Newsletter | August 1, 2023 |
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TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD |
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JOIN US FOR MASS THIS WEEKEND |
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Saturday at 5:00pm
Sunday at 9:00am
Sunday at 11:00am
PRACTICE OF HOPE
The apostles wanted to stay with the dazzling vision of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah but Jesus led them back down the mountain to their mission. In these times, we must look to Jesus to remind us what we as Church hope to be: not an archive of splendor but a living, active Church, with the hope of one day sharing in Jesus' eternal glory. Meanwhile, it is Jesus who dispels our fear and leads us through doubt and the temptation to rest before our work is done. Read Sunday's Gospel passage and spend time quietly listening to our Lord.
Please continue to self-screen. Stay home if you are not feeling well and celebrate Mass with us via livestream. We are doing our best to continue to provide a safe space to worship for everyone. Click here to see current COVID safety measures.
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Please review the Partners in the Gospel materials available to become more familiar with the overall mission of the Church, the goals of this effort, and the process we are undertaking. We ask everyone to pray for this renewal effort.
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MEMORIAL OF ST. JOHN VIANNEY
This Friday, August 4
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Learn about St. John Vianney on the Welcome page of our website. St. John Vianney was canonized in 1925 and made the patron of parish priests. Please pray, asking for his intercession, for all our priests as we implement Partners in the Gospel.
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Our Moms Meetup group watched Barbie together last week. They had so much fun, and pink!
If you are a mom, especially with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school-aged children, join our community of shared Catholic values, love of our children, and support through shared experiences! We meet the last week of every month either Wednesday or Thursday. Join the SJV Moms Meetup Facebook group for updates about our monthly meetups.
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We thank you for your constant aid in the construction of our out-station church St. Arnold Jasen Komarock, through Mark & Flora Mwenda who are currently worshipping with you at St. John Vianney Church. We are also grateful for allowing them to sell rosaries in your church compound, so that they can raise money to assist on our church construction.
We don't take this for granted, but we give glory to God for your congregation.
We have progressed well with the construction, and we are at the finishing stage (i.e. installation of windowpanes, floor, and painting).
So far, we have received Kshs.179,000 from the Mwenda's and the congregation.
Kindly extend our gratitude to them.
Yours in Christ,
Moderator (Jane Waiganjo)
Courtesy of
St Andrew Kaggwa
Small Christian Community (SCC)
Divine Word Parish Kayole
Nairobi Kenya
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The Funeral Mass for Paula Perkins, the sister of parishioners - Melinda Lund and Connie Lambert, will be on Saturday, August 12 at 10:00am. In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust Paula.
If you are able to make a salad for the reception, please contact the parish office.
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THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Tuesday, August 15
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The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary commemorates her passing - body and soul - into the glory in Heaven, where she stands beside her Son. Though the dogma of the Assumption was only defined in 1950, it was already widely believed by the early Christians. Given her Immaculate Conception, the grave was no place for her body. Where she is now, we one day hope to be.
The Assumption is a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses at St. John Vianney will be celebrated at 9:00am and 7:00pm.
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CELEBRATION OF CULTURES PARISH PICNIC
Sunday, September 17 from 12:00-3:00pm on the South Lawn (by the playground)
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Bring your friends and neighbors! Visit booths and get your passport stamped. A full passport will give you a raffle ticket to win a raffle basket! Raffle basket drawing at 2:45 pm.
Countries/cultures represented last year:
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- Brazil
- England
- Ireland
- Mexico
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- Malaysia
- Indonesia
- Vietnam
- Philippines
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- Croatia
- Malta
- Italy
- Columbia
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What new ones will we have this year?
Ways you can help make this happen!
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Big strong folks: come help us set up the big top and canopies on Saturday morning, September 16 at 10:00am!
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Donate food to one of the groups! You can make it and drop it off anytime on Saturday, September 10 or Sunday morning, September 11, or deliver it right to the booth when you come! Please let Laura know so she can contact the chairperson for the appropriate group, so they know what is coming, Lstanger@sjvkirkland.org.
- Donate a cultural raffle basket or an item to be placed in a basket. Just drop it off in the office! We will have adult and kids raffle baskets as prizes for the end of the picnic!
- Volunteer to help with one of the booths!
- Help with clean up and support during the picnic - make lemonade, empty over-filled trash.
- Wear clothing from your cultural heritage!
- JUST COME and HAVE FUN!
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REFLECTIONS ON CARING FOR OUR COMMON HOME |
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America’s bees are dying at an alarming rate. Some of us may see that as a good thing; the fewer bees (and wasps, and other stinging insects), the fewer stings. But bees are pollinators of about 70 to 100 major crops, ranging from apples and blueberries to watermelon and zucchini. There’s a simple equation: the fewer the bees, the less food. There is a work-around: hand-pollination, which relies on human labor rather than on bees and other pollinators, There’s also a simple equation for that as well: the more hand-pollination, the less and more expensive the food. For more information on the decline of bee populations and the threat that it poses, see our previous post, Bee Populations and the Looming Catastrophe.
One of the significant factors linked to the decline of bee populations is the use of neonicotinoids (or neonics in its abbreviated name), a class of pesticides that includes Imidacloprid (which is the world’s most widely used pesticide), Clothianidin, Thiamethoxam, Dinotefuran, and Acetamiprid, and others. The pesticide can be applied in a variety of ways (to seed, in soil, or to the plant itself). Since it is water-soluble, it spreads throughout the tissue of the plant as the plant absorbs water, including in its nectar and pollen, where it is then consumed by pollinators.
As a pesticide, neonicotinoids are indiscriminate: they affect both targeted insect populations (the insects we don’t want) as well as non-targeted ones (the insects we either want or don’t mind having around). They bind to and disrupt an insect’s central nervous system, typically causing uncontrollable shaking and twitching followed by death. Either in non-lethal doses or before death, they can disrupt the insect’s immune system, navigation, stamina, memory, and fertility. Recent studies have also shown that affected bumblebees become inefficient foragers, while affected mason bees will fail to differentiate between contaminated and uncontaminated soil in building their nests.
We like to think that, once an insecticide has “protected” a plant, its effect eventually “wears off,” or its useful life ends with the harvesting or the death of that plant. That, however, is not the case. Remember that neonicotinoids are water-soluble. Since they are absorbed into the water, they penetrate groundwater and eventually find their way into the world’s streams, rivers, seas, and oceans. In a 2015 study, at least one neonicotinoid was detected in 53% of the streams sampled in the United States. In other words, long after the targeted plant no longer exists, the pesticide continues its work. The world’s most lethal pesticide, it remains effective at a concentration of just a few parts per billion.
In 2018, the European Union approved a near-total ban on the use of neonicotinoids in its member states. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the use of 12 neonicotinoid-based products while allowing 47 other products to remain on the market. Rather than banning their use, the EPA has instead focused on providing guidance for labelling as well as for the (supposedly) safe application and use of neonicotinoids. That said, the use of neonicotinoids continues to be under review by the EPA. Many of the EPA’s decisions regarding neonicotinoids have been attacked by environmental groups as relying on studies based on defective scientific methodology and on undue influence from chemical manufacturers and agricultural interests who claim, often without compelling evidence, that the benefits of using neonicotinoids outweighs its risks.
The are some practical actions that we can take to reduce or stop the use of neonicotinoids:
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· Buy organic produce, including frozen organic fruits and vegetables. This has a two-fold effect. First, it ensures that the food you are eating is less tainted by neonicotinoids. (Less, because once they seep into the groundwater, pesticides will be absorbed by all plants, including untreated ones.) For example, 95% of corn grown in the U.S. is treated with neonicotinoids. Second, it reduces demand for products treated with neonicotinoids, which ultimately can result in reduced pesticide use.
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Do not use any neonicotinoid-based products in your yard or garden. The following are some of the products that you may find in stores:
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Acetamiprid: Mospilan, Assail, ChipcoTristar
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Clothianidin: Poncho, Dantosu, Dantop, Belay
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Dinotefuran: Starkle, Safari, Venom
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Imidacloprid: Confidor, Admire, Gaucho, Advocate
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Nitenpyram: Capstar, Guardian
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Thiacloprid: Calypso
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Thiamethoxam: Actara, Platinum, Cruiser
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Avoid the use of pesticides if possible. If not possible, use a natural or organic pesticide. You may also be able to purchase insects that prey on the target insect; for example, ladybugs eat aphids.
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When buying plants from nurseries, check whether they have been treated with pesticides. Many nurseries, including those at Home Depot and Lowe’s, label plants that have been treated with neonicotinoids.
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Support a non-profit organization that works to ban the use of neonicotinoids and to support bee populations. These include:
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Greenpeace.
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Help Save the Bees Foundation.
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Natural Resources Defense Council.
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SAVE the BEE.
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The Bee Conservancy.
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The Bee Girl Organization.
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WOMEN'S BOOK GROUP
Tonight - Tuesday, August 1 at 7:00pm in the Parish Office
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Our book for this month is The Book of Forgiving by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu. We will meet with wine, chocolate, and great conversation. The book for September is Still Life by Louise Penny.
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LUNCH MAKING FOR THE HOMELESS
This Thursday, August 3 at 10:00am in the Social Hall
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We meet every first Thursday of the month. The sack lunches we make are taken to a homeless shelter. All ages are welcome! This is a fun, easy, and fulfilling service opportunity for families. Hope to see you August 3!
We are also making snack packs for New Bethlehem Center. So, if you would like to donate granola bars and fruit cups, we can use them to fill smaller bags.
Can you bake homemade cookies? We would love to have 100 homemade cookies for each of our lunch making days to put 2 cookies in each of the 50 lunches we make. Let Laura know if you want to make some, Lstanger@sjvkirkland.org. Thanks!
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ANOINTING OF THE SICK
This Friday, August 4 after the 9:15am Mass
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Anointing of the sick is available every first Friday of the month. Anointing of the Sick imparts consolation, peace, and strength and unites the sick person, in her/his precarious situation and her/his sufferings, with Christ in a profound way. Anyone is welcome to receive an anointing. |
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"YOU ARE THE VINE, WE ARE THE BRANCHES"
GALA DINNER & AUCTION
Saturday, November 4 after the 4:00pm Mass
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We are looking forward to a fun night of good food and good friends – all while supporting the works of SJV.
Thank you to everyone who has donated the corks for decorations, we have plenty now. We are still in need of the wooden wine boxes.
Not sure you want to buy a ticket to the Gala? We are looking for volunteers at every level, so those interested in joining an auction committee can contact Ann V. at avandewark@sjvkirkland.org. If you need some guidance on where you would best fit, she can help you decide where you would most enjoy volunteering, and make sure you’re comfortable!
Don’t forget about our procurement challenge! We encourage participants to approach three businesses for donations, with support provided through prepared letters and strategies. If you didn’t receive your packet with the letter and helpful tips, pick one up at the welcome table. Thank you for everyone’s support at SJV!
We will be having a planning meeting on Wednesday, August 23 at 5:30pm - look for signage to figure out which room we are in. All are invited and welcome!
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This information was presented in past newsletters. |
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PILGRIMAGE TO SACRED PLACES IN OREGON
August 21-22, a charter bus will take you to Our Lady of Peace Retreat House, Mount Angel Abbey, and The Grotto in Portland. The cost is $300 per person. Register by today, August 1! Learn more
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Join us Saturday, August 26 after the 5:00pm Mass to learn more about Pope Francis' call to all of us to care for our creation.
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SJV VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
How can you best use your gifts?
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VOLUNTEER SERVICES WITH CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES |
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We are a Catholic Community Services program that helps connect volunteers with older and disabled adults of low-Income for help with house chores, yard work, and transportation.
Currently, our program is working to build our volunteer base back after COVID, and we would like to have a larger percentage of Catholic volunteers represented than we currently do.
We have one-on-one orientation, trainings offered throughout year, mileage reimbursement for volunteers providing transportation, volunteer insurance, and our program coordinators make sure volunteers are paired with clients that are right for them with flexible hours.
Volunteering can take many forms including phone buddy, driving, cleaning, yardwork, etc. - individually, in pairs, or in groups!
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