RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS – IMPORTANT !!!!

Due to delays in the completion of the lower level, the date to resume classes will need to be postponed.   Please keep an eye on thE newsletter, web page, and parish bulletin for the exact date that classes will resume.   Since our lease at the Education Station was not renewed, and there is not adequate space currently at the church we really have no option but to wait until the space is complete.  When classes do resume they will be held here at the church.   Monday classes will remain the same beginning at 6:30 – with only a change in location.  Wednesday afternoon classes will be pushed back until 4:00 – evening classes beginning as before at 7:00 – plus the change in location to the new church.

ADULT FAITH FORMATION OPPORTUNITY

Inviting all maturing adults during one’s second half of life!

What:         DVD series focusing on Your Spiritual Vitality - as developed by Dr. Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D.                                                                  -Website: www.SeniorAdultMinistry.com

                    -Pre-planned exercises will be utilized:

                             -Sample topics will include:

                                      -Aging a Spiritual Phenomena

                                      -Seek Love Everywhere

                                      -Delight in Connectedness

                                      -Live in the Now

                                      -Except Your True Self

                                      -Forgive Others and Self

Who:           All who are interested in lending ‘their-voice-of-experience’ to                       this formative topic

Date/Time: Starts February 21, 2010 at 9:45 am – 10:45 am

Place:                   Conference room off of the multi-purpose room

Materials:   DVD based materials will be provided

                   -Helpful if you can bring Bible and The Catholic Catechism

Contact:     Deacon Ed, redirector@stthomasmoreic.com or  319-337-4231

Tithing Grant Applications now being Accepted

Tithing Grant Applications: St Thomas More is a tithing parish for many years. Every January and June the Social Justice Commission meets to review  requests and allocate funds for parishioner-requested charities and programs benefiting needs of local, state, national and international populations. Annual Christmas offertory collections are the source of funding. Any STM parishioner is welcome to apply for funds for programs using the form located in the gathering space.  Forms to be to STM by Friday Jan. 15. If time is short, call either Marti or Mary to fill it out with information you provide, or for information. Thank you.

Marti Bradbury 338-4945, Mary Merchant 337-2314

Religious Education Update

The walls are going up in the lower level  meeting rooms !!   The earliest possible start date for Religious Education will be February 1st.  Please keep checking for changes in this date.   In order to accomodate the number of students, there are a number of changes that are being implimented. 

Monday evening session formerly at Education Station

• Grades K thru 8 class begins at 6:30

Wednesday Afternoon Sessions formerly at the Parish Center

1. Grades K thru 5 classes now begin at 4:00 running until 5:15.  This will allow for more travel time for teachers to reach the new location
2. Grades 6, 7 and 8 will be held on Wednesday Evening beginning at 7:00 ending at 8:15.  

Please let me know any questions or comments about these changes.    Continue to watch for any changes in plans in the parish bulletin and on this web page.

This link will take you to the new revised schedule.   Please note this is tentative and subject to change!!

Microsoft Word – Revised Sched – January 2010

NCYC Power Point Presentation

Below is a link to picturs taken at the 2009 National Catholic Youth Conference held in Kansas City this past November.  Fourteen of our youth joined 23,000 others in praising God !!!

NCYC 2009

“Celebration with Friends” Thank YOU

The organizers of the fund raising event  “Celebration with Friends” would like to thank all of our parish family for the great support.  Through your generosity we have realized $58,000 for the phased completion of the the lower level meeting rooms.   Construction has begun this week, with completion hopefully in January.   God is good all the time, and all the time God is good !!!!!!

Letter to all from Father Wally

Below is a link to a letter from Fr. Wally concerning our new church in Coralville, and the remarks from John LePeau from out “Mass of Dedication”

Bulletin Insert (11-29-09).   

Dedication – Presentation of Plans (2)

 

Stephen Ministry Coming to STM

In an effort to reach out to parishoners in need, we are in the process of forming a outreach program called “Stephen Ministry”.    To find out more about this exciting program click on the following link.

http://www.stephenministries.org/PDFs/after_people.pdf

More information will be forth coming.

Christmas Tea at the Vintage Rose

A three-course meal at Elizabeth Halloran’s Tearoom (110 Cattail Lane, North Liberty) Sunday, Dec. 20.  First seating: 12-2 PM    Second seating:  4-6 PM.  Cost:  $17 includes a delicious soup followed by a 3-tired server at each table with an assortment of savory finger sandwiches, scones, Devonshire cream, preserves, lemon curd and topped off with an assortment of petite sweets.   Reservations required.  RSVP now to Margaret Kaltefleiter at 358-9930 or email her at mkalte26@aol.com.  Deadline:   Dec. 17 (Note:  No elevator access.  Wear your hat or borrow one from Elizabeth’s collection) This is a proper tea served on antique china and crystal,  linens and lace, candlelight and classical chamber music.     You are sure to enjoy this elegant repast of a bygone era

More Photos From Mass of Dedication

Special thanks to Kathy Donnelly for this gallery of images from the Mass of Dedication.

 

Thanksgiving Vacation !! See you at Mass on Thursday

No religious education this coming week – November 23rd thru 28th.    Special Thanksgiving Day Mass at 9:00 AM on Thursday, Novmeber 26th.    Put the bird in the oven, load the family in the van; and come say “thank you” for all that the Lord has given us.

New Church Renews the Old

Many items from the Church on Riverside were incorporated into the construction & art of the new building. Below is a list:

Stone: Ambo, Altar, Presider Chair and the dedication candle holders and the stone on the candlesticks were fashioned from the stone from the Riverside Drive Church by JB Barnhouse, Stonemason. The stone on the baptistry is new but obtained from the same stone quarry (Anamosa).

Wood (Red Oak): refashioned from the former pews was recycled by four very talented carpenters to make eight candlesticks, three planters (Dave Johnson), lectern top for Ambo, shelf for Tabernacle (Vern Miller), fourteen Stations of the Cross, Shelf for Book of the Gospels (John Lundell), benches (Steve Nielsen).

Sanctuary Candle refinished (Art DeArmond).

Four kneelers refinished (Ann Persoon) and reupholstered (Gale Kolbet).

Furniture is also being reused – conference room table, chairs, library shelves, lounge furniture, tables for meetings and serving.

Art: bust of Christ, oil reproduction of St. Thomas More, the Holy Family sculpture, the Risen Christ formerly on our Crucifix and soon in our stairwell, other crosses and crucifixes.

Thank you to all the volunteers and craftspeople…and Kathy Donnelly for keeping this list!

Mass of Dedication Pictures & Pictures from “An Evening with Friends”

Below are pictures from the Mass of Dedication, and from the fund raiser “An Evening with Friends”.    Thanks to all that made both events a huge success.

Do You Have Something to Share?

Do you have a photo or video of the Parish dedication ceremony? Please contact Teresa, the STM web minister, at webminister@stthomasmoreic.com to make arrangements if you’d like to share those memories with our online community. We can post or embed your videos for other Parishioners to view.

Photos of the New Church

Here are some wonderful first photos from Father Wally! Mass of Dedication is on Saturday, November 14th at 4pm with Bishop Amos.