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Greetings!
We hope you had a wonderful summer and are ready for some exciting events at St. Perpetua. Please let us know how we can improve this e-newsletter. Also, please be sure to look at our website, www.stperpetua.org, and feel free to send us feedback on that, too!
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The Challenge of Peace in Syria
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Read the statements of Pope Francis and the American Bishops on the Syrian crisis here. |
Outreach News
| St. P's Food Basket Collection
On September 14/15 please bring
for canned Meals (e.g. - Pasta, Chili, Stew) for the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry at St. Francis of Assissi.
BLUE BARREL FOR YOUTH HOMES For more than 45 years, Youth Homes, Inc., has helped severely abused & neglected foster children and adolescents (between the ages of 12-17) recover from trauma. They provide a safe place for foster youth to heal & grow. There are 4 residential facilities in Contra Costa County. Please bring your USEABLE ITEMS (Age appropriate & in working order & all game pieces included please!) at all the masses on September 21/22 or September 28/29.
WISH LIST:
Back to School Items Board Games Music & Educational CDs Duffle Bags, Backpacks Roller Suitcases Portable CD Players MP3, i-Pods Clock Radios
Thank you so much for your generosity!
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OKTOBERFEST 2013
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Sunday, October 6, starting at 12:30 pm
It's a great opportunity to spend a relaxing afternoon with fellow parishioners. If you're new to the community, there's no better way to get to meet and enjoy the company of new friends. Delicious food, games galore for adults and kids. Here are some of the highlights:
- Children get ready to sell raffle tickets, the more you sell the better your chances of winning the dog in the vestibule. In addition, the sellers of the 3 winning tickets drawn on carnival day will receive gift cards to Target and each week we will be pulling top sellers' names from a hat to receive Jamba juice gift cards. Tickets are available at the paws of the dog, at the parish and school offices and on our website. The winner of our raffle will get $1000 in cash.
- Silent Auction Get a reserved parking spot and pew for Christmas and Easter. Contest: people's favorite basket.
- Beer brewers are encouraged to enter our Home Brew Contest, check with Mike Whitchurch for details (998-5155)
- Cake Decorating Contest
- Sports Lounge Enjoy beer and delicious food while watching the football games (server ready to take your order)
Ways you can participate:
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Faith Formation News
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Welcome to the new year of St. Perpetua Faith Formation. It is our goal to provide the fundamentals of our faith in an engaging and supportive atmosphere for the children of our parish from Pre-Kindergarten through grade 5.
Faith Formation Classes Begin:
Sunday, September 22nd
9:25 a.m. for Kindergarten
10:30 a.m. for 1st - 5th grade
(children attending 9:30 a.m. Mass are asked to meet
in the back of the church immediately following communion)
Tuesday, October 1st
4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
1st - 5th grade
Parents and Children please meet in the church
Teachers are still needed for a few grades. Please contact Kristine Kvochak at 283-0272 ext. 204 or via e-mail
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Middle School Edge
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Welcome to our New Director of Middle School (EDGE)
Faith Formation
Adam Chaffey moved from Australia eight years ago with Grace, his beautiful wife, and has found that God has made a very special home for them in California. He has been an active minister in the Catholic Church both in music and youth ministry, and loves being a part in God's active movement in the lives of teens. Since 2003 he has been running youth ministry programs and creating youth worship bands in a variety of church settings. Within the Oakland Diocese he has led retreats which have helped inspire teens to truly become fearless in their faith. He has also led the music for the youth days' Ignite, the Oakland Diocese Youth Day. This year there will be a youth day for those in middle school as well.
He received a Bachelors of Music from the Conservatory of Sydney, with an emphasis in Education and Classical Percussion. He is also currently completing his Master's of Theology from the University of Newcastle. Along with formal education.
EDGE ProgramOne of the greatest challenges in this world is to NOT feel alone. This is especially true for the youth of today. It is for this reason, that EDGE is going to kick the year off with a mission. That mission is to have every EDGEr know every other teen in their grade that's coming to EDGE, and build friendships that will last though out the year and beyond. For the first month we'll be focusing on team-building activities with a faith lesson. High energy, full of the Spirit, and a place where teens can really connect to each other.
Signups for EDGE are still coming in, so if you haven't registered it is definitely not too late, get your form here. EDGE is a fantastic opportunity for middle school youth to meet friends, and experience God, and find a way to be involved in the church that they understand. The EDGE- begins October 1, at 6:45 pm in the church hall. Again, if you haven't sent your registration forms, they need to be in ASAP! We also are looking for a few team leaders to work with a small group of 10 - 12 students. Please contact
Adam Chaffey
EDGE Coordinator
(510) 682-0912
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Teen News
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 Confirmation begins this week! Teens who are least a sophomore may join us in our parish sacramental preparation. Information meetings are Sunday through Thursday of this week in the RRC at 7:30. Contact Gary with any questions. In this picture is our Youth Minister, Gary Guerrero, and Bishop Ryan from the May 2013 Confirmation! |
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Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)
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At the 9:30 Mass, children in grades K-4 are dismissed after the opening prayer to listen to the readings (Word of God) in language understandable and relevant to them. In order to make this experience as age appropriate as possible, children in grades K-2 go to the hall and children in grades 3-4 go to the RRC. The children are led by parent volunteers. The readings are taken from the official Children's Lectionary. The children return to their parents at the beginning of the collection. We're currently in need of new presiders. Lesson plans are provided and as such the preparation time is minimal. Please contact Christoph for more information.
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Music Ministry News
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Parish Choir starts rehearsals
Wednesday, September 18
What is a choir? Calling it just a group of singers doesn't do it justice - the sound of a choir is much more than the sum of its parts. The health benefits of singing in a choir are well-documented: lower blood pressure, increased intelligence, and improved mood. Joining the choir not only helps you participate more actively at Mass, but helps everyone in the parish participate better.
The Parish Choir will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, September 18, from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. The choir is open to all singers - no audition necessary. At a typical rehearsal, we start with some vocal warm-ups and then work on the music for the upcoming masses at which we will sing. Usually, we rehearse a piece for at least three rehearsals before we sing it at Mass, so singers are able to learn the music even if you don't read music.
Now that the "modest makeover" has given us a great space to sing and lead the music for mass, isn't it time you joined the choir? If you have any questions, please talk with our Music Director, Matt Wolka, anytime. Phone: (925) 283-0272 x205 or e-mail: mwolka@stperpetua.org.
Special Vocal Workshop led by Donna Olson
of St. Mary's College
Donna Olson, professor of voice at St. Mary's College and well-known Bay-area vocal coach will lead a special vocal workshop for the choir, cantors, and any other singers in the parish interested in participating on Saturday, September 14, from 2 - 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served following the workshop. The workshop will focus on techniques to make your singing come alive within the choral or solo setting. Please RSVP to Matt Wolka by Thursday, September 12.
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ROSIE THE RIVETER MUSEUM
|  Learn more about WWII Bay Area history by joining us for a bus trip to the wonderful ROSIE THE RIVETER MUSEUM. One of the women who became a "Rosie" will speak to us of her experiences before we tour the museum on our own. Lunch is available in the Assemble Restaurant or you may bring your own to eat on the grounds. On Tuesday, October 15, we will travel by bus to the museum. We will depart from the upper parking lot at 9:00 a.m. and return by 3:00 p.m. Payment for bus ride is $25. Museum is free. Reservations due by Sept. 23. This activity is sponsored by SAGE (St. Perpetua Senior Activities Group, etc.) but is open to all adults. For more information call Kathy Geddes at 283-0272 or kgeddes@stperpetua.org. |
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School News
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FORE! The 10th annual St. Perpetua School golf tournament takes place on September 23 at Moraga Country Club. Proceeds from this event will be used to support technology in our classrooms. We hope to purchase i pads and chrome books for classroom use, a SMART board for the library, and maintain previous technology purchases. If you would like to be a sponsor or spend a beautiful day on the links, please visit our school website. This year marks the 50th anniversary of St. Perpetua School. On our first day of school, our student body gathered in the amphitheater for a prayers service and a special blessing by Father John. We are grateful to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet for their vision and dedication in establishing our school as well as the numerous generations of parents, students, and parishioners who have supported Catholic education in so many ways. On October 26th, we will celebrate this anniversary with Mass at 5pm followed by a reception in the hall. Details will be included in the church and school newsletters.
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Sincerely,
The Staff of
St. Perpetua Catholic Church
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