General Announcements

As We Close The Year Liturgical Highlights for the rest of Year A more...

Your parish’s future depends on you Your parish’s future depends on you more...

PLEASE JOIN US FOR SCRIPTURE CLASS PLEASE JOIN US FOR SCRIPTURE CLASS more...

More Items still needed We are the oldest Catholic parish in Napa and will proudly celebrate our 150th anniversary in November 2008. Organizers of the many events that will take place as part of the sesquicentennial festivities are collecting memorabilia to use throughout the coming year and they need your help. If you have photographs, news clips, drawings, illustrations, booklets or other mementos of the Church, Parish or school please call the Rectory office at 226-9379,ext 10. Mementos shared with the anniversary year organizers will be cared for with utmost respect and returned intact to the donors. Photos of any of the three buildings that have housed three buildings that have housed the Church over the years are especially appreciated,as are pictures of Church and school events such as First Communion celebrations, Confirmations, and weddings. For further information please contact Colleen Beasley at 255-3274

JOIN OUR CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD All children ages 3-8 attending the 10 am Mass on Sundays are invited to join us for our Children’s Liturgy of the Word. The children are dismissed by the priest following the Opening Rite at Mass and then return to their families for the Eucharist. The teachers are parents of children who attend CLW and we always need help, either as assistants or as teachers. Materials and training is provided. If you can help or have questions, please call Chris Schuh 251-5782 or email to christineschuh@sbcglobal.net . This is a wonderful opportunity for children to hear the Gospel at a level easy for them to understand. Through listening, songs, and faith sharing, children get to know Jesus.

Receiving Communion—how to approach the Altar To allow more time for prayer before receiving Communion, we suggest that each of you wait for the people in the pew in front of you to proceed before standing to get into line. This allows time for you to remain seated or kneeling in prayer, and also allows less standing time for each of you. This might create some confusion at first, but we hope that eventually all will follow this simple courtesy.

FLOWERS, WE NEED FLOWERS If your flower garden is over abundant this summer we welcome flowers for decorating the altar and the tabernacle any time this summer. Please bring your cut flowers, and place them in containers with water, preferably in the hallway behind the crucifix or somewhere near the organ. If you have questions, call 226-9379 thank you!

Food Bank Barrel Hunger is always a presence for many in our community.  We have a Napa Valley Food Bank Barrel in the narthex—please bring your non-perishable foods any time and place them in the barrel. Thank you.

HOSTING HOSPITALITY Do you enjoy the snacks and drinks after Mass each Sunday? More and more people are enjoying the refreshments, but mostly they are enjoying the opportunity to visit with other parish friends and just relax in our friendly atmosphere! Would you like to host hospitality in honor of someone’s birthday, or an anniversary, or just because? The new hospitality calendar will be developed soon, and we’d love to have your participation in this wonderful activity. Please email Kristy Reynoso: kristy.reynoso@sbcglobal.net. Thank you!

STAND AND BE COUNTED: Registering in a parish is a declaration of your desire to be part of a Catholic community and a commitment to the life of the parish family. Being a registered parishioner not only gives you the wonderful benefit of truly being a part of the parish, but is also makes things easier when it is time for infant baptism, school registration, weddings, when asked to be a baptismal or confirmation sponsor, and even for funerals. So, if you are not registered, please consider registering. Forms are available at the church entrances or you can come to the rectory office. Please complete one today and place it in the box in the narthex or in the collection basket if you would like to join our community.

PRAY FOR VOCATIONS: TAKE HOME A CHALICE OR A WOODEN CROSS The need for people to answer the call for vocations to the priesthood or religious life is urgent. You can play a vital role in helping answer this need by praying—sign up to take home either a beautiful wooden cross or a chalice for a week and say a daily prayer for vocations. Sample prayers are sent home with the cross or chalice, or you can say your own. The point is awareness of the need and the daily prayer for intervention. Questions or to sign up, email Gayle Close: gayleclose@pathlink.com.

JESUS OF MERCY PRAYER GROUP Will be meeting every Wednesday at 5:15pm in front of the Tabernacle in the Church. Please join us for an hour of vocal prayer which includes the Rosary for Priests, Chaplet of Divine Mercy and other prayers of adoration, consecration and petition. Everyone is welcome

If you are taking a vacation this summer Please travel safely, and know you will be remembered in our prayers at Masses. Please remember to support your Church while you are away—unfortunately, PG&E;, other utilities, maintenance, and other parish costs don’t take a vacation. Last summer parishioner offertory income dropped by over $20,000.00 --and has never recovered. Please don’t forget to remember St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in your summer budget and support. Blessings, Fr. Gordon and Staff

Baptism Preparation Class Classes in English are on the Fourth Monday of the month at 7 pm in the second floor rectory conference room (960 Caymus St.). Classes are 1 hour long and require both parents and godparents to attend. Call 226-9379x10 for information.

CARING FRIENDS: Will meet again as of September.If you have any questions, please contact Judy Andrich at 252-4689 the Church. All are welcome.

Praying through Grief Memories of loved ones who have died are frequently rekindled. While the memories are usually joyful ones, they can become painful in remembering the loss that you have experienced. If you need to talk about your loss—recent or not so recent—you are invited to a Grief Support Group, sponsored by Caring Friends Ministry. Monthly meetings are held in the church narthex, the third Thursday of each month. Marsha Imrie 226-9719, or Audrey Palmer 226-2423 can answer any questions.