Bearing witness to Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: 
GO. MAKE. TEACH.
Our Core Values: a reliance on prayer; a willingness to grow; a generous spirit 
Jesus, Prince of Peace, we celebrate the Magi, pagans who traveled to Bethlehem with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to welcome into the world a new-born babe, the King of the Jews. Our Heavenly Father awoke in their hearts an epiphany, a manifestation of the little King Who would bring universal salvation to all. The adoration they so respectfully offered to You sparked the beginnings of the Christian Faith. Lord, fill our hearts with the same trust that encouraged the Magi to embark on a journey of wonder that ended with the promise of eternal life. Accept our gifts of devotion, obedience, and joy. Now we step into this new year that You have so graciously bestowed upon us. We look forward to fresh beginnings as we continue on our own journey to Bethlehem that points us to the Way, the Truth, and the Light that is You, our Savior Lord. Amen.
Join us after the 4:30 pm Mass for Journey to the Inn, our annual live nativity event,
on January 6, 2024
January 4, 2023
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. John's,

As we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany this weekend, we recall the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem where they encountered the Christ child. Christ gave of Himself to them in love, and they gave gifts out of love back to Him. 

Matching Gift Announcement

I'm tremendously grateful as I have witnessed Christ's generous gift of self to our community in so many ways, and we are responding to that love by making gifts of love back to Him. I have witnessed this, particularly in the pledges we have received to date with our Restore to Gather Capital Campaign. We have also had a few parishioners come forward to help us reach our goal and provide up to $200,000 in matching funds on any new or increased pledges for the remainder of the month of January. You can learn more about this opportunity below.
New Statues in the Chapel!
 
The Statues of St. Michael and St. Raphael have arrived and will be blessed on Saturday, January 6th at the special 8:30 am Mass that day. They were hand-carved out of Linden wood by Albl Oberammergau Studio in Germany. They received a painted finish with 23.75 ct gold gilded details. 
They were carved to match the canvas print that is behind the tabernacle which is a replica of the Annunciation of Mary by Fra Angelico. The original was created between 1440 and 1450 in the Convent San Marco in Florence Italy. The statue of St. Michael was paid for by Harold Henfling, my 1st cousin twice removed, who is also my oldest male relative at 97 years old. The statue of St. Raphael was generously donated by Don Karpinski, a longtime parishioner here at SJB. We are grateful for their support to beautify our Chapel of the Angels.
 


As the Father loves me, so I also love you,
Father Paul
Pastor
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, January 4, 2024 ~ Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious
2:00 PM Young at Heart Senior Group ~ St. Joseph Hall
3:00 PM Gather to Witness Devotion ~ Facebook
7:00 PM OCIA Class ~ 206/208

Friday, January 5, 2024 ~ Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop
8:00 AM Rosary ~ Church of the Angels
8:00 AM Confessions ~ Confessionals
8:30 AM Mass ~ Church and streaming on Facebook and YouTube (Fr. Joseph)
9:15 AM OCIA Friday Class ~ 206/208
9:30 AM Legion of Mary ~ 211
3:00 PM Gather to Witness Devotion ~ Facebook

Saturday, January 6, 2024 ~ Memorial of Saint Andre Bessette, Religious
8:30 AM Mass ~ Chapel and streaming on Facebook and YouTube (Fr. Paul)
3:00 PM Gather to Witness Devotion ~ Facebook
3:15 PM Confessions ~ Confessionals
4:30 PM Vigil Mass ~ Church and streaming on Facebook and YouTube (Fr. Joseph)
5:30 PM Journey to the Inn (Live Nativity Event) ~ St. Joseph Hall/Church/Parking Lot

Sunday, January 7, 2024 ~ Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
8:30 AM Mass ~ Church (Fr. Joseph)
8:30 AM Sunday Nursery ~ Nursery
10:30 AM Mass ~ Church (Fr. Paul)
10:30 AM Sunday Nursery ~ Nursery
11:30 AM SJB Chili Cook-Off ~ St. Joseph Hall
3:00 PM Gather to Witness Devotion ~ Facebook
4:00 PM Young Adult Men's Bible Study ~ 211
5:00 PM Confessions ~ Confessionals
5:30 PM Mass ~ Church (Fr. Paul)
6:30 PM Confirmation Preparation ~ LL 106

Monday, January 8, 2024 ~ Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
8:00 AM Confessions ~ Confessionals
8:00 AM Rosary ~ Chapel of the Angels
8:30 AM Mass ~ Church and streaming on Facebook and YouTube (Fr. Joseph)
9:00 AM Divine Mercy Chaplet ~ Church
11:30 AM Widows and Widowers Lunch ~ Off-Site
3:00 PM Gather to Witness Devotion ~ Facebook
5:00 PM Altar Guild ~ Church
7:00 PM Baptism Preparation Class ~ 206/208

Tuesday, January 9, 2024 ~ Memorial of Saint Adrian, Abbot
8:00 AM Confessions ~ Confessionals
8:00 AM Rosary ~ Chapel of the Angels
8:30 AM Mass ~ Church and streaming on Facebook and YouTube (Fr. Joseph)
9:00 AM Kidz Closet ~ 203
1:00 PM Quilters Ministry ~ 203
2:30 PM Middle School Open Youth Room ~ LL 106
3:00 PM Gather to Witness Devotion ~ Facebook
6:30 PM Catholic Watchmen ~ St. Joseph Hall

Wednesday, January 10, 2024 ~ Memorial of Saint William of Bourges, Religious
8:00 AM Rosary ~ Chapel of the Angels
8:00 AM Confessions ~ Confessionals
8:30 AM Mass ~ Church and streaming on Facebook and YouTube (Fr. Joseph)
9:00 AM Blood Pressure Checks ~ St. Therese Room
9:30 AM Faithfully Fit ~ 210
3:00 PM Gather to Witness Devotion ~ Facebook
5:00 PM Confessions ~ Confessionals
5:30 PM Mass ~ Chapel of the Angels (Fr. Joseph)
6:00 PM Family Formation ~ St. Joseph Hall
6:00 PM Middle School Faith Formation ~ LL 106
8:00 PM High School D-Group ~ LL 106

Thursday, January 11, 2024 ~ Memorial of Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch, Abbot
6:30 AM Men's Fellowship ~ St. Joseph Hall
8:00 AM Rosary ~ Chapel of the Angels
8:00 AM Confessions ~ Confessionals
8:30 AM Mass ~ Church and streaming on Facebook and YouTube (Fr. Joseph)
3:00 PM Gather to Witness Devotion ~ Facebook
7:00 PM OCIA Class ~ 206/208
Young at Heart Senior Group
 
Meeting next on January 4, the 1st Thursday of the month, from 2:00 pm—4:00 pm in St. Joseph Hall. 
 
Contact Mary at 763.242.4229 or 651.633.8333 x1229 with comments or questions.
Sister Clarinda’s Winter 2024 Scripture
Priest, Prophet, King by Bishop Robert Barron

Classes are on Wednesdays from 9:30-11:00 am
First Class is on January 17, 2024
Register early fee is $30
Alive in the Word
Sister Clarinda’s “Sarah & Hagar”

Classes are on Tuesdays 9:30-11:00 am 
First Class is on January 16, 2024                           
Register early fee is $10.
New Year’s Resolutions? 
 
Consider some online Catholic communities on our Faith Resources webpage
Looking to connect with others in our parish who may be involved in these year-long endeavors? Come to hospitality on Sunday, January 14 after the morning Masses at the marked tables. 
Matching Gift Challenge!

A group of donors have approached us to enable us to fulfill two goals:

  1. to encourage all families to participate in the campaign and
  2. to complete our Restore to Gather projects.

What is the matching challenge? For every $1 given to the campaign, the donors will give $1, up to $200,000. This means that if you give a gift of $3,000 (or pledge $1,000 per year for 3 years}, the donors will give a matching gift of $3,000 making your total gift $6,000! 
How will this match be applied? It is the intent of the donors that this match be applied to the primary purpose of the campaign, to complete our Restore to Gather campaign projects. When all $200,000 has been matched, the total gift will be $400,000! This will bring us closer to achieving our $5 million goal and the ability to accomplish all of our church and school projects. 

Why did the donors initiate this challenge? Thanks to the many gifts and pledges we've received so far, we are now able to envision completing our major restoration projects. The matching gift donors want to keep up the positive momentum of the campaign and increase participation so that the parish can address these important needs and provide for the future of St. John the Baptist. 

How can I participate? Simply fill out the pledge card you received in the mail or complete a pledge card from our campaign display and return it to the Parish Office. If you have already made a gift and can give more, you can take advantage of this great opportunity by contacting Director of Development Mary May (maym@stjohnnyb.org; 651.633.8333, ext. 1253) and increasing your gift. If you made a three-year commitment and are willing to add a fourth year to your pledge, this too will qualify for our "matching gift challenge." 

We are truly grateful for gifts in any amount. We know that not everyone can give the same amount, but we are hopeful that everyone can make the same sacrifice to support this important effort. 

Click here to learn more about our Restore to Gather campaign, our goals, our progress, and how to make your pledge. You may also contact Mary May, Director of Development, at 651.633.8333, ext. 1253, or email maym@stjohnnyb.org with questions. 
St. John’s Youth Ministry

Want to get on our email list? Reach out to Sarah Wilder at wilders@stjohnnyb.org. We send out a weekly update on everything we have going on in St. John’s Youth Ministry.
6th-8th Grade Events and Programs
Wednesday Night Bible Study/Middle School Formation
Wednesdays from 6:00 pm-7:30 pm in the Youth Room
Over three years, students will develop a firm foundation of faith to carry with them into high school and beyond. 6th graders are studying the Old Testament. 7th and 8th graders are studying the life of Jesus through the gospels. The program features a weekly scripture study, prayer, and a competition for the kingdom cup.

Open Youth Room/Discipleship Groups
Tuesdays from 2:30 pm-4:00 pm in the Youth Room
All students in 6th-8th grade are invited to gather for a time as a community, prayer lessons, faith discussions, snacks, and games. Every other week we will have discipleship groups that focus on growing together as disciples of Christ.

Middle School Youth Group
3rd Fridays from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm in the Youth Room
Once per month, our middle school community gathers for faith and fun. We will spend part of the evening playing a large group game and part of the evening in prayer. All 6th-8th graders are invited to come!
9th-12th Grade Events and Programs

High School Discipleship Groups
10th-12th graders are invited to join a discipleship group. D-groups are composed of 4-8 teens with 1-2 adult leaders. They commit to being a disciple of Jesus and to walking together in that journey. D-groups meet on Wednesday from 8:00 pm—9:30 pm.
Answer to last week's Question:


Which Saint started the first Catholic girls' school in the USA?

  • Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton


Click here to learn more about this amazing saint!
Will you be attending Journey to the Inn this Saturday?
Yes!
No
Maybe, I'm still deciding...
Help us make all these important events happen, join our team

Job Openings at St. John’s

  • Youth Ministry Intern (Temporary)

  • Rectory Housekeeper

  • Middle School ELA and Religion Teacher

  • Assistant Preschool Teachers

  • Kitchen Assistant in School

For more information on these jobs, or to apply, please see the Job Opportunities page on our parish website: www.stjohnnb.com/contact/job-opportunities/
Enjoy a free subscription to FORMED.org
 
FORMED provides amazing online videos, audio, and books 24/7 for you to grow in your faith. It's EASY and FREE to Register!
 
  • Go to www.formed.org and select the sign up as a parishioner and find St. John the Baptist in New Brighton, MN
  • Enter your name and email and click sign-up

Enjoy and share with others in our local community!


How are we doing at St. John's Catholic Church?
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 835 2nd Ave. NW, New Brighton, MN 55112 
 651-633-8333 | sjb@stjohnnyb.org | stjohnnb.com