September 30: Fair Haven Fields Guided Walking Tour

ATTENTION RELIGIOUS EDUCATION FAMILIES!

The Nativity Religious Education Department and Franciscan Earthcare Ministry are pleased to offer our RE students and their families a GUIDED WALKING TOUR led by Natural Area Committee member and Chair, Carolyn Ferguson. The tour will cover history of the area, plant identification, invasive vines, pond life & animals.

Saturday, September 30th
3:15—4:15pm (before 4:30pm Mass)
Fair Haven Fields, Natural Area
(meet at the kiosk in natural area’s Ridge Road parking lot)

Open to Summer Session, GIFT, and in-person RE students and their families.

Questions or to RSVP please call the RE Department at: 732-741-1714, option 3.

FH ACME Give Back Where It Counts

The Fair Haven Acme generously selected The Church of the Nativity Food Pantry as the recipient of their “Give Back Where It Counts” program for the month of August. The Acme will offer the “Give Back” reusable bags for $3. $1 dollar will go back to the food pantry for every bag purchased. Better yet, add a few non-perishable items in the bag and donate the bag to the food pantry. We can reuse the bags for our holiday Food Basket distribution. Thank you!
For more information, please contact Jo Heath, 732-996-0101, jobutlerheath@gmail.com.

October 6: Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament is a very old devotion in our Church that highlights the fundamental mystery of the Holy Eucharist – that our Lord is truly present, body and blood, soul and divinity in the Blessed Sacrament.

Exposition begins as the priest places the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance on the altar for adoration. At this time, a hymn of praise (such as O Salutaris Hostia) is sung as the priest incenses the Blessed Sacrament. During the period of adoration, the faithful may pray in quiet and foster a deeper spiritual communion with the Lord. The adoration period may also include prayers, such as a novena or Liturgy of the Hours, and Scripture readings accompanied by a homily to increase the understanding of the Eucharistic mystery.  At the end of the adoration, the priest again incenses the Blessed Sacrament as a hymn of praise (such as Tantum Ergo) is sung, and then blesses the congregation with the Blessed Sacrament, making the sign of the cross.  After the blessing, the priest reposes the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle.

If you are interested in participating in this time-honored ritual, please join us in the church the first Friday of every month. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins at 8:30am and the Benediction & Reposition is 10:00am-10:15am.

September 25: Book Club

The Church of Nativity Book Club will meet on Monday, September 25th at 7pm in the Parish Library. The book will be The Great Hurricane: 1938 by Cherie Burns.

On the night of September 21,1938, news on the radio was full of the invasion of Czechoslovakia. There was no mention of any severe weather. By the time oceanfront residents noticed an ominous color in the sky, it was too late to escape. In an age before warning systems and the ubiquity of television, this unprecedented storm caught the Northeast off guard, obliterated coastal communities, and killed seven hundred people.

The Great Hurricane: 1938 is a spellbinding hour-by-hour reconstruction of one of the most destructive and powerful storms ever to hit the United States. With riveting detail, Burns weaves together the countless personal stories of loved ones lost and lives changed forever – from those of the Moore family, washed to sea on a raft formerly their attic floor, to Katharine Hepburn, holed up in her Connecticut mansion, watching her car take to the air like a bit of paper.

Questions about Book Club? Contact Liz Jacobelli at lizjacobelli@aol.com.

Children’s Liturgy of the Word Volunteers Wanted

Adult catechists and teen volunteers are wanted to help with the Children’s Liturgy of the Word program that takes place during the 9:30am Sunday Masses throughout the school year.

For the first half of the Mass, the Children’s Liturgy of the Word team joins children in the chapel to sing, draw or create a craft and listen to age-appropriate versions of the readings in a relaxed and engaging environment.

Click here to sign up.

Questions? Please contact: Mary Haynes, mmhaynes12@gmail.com

Volunteer Opportunities for RE Teachers/Catechists

The Church of the Nativity is in search of  volunteer catechists, who are also practicing Catholics, to be teachers in our 2023-2024 school year Religious Education Program. This program runs from the beginning of October through mid May. You may choose to teach Tuesdays or Wednesdays  in the afternoon or evening.  Tuition discounts are available for catechists who have children in our program.  We also have babysitting available for your children while you teach.

 

If interested, please contact Angela in the Religious Education Office at 732-741-1714, ext. 227 for more information.