St. Elizabeth Catholic Church Blog: September 2023

AWESOME 45th ANNIVERSARY GOSPEL CHOIR PROGRAM - September 24, 2023 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

Awesome 45th Anniversary

Gospel Choir Program

September 24, 2023

St. Elizabeth Gospel Choir

St. Elizabeth Umoja Choir

Holy Rosary Gospel Choir and Director at the Piano

Chapel Group

Awards Presentation

Monsignor Mike gives the Closing Prayer,
with Dan Burns, Master of Ceremonies

Reception: The Cake!

Mon. Mike and Kim Ford, our Gospel Choir Director, cutting the Cake!

~ Photos by Connie Hom

Labels: AWESOME 45th ANNIVERSARY GOSPEL CHOIR PROGRAM, September 24 2023

45th Anniversary of the St. Elizabeth Gospel Choir - Founding Director, Former Director and Present Musician ~ A Priceless Photo by Scott Stell

45th Anniversary of the St. Elizabeth Gospel Choir

September 24, 2023

A Priceless Photograph!

Scott Stell, Present Musician
Rev. Rita Newsom, Former Director
Ed Foster, Founding Director

~ Photo by Scott Stell

Labels: 45th Anniversary of the St. Elizabeth Gospel Choir, Founding Director Former Director and Present Musician

St. Elizabeth Church Gospel Choir - 45th Anniversary Concert - September 24, 2023 - Part One ~ Photos by Lula Lamb

St. Elizabeth Church Gospel Choir

45th Anniversary Concert

September 24, 2023

Part One

Concert Program

St. Elizabeth Gospel Choir

St. Elizabeth Umoja Choir

Mon. Mike Schmied and his sister

Holy Rosary Gospel Choir

~ Photos by Lula Lamb

Labels: St. Elizabeth Church Gospel Choir 45th Anniversary Concert September 24 2023 Part One

St. Elizabeth Church Gospel Choir - 45th Anniversary Concert - September 24, 2023 - Part Two ~ Photos by Lula Lamb

St. Elizabeth Church Gospel Choir

45th Anniversary Concert

September 24, 2023

Part Two

Rev. Rita Newsom and Ed Foster (standing)

The Chapel Group

The Congregation

Rev. Rita receiving her honors

Scott Stell and the rest of the honorees with Mon. Mike Schmied

~ Photos by Lula Lamb

Labels: St. Elizabeth Gospel Choir 45th Anniversary Concert September 24 2023

Baptisms of Three Brothers - St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - September 24, 2023 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

Baptism of Three Brothers

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

September 24, 2023

Fr. Jim welcomes the Family

Deacon Chris blesses the Water

~ Photos by Connie Hom

Labels: baptism of three brothers 2023

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Season of Creation -Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 24, 2023

Season of Creation

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 24, 2023

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!!

As a parish community, it has been a delight to celebrate the "Season of Creation." Special thanks to Sister Anns for introducing us to this Global and Ecumenical call to action to care for our common home.

We are Blessed to have our Gospel Choir celebrate today at 4 p.m. with a reception to follow. "Still Praising, 45 Years of Lifting Our Voices Through Song." As a parish, the Gospel Choir has been a hallmark of St. Elizabeth's and in many ways, the glue that has helped us pray and be united as a community.

We want to thank Kim Ford, Scott Stell, Diane Neylan, Mary Ann Allen, Peggy Beverly, Katrinia Bledsoe, Phillip I. Brew, Jr., Beverley Bryant, Erika Campos, Aimerance Fariala, Gloria Johnson, Astrid Jones, Jessica L'Heureux, Tim Kaine, Marie Masse', Bill Pearlingi, Carolyn Pearlingi, Joshuah Pursley, Mary Romanello, Jacob Saunders, Lucy Thompson, Peter Thompson, Yao Thompson, Mary Walker, Mone' Walker-Williams, Merceider Williams, Steve Wiley, Larry Williford, Eva Wiznerowicz, James Wiznerowicz, Cliff Wright, and Stacy Wright.

Please join us today starting at 4 p.m. for what is going to be a wonderful Choir Concert and a delicious reception.

Next Sunday, we are asking all children to dress up as bumble bees, fish, bugs, butterflies, etc. All families with children, we ask that you please arrive early so that you can receive face paint before the 10 a.m. Mass. As this is the closeout of the "Season of Creation" and to celebrate the feast day of St. Francis... please remember to bring a picture of your pets too and put them on the window sills for a special callout and blessing of all creatures.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

~ Image Source

Labels: 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, 9 24 2023, Father Jim's Jots, Season of Creation

Letendre-Thompson Wedding at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church - Saturday September 2, 2023 ~ Photos from a Personal Collection

Letendre - Thompson Wedding

St. Elizabeth Catholic Church

September 2, 2023

Denise and Yao exchange Wedding Vows

Love the shoes!

~ Photos from a Personal Collection

Labels: Letendre-Thompson wedding September 2 2023

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 17, 2023

Season of Creation

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 17, 2023

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!!

On Sunday, September 24th and October 1st, we will have a Second Collection for Catholic Schools. St. Elizabeth's has very close relationships with All Saints Catholic School and Christo Rey Richmond Catholic High School. Several of our families have children attending these schools. At the 10 am Mass on September 24th, Scott Meadows, the principal of All Saints Catholic School will briefly speak about the mission and work of the school.

In their statement on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic bishops remind Catholics about the call to participate in political life. "In the Catholic tradition," they write, "responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation." This election year, St. Elizabeth will be in relationship with faith communities throughout the region to honor the sacred privilege of voting. We will be part of the 100 Percent Voting Congregations with Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy. VICCP, a 501c3 organization, does not endorse or work for candidates or political parties, and does not collaborate with political parties. Activities will be planned to provide Faithful Citizenship education and information on this year's election for our parishioners.

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe

and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of your love,

that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live

as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,

help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,

so precious in your eyes.

We ask this through Christ the Lord.

Amen

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

Prayer from Laudato Si Catholic Mass

~ Image Source

Labels: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2023, Fr. Jim's Jots

FATHER JIM'S JOTS - Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - September 10, 2023

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 10, 2023

Season Of Creation

FATHER JIM'S JOTS

Greetings!!

On Sunday, September 24th, we will have a Second Collection for Catholic Schools. St. Elizabeth's has very close relationships with All Saints Catholic School and Christo Rey Richmond Catholic High School. Several of our families have children attending these schools. At the 10 a.m. Mass on September 24th, Scott Meadows, the principal of All Saints Catholic School will briefly speak about the mission and work of the school. Supporting our Catholic Schools is important to give children a quality Catholic education.

As we did last week, you are invited to share what you are doing to care for the environment on the post-it notes on the poster board in front of the Altar.

Here are some highlights from post-its made last Sunday:

~ Replace paper napkins with cloth napkins

~ Use wool dryer balls not dryer sheets

~ Pick up trash at Echo Lake

~ Increase recycling - decrease trash

Prayer of Commitment to Care for Creation

We have come to renew our covenant with God and with one another in Christ Jesus, our Lord. We have come to help protect God's creation.

We have come as followers of Jesus to commit ourselves anew to one another and to heal injustice and poverty.

We have come to stand together against all threats to life.

We have come to discover some new beauty every day in God's creation: the sunrise and sunset, birds, flowers and trees, rainbows in the sky, the stars, the many forms of life in the forest.

We have come to listen to the "music of the universe" - water flowing over rocks, the wind, trees bending in the wind, raindrops pattering on the roof.

We will remember always that God speaks to us through the beauty of His creation,and we will try our best to answer God's call to reverence all that He has created.

Amen

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

~ Prayer from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)

~ Image Source

Labels: 23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 2023