Events & Opportunities
Food Pantry Collection
Please bring non-perishable food items to Mass the weekend of Janaury 18/19; we will also take up a monetary collection. Thank you for your continued generosity in sharing with those in need. Your donation will assist the Huxley Food Pantry.
Chili and Cinnamon Rolls!
Want To Be a Parish Cooking or Baking Legend?! If you’ve got a great chili recipe, why not submit an entry in the Annual Parish Church Chili Cook-off, following Mass on Saturday, February 1st! OR if you’ve got a way with flour, sugar and a rolling pin…why not submit an entry for your famous cinnamon rolls? Please contact Tammi at tammimcclain71@gmail.com if you’d love to be part of this fun contest—prizes will be awarded! Or come and enjoy tasting and voting on the entries and enjoy social time with fellow parishioners!
Free CPR/AED Class
The Elkhart Betterment Committee is offering a Free CPR/AED class in our Social Hall on Sunday, January 19 from 6:00-8:00pm. They can accommodate 20 people in this class and it will be taught by a certified trainer from the Red Cross. This is NOT a certification class, but just a chance for people to learn how to do CPR and use an AED. If interested in attending, go to https://www.facebook.com/ECBCIowa/ and sign up via the link. If you have questions, please contact Andrew Cory, 515-321-3928.
Blood Drive
Thursday, January 23, 3:00 - 7:00pm in the Social Hall. Did you know each blood donation saves up to three lives and more than 100,000 units of blood are needed yearly. May we count on you to donate blood? Please schedule an appointment at www.lifeservebloodcenter.org/. Walk-ins are now welcome! Volunteers and treats are needed the day of the Drive. Please contact Larry Sauer at 515-710-2421 or sauerld@outlook.com.
Pay It Forward!
Have you ever received a random act of kindness? Pay it forward by helping provide a meal at Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter in Des Moines on the second Sunday of February (the 9th), July or December. One or more families or groups can volunteer to prepare and deliver a meal (number for the meal varies) to the Shelter. Volunteers can pay for the meal themselves, be reimbursed by the parish, or receive a Gift-In-Kind receipt.
To volunteer or to find out more, contact Stacey Rooney, rooneyslg17@gmail.com or call 515-490-5034.
Super Bowl Snack Packs
The Super Bowl just wouldn’t be the same without our S.TO.R.M. Youth Group's “Super Bowl Snack Packs”!! Order forms will be available in the pews at Mass next weekend January 25 & 26 and the following weekend, February 1 & 2. Snack Packs will be distributed after Masses on February 8 & 9. Thank you for supporting the young church!
Youth Tithes
Our Youth are encouraged to take a tithe packet located on the table, and on the paper provided, write their name by the number of the packet they have taken. Thank you for your involvement in our Parish!
Snow Removal
Could you help with weekend and/or week day snow removal of sidewalks, etc., at St. Mary? We have the equipment, but need the people power. Thank you in advance for signing up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409094EA4A722A2FB6-54094559-sidewalk. You will receive a list of activities at the church. If you have questions please contact Bill Schmitt, isucui@isualum.com / 515-291-8005.
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Parish Photo Directory
If you had a church photo taken, you should have received your individual photo by now. If not, please reach out to Kim at 515-306-4708, Lisa at 515-991-0918, or Barb at bliske@saintmaryhc.org.
Everyone that fulfilled their appointment or submitted a photo will receive a parish directory which should be ready later this spring. It will include the email and phone number we have on file for you. If you do not want this information included in the directory, or have updated information, please contact the office as soon as possible. A notice will go out once the directory is ready for pick up.
Parish Council Nominations
The Parish Council wants to ensure the Council membership is representative of the parish community. Thus, the Council, in consultation with Father Parker, is beginning a discernment process for the appointment of new members. Attributes such as faithfulness, integrity, generosity, compassion, and actively deepening a personal relationship with Jesus Christ are desirable in all members of the Council. Skills for effective communication and listening, creative discernment and verbalization of a vision, and working collaboratively with others are essential elements. If you have anyone you would like to nominate (including yourself), please contact Father Ross at 515-720-34434 or rparker@dmdiocese.org.
We hope you become involved in our Parish community.
Click here for our Parish Time and Talent Form to fill out
and return to the Parish Office. Thank you for becoming involved!
Looking For a Way to Become More Involved With Your Parish and Local Community?
Wine & Cheese and Coffee & Donuts: Hosting wine & cheese or coffee & donuts is a great way to meet and get to know other parishioners! If you have not hosted before, we can pair you up with someone who has. Please contact the parish office with questions or if willing to help.
Liturgical Ministers needed: 8:00am Mass at Holy Cross: lectors. 5:00pm Masss at St. Mary: Altar Servers; 10:00am Mass at St. Mary: lectors and Ministers of the Eucharist. Please let the office know if you are interested in helping with any of these.
The Blessing Box Food Pantry is seeking volunteers to help box items to distribute to families on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. Please contact Tammi McClain at 515-290-3904 if interested.
Calling All Musicians! We would love to have you join our music ministry to participate during Mass! We are happy to provide training and have you sing or play with mentors. Teenagers welcome! If interested and would like more information, please contact Sue Schmidt, sschmidt@saintmaryhc.org / 515-689-9949.
Thank you for considering these volunteer opportunities!
History of St. Mary - Holy Cross
Were you married at St. Mary or Holy Cross or had other family historical events related to our parish for which you have photos or documents? Larry Sauer is looking for mementos of these events that we could borrow to have reproduced for preservation and display in future St. Mary-Holy Cross history books. The plan is to find a display case for other historical artifacts that can be displayed too. If you would like to share your history with our parish, please contact Larry at 515-710-2421. Thank you!