Financial Admin. Ext. 20 Mrs. Susan Hodgkiss, Pastoral Associate/RE Coordinator Ext. 20 Mrs. Carolyn McCarthy, parish Secretary Ext. 10 Mrs. Kristen Brindley, Secretary, Religious Education Ext. 23 Mr. Timothy Novembre, Music Minister Ext. 12 Basic Needs Committee Ext. 44 Emergency Closing Information Ext. 47 After Hours Emergency 732-784-3127 180 RIDGE ROAD FAIR HAVEN, NEW JERSEY 07704 Email: Website: MASS SCHEDULES Saturday Evening: 4:30 PM Sunday: 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:30 AM Monday thru Saturday: 8:00 AM and as announced in bulletin.

2 Eve of Holy Day: 7:00 PM Holy Days: 8:00 AM, 12:15 PM Altar Servers Father Jim Basic Needs Committee Kitty Dorsey Children s Liturgy of the Word Annie DiDomenico Choirs (Adult & Children s) Timothy Novembre Divorced & Separated Group Michele Coppola Wilson Eucharistic Ministers Art & Jane Lynch Lectors Joseph DiLustro Liturgy Committee Linda Gesell Marian Prayer Group Ann Friel Ministers of Hospitality John Bruzzi Ministry of the Aging Ann Gentile Nativity Women s Group Mavel Tiratto Nifty-Fifties Anne Gentile Parents Support Group Bob Boyle parish Fund Raising Ann Friel Pre Cana Fred &Terry Horney Religious Education Susan Hodgkiss Renew Tom Babcock Respect Life Deacon Paul Lang Sacristan

3 Barbara Lunz Trustees William Gesell & Timothy Vidal Vacation Bible School Annie DiDomenico Website (Webmaster) Sarah Maris Youth Group Karen & Shawn Lenahan For more detailed information regarding the Ministries, please visit the Website: SACRAMENTS BAPTISM: Nativity Church requires that all registered parents attend a baptismal preparation session preferably before the birth of the child. This one hour gathering is held every first Wednes-day (except during Lent) of the month. Baptisms are celebrated on 1st & 3rd Sunday of each month at 1pm or during either the 4:30pm or 11:30 am weekend Masses.

4 Sponsors are expected to be practicing Catholics who are able to present a certificate of eligibility from their parish . Please call the Pastoral Associate to schedule a baptism. PENANCE (Confession, Reconciliation): This sacrament is cele-brated every Saturday from 4:00pm to 4:25pm or by appointment with the Pastor. MARRIAGE: The Sacrament of Marriage requires a lot of spiritu-al preparation, planning and organizing. In accordance with the Common Policy of Marriage sponsored by the Bishops of New Jersey, engaged couples are asked to make wedding arrangements with a priest or deacon at least one year in advance of the wed-ding date. The bride or groom is expected to be a registered pa-rishioner who is regularly practicing his or her faith.

5 FIRST PENANCE, FIRST EUCHARIST, CONFIRMATION: Children are expected to receive a Catholic/Christian upbringing primarily within their families and to attend formal religious educa-tion classes and to participate regularly in the weekend worship in the house of the Church in the years prior to receiving these Sacra-ments. MINISTRY TO THE SICK: Please notify the parish secretary of any elderly, homebound or sick people who wish to receive Holy Communion and/or The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. If you are a hospital patient, please notify the chaplain s office or have a family member call the parish secretary indicating that you would like a pastoral visit from someone on our parish staff.

6 In case of emergencies on nights or weekends, call 732-784-3127 parish REGISTRATION: All registered parishioners can receive letters of eligibility to be a sponsor for someone being baptized or confirmed. Only registered families can enroll children in our par-ish religious education program. In order to verify financial contri-butions for tax purposes it is necessary to use parish collection en-velopes. parish registration forms are available in the parish office and at all entrances to the Church . 627 Na vity / Page 1 PRAY FOR THE SICK AND RECOVERING If you have any family members who would benefit from the prayers of our faith community, please call their names into the parish office .

7 Names will remain on the prayer list for 4 weeks. If extended prayers are needed, please notify the parish office . Ellie Gregory Jane Lynch Deborah Gardner Jaroslava Potucek Terry Kenny Janice Threefoot PRAY FOR THE BRAVE MEN & WOMEN SERVING IN OUR COMMUNITY & BEYOND Lord, hold all those serving in our community and beyond in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, Our Lord. Amen. Thank you to all our POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AND OUR MILITARY SERVICES.

8 STEWARDSHIP Week Ending 8/18 & 8/19 Number of Envelopes = 158 Number of Online Giving Participants = 84 Total Envelope Collection = $7,702 SUNDAY READINGS: Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b Joshua told the Israelites they were to decide whom they would serve: the Amorite gods or the Lord who brought them out of Egypt. They agreed to serve the LORD, for he is our God. Ephesians 5:21-32 Paul likened the love of a husband and wife to the love Christ has for the Church . As Christ loves the Church , so should husbands and wives love each other. Gospel: John 6:60-69 Jesus disciples were puzzled by his words. Jesus reminded them, It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.

9 Simon Peter responded, You have the words of eternal life. Thoughts from the Pastor s Where did the summer go? It seems that just yesterday we were celebrating Memorial Day weekend, and now we are a week ahead of Labor Day, those welcome 3-day weekends that frame our summer. From my vantage point, it has been a few months of a roller coaster ride. We have joyously celebrated our children at both the Vacation Bible School and our Summer Religious Education weeks. We have grieved with the loss of loved ones, among our parishioners and friends, in this parish and beyond. We have read with deep sadness and outrage about the failures of the Church in many ways and over many years.

10 We have offered thanks for the youth of our parish , as our college-age parishioners held gatherings of faith and fun, and as newly-graduated high school leaders become lowly freshmen in colleges and universities. This summer of contrasts illustrates the ebb and flow of our lives within the Church , within our parish community, and within our homes. Great joys are contrasted with broken sorrows. As these cycles of life unfold, I encourage each person to also discern the cycles of our faith lives. They, too, have highs and lows, and throughout all these seasons, God is calling, inviting us closer. He invites us to receive His comfort and consolation, and to share His abundant hope for each of our lives.