Margaret Ann

An hour with our Lord….
From an anonymous SJN adorer

On many occasions, I have been honored and blessed to observe and learn from a very special adorer who comes to honor and worship Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament at SJN Eucharistic Adoration.

As I sat in prayer with eyes closed, I could only hear the faint sound of something slowly scooting along the floor at the back of the church.  I did not turn around to look, only continued in restful prayer.

Now I recognize this sound immediately upon hearing it and wait in anticipation and awe to see the smile of the face that belongs to this soft, scooting noise – the sound of walker wheels, two of which are covered with tennis balls, but the sound now is easily recognizable as soon as those wheels hit the floor as this special adorer enters the church.

She slowly but deliberately ascends from the back of the church after carefully dipping into the holy water and making the sign of the cross before heading up the aisle.  She sometimes is so intent on her ascent that she does not look up, but on the days she looks up and smiles at all who are there, it truly is a sight to see as her face glows with the love and peace of Christ.

Many times I have watched in silent awe as this small framed person ascends up the aisle, moving slowly, yet with no hesitation, her curved back showing signs of osteoporosis and her beautiful pure white hair.  She concentrates on moving her frail limbs as she slowly, but deliberately, makes her ascent to a chair close to the front to sit close to and adore Our Lord.

I observe as she very slowly goes down on one knee, holding carefully onto her walker and bowing as low as she can and pausing before rising again with quivering arms to her chair.  Many times this simple act of reverence for Our Lord brings me to tears.  It takes all of her strength to bow and rise again, but that does not deter her from her task.  Sometimes the ladies who bring her to church help her back up from her kneeling position so she can take a place in her chair before the Lord.

I’ve have since learned her name from our adoration coordinator.  It is Margaret Ann and I look forward to hearing, seeing and observing as she so intently heads to her objective – a simple hour with the Lord.

On one occasion I had the privilege of having my sister join me for adoration, and I had told her briefly about Margaret Ann.  So as soon as the familiar sound of her walker’s tennis balls and wheels hit the floor, we both smiled at one another in anticipation of observing this beautiful person on her walk up the center aisle to adore Jesus.

I have not seen Margaret Ann for some time now but can only pray that she is well and in God’s loving care.  What a special blessing it has been to simply be able watch one of God’s loving children seek his heart through adoration each week.

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Eucharistic Adoration is available every Wednesday at SJN from 9:15 a.m. to 7 p.m.  To sign up for a weekly shift to be with our Lord in this special way, contact Ann at (512) 517-5479 or e-mail her.

Young adult ministry survey

Parishioners aged 18 to 35 are invited to take this short survey to help us develop effective young adult programming!

SJN Young Adult Ministry Survey Please complete the below form to help us build the young adult ministry program at SJN.
First and last names*
Age*
Email*
Phone Number*	### - ### - ####
Address*	Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region Postal / Zip Code Antigua and BarbudaAruba,BahamasBarbadosBelizeCanadaCook IslandsCosta RicaCubaDominicaDominican RepublicEl SalvadorGrenadaGuatemalaHaitiHondurasJamaicaMexicoNetherlands AntillesNicaraguaPanama Puerto Rico Saint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesTrinidad and TobagoUnited StatesArgentinaBoliviaBrazilChileColombiaEcuadorGuyanaParaguayPeruSurinameUruguayVenezuelaAlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustriaAzerbaijanBelarusBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFaroe IslandsFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacedoniaMaltaMoldovaMonacoMontenegroNetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaSan MarinoSerbiaSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUkraineUnited KingdomVatican CityAfghanistanBahrainBangladeshBhutanBrunei DarussalamMyanmarCambodiaChinaEast TimorHong KongIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsraelJapanJordanKazakhstanNorth KoreaSouth KoreaKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLebanonMalaysiaMaldivesMongoliaNepalOmanPakistanPalestinePhilippinesQatarRussiaSaudi ArabiaSingaporeSri LankaSyriaTaiwanTajikistanThailandTurkeyTurkmenistanUnited Arab EmiratesUzbekistanVietnamYemenAustraliaFijiKiribatiMarshall IslandsMicronesiaNauruNew ZealandPalauPapua New GuineaSamoaSolomon IslandsTongaTuvaluVanuatuAlgeriaAngolaBeninBotswanaBurkina FasoBurundiCameroonCape VerdeCentral African RepublicChadComorosDemocratic Republic of the CongoRepublic of the CongoDjiboutiEgyptEquatorial GuineaEritreaEthiopiaGabonGambiaGhanaGibraltarGuineaGuinea-BissauCote d'IvoireKenyaLesothoLiberiaLibyaMadagascarMalawiMaliMauritaniaMauritiusMoroccoMozambiqueNamibiaNigerNigeriaRwandaSao Tome and PrincipeSenegalSeychellesSierra LeoneSomaliaSouth AfricaSudanSwazilandUnited Republic of TanzaniaTogoTunisiaUgandaZambiaZimbabwe Country
Marital status*	Single   Married   Married with children   Single again
Occupation
How often do you participate in liturgy?	NeverWeeklyMonthlyOther
What do you think are the most important concerns of young adults today?*
What are young adults looking for in a church today?*
How can SJN be more responsive in its ministry with young adults?*
What activities are you involved in, both in the parish and in the larger community?
What gifts, talents and energy do you feel young adults have to offer the Church?
What does being Catholic mean to you?*
Please indicate which times work best for you to attend events (check all that apply):*	Sunday daytime   Sunday evenings   Monday daytime   Monday evenings   Tuesday daytime   Tuesday evenings   Wednesday daytime   Wednesday evenings   Thursday daytime   Thursday evenings   Friday daytime   Friday evenings   Saturday daytime   Saturday evenings
Please select the reasons you would participate in young adult ministry (check all that apply):*	To learn more about the Church   To learn more about liturgy   To become more spiritual or grow in my faith   To learn more about theology   To feel a bigger part of the parish community   To meet new friends   To meet people of the opposite sex who are Catholic   To do service / charity work
How likely are you to attend the following events (check all that apply):*	Bible study   Young adult annual gathering   Educational sessions (i.e. Theology on Tap)   Mass at different parishes   Eucharistic Adoration   Praise and Worship   Prayer Group   Faith sharing   Advent / Lenten daily prayer   Mission trips   Visit hospitals or nursing homes   Make sandwiches for homeless / soup kitchen   Habitat for Humanity   One-day retreat   Overnight retreat (multiple days)   Happy hour   Picnic / potluck dinners   Movie at theater   Movie night at home   Game night   Pool (billiards) night   Dance / social event   Hikes, nature walks   Camping (overnight trip)   Recreational sports team
Are you interested in serving on a Young Adult Ministry Team / helping plan events?*	Yes   No
Who else do you know who may be interested in young adult activities? Please list any contact information you may have for them.
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Ambassadors for Growth leadership seminar

The 'Ambassadors for Growth' leadership seminar Saturday was great!  We've received so many compliments about our feature presenter, Thom Singer, from the many ministry leaders who attended.  He's such a dynamic speaker, and SJN is blessed to have him as our own parishioner!

Read Thom's reaction to the seminar on his own blog here.

Thom Singer, Ambassadors for Growth seminar, Sept. 18, 2010

Ministry leaders, Ambassadors for Growth seminar, Sept. 18, 2010

Thom Singer, Ambassadors for Growth seminar, Sept. 18, 2010

As you'll read on Thom's blog, the key idea that was taken from the seminar was the idea of our current ministry leaders going up to someone new at Mass, or any church event, every week and meeting someone they'd never before met.  With the 35 leaders who attended the seminar, if they did that every Sunday and then encouraged everyone in their ministries to do the same, our parish community would be so engaged and connected!  The leaders were all so enthusiastic about the idea, how simple it is to do.  The seminar had such great energy!

Thanks to everyone who came and, most especially, to Thom for putting on the workshop.  We hope to feature more similar workshops for our leaders in the future!  

Go forth and 'build the Kingdom!'

Link time!

Raye Cekuta with the Mary and Martha Guild inviting people who had recently entered the Church to learn more about her ministry at an RCIA Recruitment Evening, April 2010

• 10 spiritual lessons for leaders -- Women Reaching Women
• 10 leadership practices for altar servers -- Today's Parish
• What is limiting young adults? -- Young Adult Ministries
• Faithful stewards of God's gifts and mysteries -- Zenit
• Forming and informing catechists -- Preparing for the Revised Roman Missal

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Ambassadors for Growth: A Workshop on Servant Leadership

Ambassadors for Growth is a workshop on Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to noon designed for the leaders of the 60 St. John Neumann Church ministries and partner ministries as well as those who have been identified as future leaders.  This interactive program and facilitated discussion at SJN will inspire the various ministries in working together to serve the community as "ambassadors," welcoming the new families that are beginning to join our parish as a result of the positive buzz being created by the construction of our new church.

The workshop will be facilitated by Thom Singer, local author and international professional speaker (and member of our St. John Neumann Church family).  His message of "All Opportunities Come From People" and the power of relationships will entertain, inspire and motivate the ministries to cultivate relationships with new and existing members of the parish.

We have all been called to be servant leaders in our parish, and establishing stronger relationships across the community will allow St. John Neumann Church to prosper as we continue to grow in size and in the Holy Spirit.

Please plan on having the leaders of your ministry participate in this half day program.  Additionally, each ministry is encouraged to identify one or more future leader to participate in the program.

We will begin the day with Mass at 9 a.m. in the Worship Space then head over to the St. Timothy Room afterward for breakfast and our program.  The event will end at noon.

For more information or to RSVP, contact me.

How will you respond?

Would you like to make a difference in your community, the country or the world?  Do you want to serve those in need and work for social justice?  With nearly 200 programs and thousands of opportunities, RESPONSE 2011, the most comprehensive guide of faith-based service opportunities is now available -- and it's free.  Volunteers serve full-time for periods of one week to one year or more across the United States and in more than 100 countries worldwide.  Summer and school break opportunities are also available.  Volunteers are from all walks of life -- from high school to senior citizens and every stage in between.  Positions are available for both single and married volunteers, including those with children.  Contact Catholic Volunteer Network to receive your free copy of RESPONSE 2011.  Call toll-free at 800-543-5046 or e-mail info@catholicvolunteernetwork.org.  You can also search RESPONSE 2011 at www.CatholicVolunteerNetwork.org.