Saint Joan of Arc Parish

Saint Joan of Arc
Parish

9248 North Lawndale Avenue
Evanston, Illinois 60203
(p) 847.673.0409

We are a vibrant parish community within the Archdiocese of Chicago...

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Habitat Summary 2018

In Summer 2018 our Habitat crews had a lot of fun and got a lot done.  If you haven’t already done so, check out some pictures of our 2018 Habitat crews:

In 2018, the crews from St. Joan of Arc were among 3,789 volunteers who completed 41,430 volunteer hours for Habitat Lake County.  Pretty impressive.  Take a look at the 2018 Habitat Lake County annual report:

http://www.chicagolandhabitat.org/site/DocServer/Annual_report_July_1_2017_to_June_30_2018.pdf?docID=3245&AddInterest=1468

 

Habitat News 2019

Dear Habitat for Humanity Supporters,

Summer and Habitat for Humanity time is in full swing.  Our friends at Habitat in Waukegan have again asked for volunteers from our SJA group.  SJA crews have collectively contributed thousands of hours there in the last 10+ years to help create homes for needy families.  Painting, siding, dry wall, insulating, landscaping, footings, framing, etc.

We have four Habitat dates reserved this summer:

SATURDAY, JUNE 22                            https://photos.app.goo.gl/QHUMrv3uXuj4YuvS7

Our job was to get the rock-hard dirt tilled and planted with grass seed.  We worked with Ted Ramie (Habitat’s construction manager and an expert Bobcat driver) to remove the old asphalt driveway in preparation for a new driveway.

The team ran the Rototiller, showed their weed whacker skills, mowed the lawn, and cleaned up debris.  Some of the guys got asphalt chunks into the Bobcat for removal.  Many hands make light work, as they say, and we got the job done in record time.  Here are some pictures:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/QHUMrv3uXuj4YuvS7

Ted Ramie talked to our team after lunch and described how Habitat homes are well built and energy efficient.  Ted also spoke about a 2014 Habitat Blitz Build at Pioneer Court on Michigan Avenue, where a Habitat house was built in a day to help build awareness for Habitat in Chicago.  If you haven’t already seen this video, check it out:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GgKQUztEoQ

FRIDAY, JULY 12
SATURDAY, JUY 20
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

If you missed us last summer, I hope you can join us this summer.  We hope to be joined again by friends from Trinity Lutheran and St. John’s Lutheran.  Just send me an email ([email protected]) to reserve your date or dates on our HFH crew.

TEEN BUILD DATE – SATURDAY, AUGUST 3:  Students (age 16+) are especially welcome on all of our crews.  We have reserved Saturday, August 3 for nine teens and three parents as our inaugural Teen Build crew.  Jason McKean has volunteered to lead this crew with his daughter Ellie.  Please spread the word and let me know if your teenager (age 16+) wants to give Habitat a try.  If we get a lot of interest, we may try to arrange another Teen Build date this summer.

If you know someone who would be interested in working with us, have him/her contact me.

Last summer our Habitat crews had a lot of fun and got a lot done.  If you haven’t already done so, check out the pictures of our 2018 Habitat crews on the previous web page.

Many thanks for your continued support of Habitat.

Best wishes,

Frank

Frank Ziegler
(M) 847-962-9612
[email protected]

Altar Server Ministry

Does your child have a strong desire to be an Altar Server and serve at Mass?  Will they be in 5th grade or higher in the Fall?  They must be able to arrive 15 minutes before Mass, act with respect toward the Liturgy, and be alert and attentive.

If you are interested, pick up a copy of the Altar Server Commitment Form in church or click here to print a form, and return it to school or the parish office to be scheduled for training.

Our altar servers are young people wishing to be part of a team who work together for an orderly and prayerful celebration of Mass.  Regular attendance at Sunday Mass is an important element and an expectation.  Altar serving should be a joyful activity, and can draw both the server and their family into a deeper experience of their faith.  Servers should plan to serve at least once a month.  A schedule is generated for a month or two in advance, based on your preferences and specific date availability.

We are grateful for your service to this ministry as an altar server and look forward to working with you.

If you have any questions regarding altar servers, please contact Tricia Kane at [email protected] or the parish office at 847-673-0409.

Easter 2018

Dear St. Joan of Arc Community,

Happy Easter!  Easter is the day of Resurrection, a day of new hope, of new beginnings, and of new life.  This is a time to celebrate, for Christ is victorious over sin and death.  Just as Jesus rose from the dead, so too can we rise from the ashes of Lent to new life in the Spirit of the Risen Christ.

The empty tomb reminds us that we have a future and we can move forward past the stones that block us from encountering the Risen Christ.  Do not be afraid, for nothing can keep you from the love of Jesus.  Our Easter liturgies remind us to trust in God’s love and to be a people unafraid of living in the joy and hope of the Resurrection.  Holy Week is a unique time of grace in our lives and our Triduum liturgies on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday were prayerful and filled with a wonderful spirit. And Easter morning was just amazing. I am so grateful for all who came and worshipped with us and also to our staff and volunteers who joined together so generously and joyfully to help us all experience the joy of the Easter Season.

Let us live in Easter joy, unafraid and at peace, for Jesus Christ is Risen!  Let us pray for each other, our parish, our school and our world.

And check out our new parish Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/sjaevanston/

On behalf of the entire staff, a Blessed Easter Season to you and your whole family!

Fr. Dan Costello
Pastor

Holiday Giving Tree – Choose a Family

Holiday Giving Tree

The annual St. Joan of Arc Giving Tree is a long parish tradition to bring Christmas joy to those in need.  This year we are provide gifts for the children of 40 needy families at our Sharing Parish of St. Agnes & 4 WINGS families.

Please help by choosing a family from the online Giving Tree.  You will find wish lists for specific families, suggested gifts, and a variety of gift cards which are at the end of the signup list, along with detailed information.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040C48ADA82BA02-stjoan

Thank you for participating.  All gifts need to be returned on December 17th before the 10:30 AM Mass.

If you would like to return the gifts before December 17th or have any questions, please contact Cathy Dooley at 773-919-3011 or Jill Miller

A Blessed New Year, Everybody!

The first reading today offers us a terrific approach of how to begin this new year: blessing each other. God spells out clearly to Moses to teach this blessing upon his people:

“Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!“

Can you imagine beginning every conversation, every text, every email, every tweet, every letter, every whatever…with such a greeting in our hearts? While that may be an unrealistic expectation, I bet the more often we carry ourselves and approach each other with such a perspective in our hearts, we would be reflecting more sincerely the desire God expressed to Moses, and also to us.

Did you notice an increased attendance at weekend Masses through Advent? I sure did. It occurred to me how much we need each other in our parish, as well as in our workplaces and homes. Whether you are new to the parish or have been part of SJA for decades, please know that you are welcome and that you are needed, because we are about building up the Body of Christ around here and that includes all of us good souls! We have many voices among us, some may be stronger than others, and we need them all. We need you and thank you!

I pray that we continue to value the blessings we enjoy in being the parish that we are, unified in the mission of Jesus Christ in our parish and school and community. As Catholics, may we seek to include the graces of the Sacraments to sustain our lives, especially through the nourishment of the Eucharist regularly, and the experience of God’s loving mercy in Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Body of Christ needs you to be the Body of Christ. Those aren’t just pietistic words…that’s living out the calling each of us received at Baptism. And as it happens, miracles become apparent and our lives are changed.

Thank you for your generosity and kindnesses shown to our parish/school staff and me. We are grateful to be serving in our parish and school, and the spirit of generosity and pitching in together is a great strength in our community. May this coming year be full of the Lord’s abundant blessings upon all of us as we continue the mission Jesus invites us to accomplish in His name.