Tonight's the Night!!! ~ RISC Meeting with Mayor and City Council, Monday, August 31, 6:30 p.m.

We've worked this summer to be ready for Monday, August 31, for a Zoom meeting with the mayor and members of city council on the issues of eviction prevention, affordable housing, and gun violence.  

St. Elizabeth parishioners are invited to join the meeting to be a voice for the poor and those most at risk to gun-violence on Monday, August 31st at 6:30 p.m., by using the link provided.

For more information, contact Deacon Chris at 266-3596 or cbarrett@stelizcc.org.

~ Click Here for more information

The Technical Crew Who Put Together St. Elizabeth Virtual Jazz Festival, 2020 ~ Photos Provided by Connie Hom

Behind the Scenes.... Making it all happen!

Check Out the Newly Refurbished Parish Hall! ~ 8.30.2020 ~ Photos by Cecilia Hull and EJCooley

Photo by Cecilia Hull

The Following 3 Photos by EJCooley

Eva's Baptism at St. Elizabeth Church, 8.29.2020 ~ Photos provided by Connie Hom

Anne Marie's Baptism at Saint Elizabeth Church ~ August 29, 2020 ~ Photos provided by Connie Hom

TODAY'S THE DAY!!!! THE ST. ELIZABETH JAZZ FESTIVAL!!! - 4 P.M. - 6 P.M. - INFORMATION BELOW! ~ Information Provided by Cecilia Hull

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The 12th Annual St. Elizabeth Jazz Festival is August 29, 2020 from 4 to 6 p.m.  For this year's festival, you will trade in your lawn chair for your couch!  The 12th Annual St. Elizabeth Jazz Festival is online and virtual.

You can watch using Zoom (or Facebook Live).  There is no fee to join.  While the format is different, the purpose is not.  Your donation made while you enjoy the Jazz Festival will support the operation of St. Elizabeth parish and our efforts to help people in the community.

Go to the event page for the Meeting ID to join our Zoom:
https://stejazzfestival.com/https://stejazzfestival.com/

Fr. Jim's Jots! ~ Twenty-Second in Ordinary Time, August 30, 2020

FR. JIM'S JOTS

Special thanks to all who have helped with this year's Zoom Jazz Festival. You have been a blessing to Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church with your time, talent and treasure.  Next week we will give you an update on how much funds were raised.

During this difficult time with the pandemic COVID-19, hurricanes and the heartbreak of racial unrest and prejudice against Black Men, may we work against systemic racism and promote a non-violent change.  Below is a prayer to St. Francis.  May we pray and work.  Ora et Labora and VOTE.

PRAYER

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

 Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved, as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

And it is dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

P.S.  Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of James Edward Cooley, Jr., the brother of our beloved, Ethel Cooley.

~ Image Source

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This Year's Musical Lineup for the 12th Annual St. Elizabeth Jazz Festival - August 29, 2020

THIS YEAR'S MUSICAL LINEUP!

Some musicians are favorites from Jazz Festivals in the past, while others are excited to perform at the Jazz Festival for the first time.  All the bands are generously donating their time and talents to showcase jazz in our city.  To watch the performances, you download Zoom (a free video conferencing app or watch on St. Elizabeth's Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/StElizabethCatholicChurch

The event is free.  The website, https://stejazzfestival.com/, has all the details.

J Plunky Branch

Mighty Joshua

Sharon Rae North

Michael Hawkins

Kofi Shepsu

Glennroy Bailey

Double Digit

The 12th Annual St. Elizabeth Jazz Festival is August 29, 2929 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.  This year's festival is online on Zoom or Facebook Live.  While the format is different, the purpose is not.  A donation you give while you enjoy the Jazz Festival will support the operation of St. Elizabeth parish and our efforts to help people in the community.

Go to the event page  https://stejazzfestival.com/ for the Meeting ID to join on Zoom or follow St. Elizabeth on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StElizabethCatholicChurch/.  You can give a donation online: https://stelizcc.churchgiving.com/

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy - Information

St. Elizabeth is a member of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP), an organization of individuals and congregations from many faiths that join together to learn and advocate for social justice in Virginia. 

The VICPP is working during this special session of the General Assembly which started August 18th to advocate for issues such as paid sick days for all full-time workers in Virginia and a continuing moratorium on evictions. 

VICPP would like individual members of its member congregations to sign up to receive email updates and action alerts.  If you would like to sign up for the email list, please go to:
https://www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org/email-list/ 

Thank you for your support!

Victory in Our Voting! Panel Discussion on Zoom! Thursday, August 27, 2020 ~ 7-8:30 p.m.

Sign Up Here!

Turn out this Thursday, August 27, 7-8:30 p.m. ~ by Zoom

Politicians listen to two things, money and votes.  When we work together as a community and increase voter turnout, then our local, state and national legislators will listen to our needs.

Please join our Koinonia School of Race & Social Justice, along with Saint Paul's Baptist Church, for our Zoom conversation with these panelists:

Dr. Emory Berry - Pastor of Greenforest Community Baptist Church (Decatur, GA)

Dora Muhammad - Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy Congregation Engagement Director

The Honorable Rev. Tyrone Nelson - Pastor, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church; Member, Henrico County Board of Supervisors

Cathy Woodson - Community Organizer, Secretary, Henrico County Electoral Board, and President of Council at Richmond Hill

Imani Randolph - Criminal Justice Agency Research Project Coordinator, will serve as our moderator in this rich conversation.

Multiple areas of life are influenced when we vote.  It impacts:  education, healthcare, immigration, infrastructure, the economy, and our veteran affairs to name a few.

It is time for us to be the change we want to see and improve the quality of life for everyone by raising our voice with our vote.

Fr. Jim' Jots - Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr. Jim's Jots

We are having a 2020 Jazz Festival, Saturday August 29th, on Zoom!  The link is the same as our Sunday Mass.  In the past, the Jazz Festival has been an all-hands-on-deck event, with everyone involved.  This year's Virtual Jazz Festival is the effort of Connie Hom, Cecilia Hull, Janet Stern, George Strother, Larry Williford, and Karen Yesolitis!

How do you get involved?  We need you to visit our website on Saturday, August 29th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and enjoy some great jazz music!  Then, please donate through our online giving portal at stelizcc.org, click on "online giving".  You can also click the gray button below to donate at any time.

Click here to donate

Your help is needed, as the Jazz Festival is our only annual fundraiser and it accounts for about 20% of our parish income.  The last few weeks have brought a great financial challenge with the large amount of rain that flooded the rectory basement.  In the rectory/office basement, the boiler, hot water tank, and de-humidifier were damaged and they all need to be replaced.  When the roof leaked, it caused part of an office ceiling to fall in.  The basement flood also caused the food in the pantry to be underwater and to be lost.  HELP!

Thanks in advance for your prayers and generosity,

Blessings and love,

Fr. Jim Arsenault

~ Image Source

Congratulations to Cassandra and Walker Bland ~ 51st Wedding Anniversary! ~ Info provided by EJCooley

Celebrating our 51st Wedding Anniversary!

We would like to let our church family know how grateful we are to be members of St. Elizabeth's.  We renewed our vows shortly after joining for our 10th Anniversary.  We have so many fond memories: sacraments our family received, fund raisers, dances, classes, lifetime friendships and of course, all the choir concerts. We've seen a lot of changes, but our church family has always made it through the storms.

We ask that we all keep each other in prayer during these difficult times.

Love and Thank You.

Stinky (Walker) and Cassandra Bland

~ Image Source

Your Vote Matters! - Important Voter Information!

IMPORTANT VOTER INFORMATION

Recently, The Center for Voter Information mailed absentee ballot applications to Virginia residents.  This mailing is not from the Virginia Department of Elections nor your local Registrar's Office.

The mailing contains a VIRGINIA VOTE BY MAIL APPLICATION FORM.  The application form is partially completed with voter information.  It also contains a pre-paid addressed envelope to your registrar's mailing address.  Some of these envelopes have incorrect addresses to the local registrar's office.  The Virginia Department of Elections encourages all voters who would like to receive an absentee ballot for the November election to apply electronically on their website:  https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation.

The first day that absentee ballots will be mailed is September 18, 2020.  All mail through the Virginia Department of Elections will include an Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) which will be used to sort and track ballots as they are returned to the registrar's offices. This IMB will be on the outer envelopes and return envelopes. This barcode will allow registrars to track absentee ballots mailed to voters and it allows voters to track their completed ballots to the registrar's office.  It will also help voters recognize this important mail and will be distinct from political mailings.  It will also assist Postal workers to distinguish it from other mail pieces. 

Make Your Plan to Vote Now

As of July 1, 2020, Virginia Voters may vote in-person, no excuse, beginning September 19 at the local registrar's office.  This reduces the worry about postal service, long lines and wait time, or bad weather.  You do not need to complete an application for in-person early voting.

Important Dates to Know

Saturday, September 19: Early voting (no excuse) In-Person begins

Tuesday, October 13: last day to register or update existing registration

Saturday, October 31: last day for Early voting (no excuse) In-Person.

Tuesday, November 3: Election Day Polls Open 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. (this is a State holiday). 

Liz and Scott's Marriage at St. Elizabeth During the Pandemic - 8.15.2020 ~ Photos Provided by Connie Hom

Congratulations to Liz and Scott who were married at St. Elizabeth on August 15, 2020 in midst of the Pandemic.  Bride and Groom wore face shields. However there came a quick moment to take group pictures without face coverings.

Fr. Jim's Jots

"Oh Woman, Great is Your Faith."

In today's Gospel of St. Matthew, we find a woman begging for help from Jesus to heal her daughter.  She challenges Jesus and he hears her plea and her daughter is cured.  We, too, are challenged to ask the Lord to hear our prayers.

I am thankful to the Women in my life and in our parish who are great examples of faith and trust in the Lord.

I think of Phyllis Booth, who continues to learn the latest on how to get online and follow the Mass and Rosary on Zoom.

I think of Rita Hatchett, who dropped off gift bags for members of her Scripture Study Class and who misses seeing everyone live and in person.

I think of Gloria, Carolyn, Arlene, Jennie, Lucy, Barbara and Margaret and all the Community Life ladies who I miss seeing in our kitchen and helping in so many ways.

I think of our Volunteers: Janet, Connie and Karen and so many others who keep things going.

I think of E.J. Cooley, who works extra long hours with no pay to get things done and Cheryl, our Bookkeeper, who has worked more overtime and extra during this pandemic.

I am blessed: "Oh Women, Great is Your Faith."

Blessings and Love,

Fr. Jim

~ Image Source

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