Category Archives: Service Commission

News from the Service Commission

2020 Lenten Gift: Our POWIR Ministry Fund

Posted on March 4, 2020 | Comments Off on 2020 Lenten Gift: Our POWIR Ministry Fund

Special Collection March 28-29

Each year, in preparing for Lent, we reach out as a community to one particular place of suffering, amid so many in the world, through our Collaborative Lenten Gift.  In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus reminds us not only that we must love our neighbors – without boundaries – but that our love must be manifest in action. This year, our Collaborative Lenten Gift will help us manifest our love into action by establishing a St. John-St. Paul POWIR Ministry Fund to support our ongoing immigrant and refugee resettlement work in partnership with Catholic Charities Boston.  POWIR (Parishes Organized to Welcome Immigrants and Refugees) programs have helped thousands of refugee clients find places to live, make friends, learn English, find work, receive pro bono legal counsel and medical services, and achieve social integration. Throughout Lent, in the bulletin and on the websites, we will share the POWIR story with you as we prepare for our collaborative-wide Special Collection on March 28-29.  Click HERE to make an online donation today!

Our gift will allow each of us to share in easing the suffering and to answer Lent’s clarion call to love extravagantly.

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Posted in Lent, Service Commission

“Christmas Wish” Thank You!

Posted on December 16, 2019 | Comments Off on “Christmas Wish” Thank You!

Thank you to all our parishioners who gave so generously to our 2019 Christmas Wish Program. Our parishioners stuffed mailings, entered data, shopped, sponsored, donated and finally checked that every child had their special wish fulfilled. This truly is a magical program, which will make the lives of over 300 children significantly brighter this Christmas. We extend our prayerful gratitude to all who enabled us to carry out this wonderful outreach program again this year.  Blessings to your families this Christmas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Left: Long-time Christmas Wish drivers, Bill Logan & Steve Dufour.
Right: Organizing elves with all of our donations!

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Posted in Christmas, Christmas Wish, Service Commission

Annual “Coats for Kids” Collection Continues This Weekend – November 16-17!

Posted on November 13, 2019 | Comments Off on Annual “Coats for Kids” Collection Continues This Weekend – November 16-17!

Each year in November, St. John’s participates in the Coats for Kids drive by Anton’s Cleaners, a Boston-wide coat collection campaign for children, teens, adults and babies. Anton’s cleans all the donated coats and coordinates their distribution to those in need.  Please bring gently used, warm winter coats of all sizes for children, teens, adults and babies in good quality with no rips, tears, broken zippers or permanent stains – coats you would give to a friend (click the flyer for more details) – to the Rectory garage after Mass this weekend, November 16-17.

 

 

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Posted in Important Announcements, Seasonal Initiatives, Service Commission

Annual “Coats for Kids” Collection Begins This Weekend! November 9-10 and 16-17

Posted on November 8, 2019 | Comments Off on Annual “Coats for Kids” Collection Begins This Weekend! November 9-10 and 16-17

Each year in November, St. John’s participates in the Coats for Kids drive by Anton’s Cleaners, a Boston-wide coat collection campaign for children, teens, adults and babies. Anton’s cleans all the donated coats and coordinates their distribution to those in need.  Please bring gently used, warm winter coats of all sizes for children, teens, adults and babies in good quality with no rips, tears, broken zippers or permanent stains – coats you would give to a friend (click the flyer for more details) – to the Rectory garage after Mass on the weekends of November 9-10 and 16-17.

 

 

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Posted in Important Announcements, Seasonal Initiatives, Service Commission

Thanksgiving Dinner for Bristol Lodge

Posted on November 5, 2019 | Comments Off on Thanksgiving Dinner for Bristol Lodge

UPDATE: Thanks to your generosity, we have everything we need!  Thank you so much!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and with it comes our commitment to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for  approximately 80 guests at Bristol Lodge in Waltham. Please consider helping with this important outreach program. Volunteers are needed to provide cooked turkeys, stuffing and vegetable dishes, cranberry sauce, rolls, and beverages. (The turkeys and other side dishes may be cooked as early as the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving.) The food is dropped off  on Wednesday, November 27 between 12:00pm and 2:00pm in the Saint John School parking lot.  For more details and to sign-up to help please visit our SignUp page:

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Posted in Seasonal Initiatives, Service Commission

The Pequeños are Coming! November 2-3, 2019

Posted on October 28, 2019 | Comments Off on The Pequeños are Coming! November 2-3, 2019

This weekend the NPH Mexico Pequeño Tour will be visiting our collaborative to share their musical choir and stories with our community, to raise awareness and support for their NPH home and family. This year, our focus will be on education and there will be a special Second Collection at all Masses to benefit the University Scholarship Program (please make checks payable to St. John with NPH noted in the memo.) Donations may also be made online.

The children who grow up at NPH come from challenging backgrounds and are living in countries where on average only 20% of eligible students attend university. In Mexico, only 36% of the population has attained at least a secondary education. The NPH University Scholarship Program can help advance young adults to the top percentiles in their countries, preparing them to become leaders and engaged, productive citizens. Their success serves as a beacon of hope and positive example of achievement for NPH students growing up. For the children at NPH, it is crucial that they believe that they are capable of succeeding despite their past. Every gift given to this project is a step towards turning a dream into reality for aspiring nurses, chefs, administrators, accountants, and doctors. Your gift helps children break the cycle of poverty for good.

Please visit our NPH USA tables after the Masses next weekend to learn about supporting the University Scholarship Program or text Wellesley to 41444 to donate to the campaign today and help us reach our goal of five scholarships! Thank you so much for your generosity.  For more information, contact Elizabeth Caletka at (617) 206-4942 or ecaletka@nphusa.org.

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Posted in NPH, Service Commission, SJSP Collaborative, Special Collections

Christmas Wish 2019

Posted on October 28, 2019 | Comments Off on Christmas Wish 2019

We are happy to extend an invitation to everyone in the parish collaborative to participate in this year’s St. John Christmas Wish Program. During this holiday season, we hope to grant wishes for more than 400 children! Each child receives a new outfit and a special Christmas Wish gift they have requested. These gifts will go to the youngsters in our own parishes, as well as in our sister parishes of St. Katherine Drexel in Roxbury, St. Patrick in Lowell, St. Patrick in Brockton and the Julie Family Learning Program in Boston.

You can help make Christmas Wishes come true this holiday season by: sponsoring a family or an individual child (you will be given specific instructions for purchasing clothing and gifts); donating to the program; or volunteering to shop for children who have not been matched with sponsors, using donated funds.  Please visit our Christmas Wish page to sign up to help or to make a financial donation.

Questions? Please contact Deirdre O’Kelly-Lynch (dokellylynch@mac.com) or Sarah Connolly at the Parish Office. We give our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors, donors and volunteers. Your gift will make a difference in the life of a child this Christmas.

If your family needs assistance this holiday season, you are invited to complete a confidential applicant form.

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Posted in Christmas & Lent, Christmas Wish, Service Commission

POWIR Update – How You Can Help!

Posted on October 24, 2019 | Comments Off on POWIR Update – How You Can Help!

As many parishioners have heard, our SJSP POWIR Group, in partnership with Catholic Charities, have begun supporting two refugee families who have been resettled in Dorchester. Chantal and her two boys, Jeremie and Emmanuel, are from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Maria and Marcos from Honduras. Generous parishioners are already reaching out to make material and financial contributions for the family.  Please prayerfully consider making your own donation to the efforts! Please visit our POWIR page to see how you can help.

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Posted in Service Commission, SJSP Collaborative, SJSP Collaborative Programs and Events, SJSP Service

Annual “Coats for Kids” Collection Coming Soon! November 9-10 and 16-17

Posted on October 24, 2019 | Comments Off on Annual “Coats for Kids” Collection Coming Soon! November 9-10 and 16-17

Each year in November, St. John’s participates in the Coats for Kids drive by Anton’s Cleaners, a Boston-wide coat collection campaign for children, teens, adults and babies. Anton’s cleans all the donated coats and coordinates their distribution to those in need.  Please bring gently used, warm winter coats of all sizes for children, teens, adults and babies in good quality with no rips, tears, broken zippers or permanent stains – coats you would give to a friend (click the flyer for more details) – to the Rectory garage after Mass on the weekends of November 9-10 and 16-17.

 

 

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Posted in Important Announcements, Seasonal Initiatives, Service Commission

Christmas Wish Committee – New Members Welcome!

Posted on October 6, 2019 | Comments Off on Christmas Wish Committee – New Members Welcome!

Please consider joining our Christmas Wish Committee. Help bring joy to the lives of over 400 children in our own parish and the communities of Roxbury, Lowell, Boston and Brockton. Many hands are needed in this effort. Whether you have an hour to stuff envelopes, enter data or check gifts we would love to hear from you. Please contact Deirdre O’Kelly-Lynch at dokellylynch@mac.com if you are interested in being a part of this wonderful team!

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Posted in Christmas Wish, Service Commission