Christmas at St Columba
Click Here for a description of our full schedule for Christmastide.
Christmas Eve (12/24) - 5pm, 8pm, and 11pm
Christmas Day (12/25) - 11 am
Sunday after Christmas (12/29) - 10.30 am
Pre-Lenten Retreat
Join us for a morning of Scripture, hymnody, laughter, and prayer as we prepare for the holy season of Lent. This pre-Lenten half-day retreat is a time to transition from the Christmas and Epiphany to Lent. We’ll reflect how the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus, Epiphany’s manifestation of God in the world are indelibly linked to the Cross. Our forty-day preparation in Lent takes on the disciplines of prayer, fasting, and self-denial. Our half-day retreat together will prepare our hearts and minds to get the most out of our Lenten journey. We’ll begin with coffee and a light breakfast and end our day with a simple luncheon. All are welcome.
The morning will be facilitated by Father Tripp Norris and Father Ben Day. Father Ben is a former seminarian from St Columba’s and currently serves as the rector of Christ Church in Kennesaw, GA.
>> Click here to register.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Join us for the traditional Shrove Tuesday pancake supper. On the eve of our season of Lent, churches around the world gather to bid farewell to our alleluias and prepare for our forty-day journey of penance, fasting, and prayer. The night before Ash Wednesday it has become a tradition to gather for a festive meal, usually a pancake supper with a Mardi Gras flare.
The Youth Group partners with our Knights of Columba to make a delicious pancake supper with all the trimmings. There will be bingo, pancake races, and more. At the end of the evening, we'll burn the palms from last year to make the ashes for our Ash Wednesday liturgy. Don't forget to drop off your palms from last year’s Palm Sunday on the Sundays in February, or you can bring them with you when you come for the Pancake Supper. All are welcome!
Ash Wednesday
We begin our season of Lent with Ash Wednesday’s liturgy of penance, prayer, and the imposition of ashes. We will have three liturgies on Ash Wednesday, and the church will be open for prayer throughout the day.
7.00 am - This short service includes imposition of ashes and concludes by 7:25 am. It does not include Mass. It is designed for those commuting to work or on their way to school.
12 noon - This said Mass includes the Imposition of Ashes and lasts approximately 45 minutes.
7.00 pm - This is our principal liturgy for Ash Wednesday. It is a fully sung Mass with choir, hymns, as well as the imposition of ashes.
Rose Sunday Bake Sale
An annual December tradition, the Guild of St Rose is hosting “Rose Sunday Bake Sale” on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, 15 December. We’ll have delicious baked goods for sale - cookies, bourbon balls, cakes and pies, fudge, and more. Perfect for your Christmas holiday parties, gifts for neighbors, or snacks for Santa on Christmas Eve. To volunteer to help with the bake sale and/or to volunteer to bake goods for sale, contact Laura Dillon or any member of the Guild of St Rose (contact details will be in the weekly Parish Post e-newsletter and Sunday Bulletin).
Annual "It's Not Christmas Yet" Christmas Party
Join fellow parishioners at the home of Jason and Dani Startt for fun and fellowship as we wait in joyful anticipation our celebration of the birth of our Lord. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be served, but feel free to bring an appetizer to share. Dress is casual and all are welcome.
See the Sunday Bulletin for RSVP info and address, or call the parish office.
Behind the Tinsel: the Spirituality of Christmas
Our Wednesday program will be a lively discussion about the scripture, songs, traditions, and history of the beloved season of Advent. We’ll go behind the Tinsel of Christmas and discover God at the Manger. Join us for just the program, or if your schedule allows, join us for Low Mass before and Compline after our program. A light supper is provided on 12/4 and 12/11; on 12/18 everyone is invited to bring an appetizer to share as we conclude our program with fellowship and a bit of Advent cheer.
6.45 pm - Low Mass in the Chapel
7.15 pm - Dinner & Program
8.15 pm - Compline in the Chapel
Kirkin' of the Tartans
St Columba's will hold a "Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans” on Sunday, December 1.
“Kirk” is the Scottish word for “church.” The “Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans” is the presentation of a Scottish clan or family’s tartan at church for a blessing and is generally considered a rededication to God’s service.We're coordinating with St Andrews Society to bring the Scottish clan banners to St Columba's. If you forward the name of your Scottish family clan, we'll try matching with the available banners at St Andrews Society. There might be an opportunity for members of the congregation to carry a banner in and out of the church during the Kirkin’. See the weekly e-newsletter, “The Parish Post,” for the link to submit your name and to volunteer (if needed) to carry a banner. Please submit your name no later than Sunday, November 17. On Sunday, December 1, wear or hold a piece of your tartan at church for a blessing.
All Souls Requiem Mass
"The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God."
Each year around the Solemnity of All Souls Day, the Church prays for all the faithful departed, those who await that day when they will join with the company of all the saints. This solemnity reminds us all that even after death, we are linked with our loved ones and fellow travelers in an unbroken line of faith, hope, and love. Our liturgy will give us the opportunity to strengthen that bond. All Souls’ Day is officially November 2nd, but due to the 2nd being a Saturday, we will move our commemoration to Wednesday, 6th November at 7:00 pm. You can add a name to the list of the faithful departed by filling out the sheet in the Sunday Bulletin, or using the link in the weekly issue of “The Parish Post” e-newsletter. Please plan to join us for this beautiful Choral Mass. A festive reception will follow. Please mark your calendar and plan to join us on Wednesday, 6th November at 7:00 pm.
17th Annual Fall Festival
Come and join us for our 17th Annual "Chili Cook-Off Contest" at the Fall Festival on October 26th, 2024. It’s a friendly competition among parishioners to see who can make the best chili and win the coveted "Best Chili in the Parish" apron. The winner gets bragging rights for the whole year! Bring your delicious chili in a crockpot to the parish by 4:30 pm on Saturday, October 26th. Please bring your chili in a crock-pot to the church by 4:30 pm.
The Chili Tasting will kick off at 5 pm, with the votes being counted and the winner announced at 7 pm. As an exciting addition to this year’s Festival, we’ll also be hosting a ministry fair called "Trunk or Treat" for Halloween. Our ministries will have decorated cars and plenty of candy for trick or treaters from the neighborhood to enjoy.
Our Fall Festival promises to be a day filled with fun for everyone of all ages!
>> CLICK HERE to enter the chili cook-off.
Wednesday Bible Study
God Is In the Laundry Room
Resumes in August: August 7th - 28th
Join us each Wednesday in June for a different kind of Bible study. Based around the Bible study title created by Susan Senechal and also incorporating themes from the Rule of St Benedict, we’ll look at some familiar passages from the Bible and discover that when we seek the Lord with our whole heart, we find Him everywhere. We’ll meet each Wednesday in June; take a break the month of July, and then resume each Wednesday in August: eight sessions in total. Come for just the Bible study, or the whole evening. All are welcome!
6.30 - Low Mass in the Chapel
7.00 - Dinner & Bible Study
8.15 - Outdoor Compline
VBS 2024
This July, we’ll dive deep together and experience the ever-flowing, never-ending love of God. A program for all ages - children, youth, and adults (even if you don’t have children participating in the program), our VBS will again meet in the evening. There will be bible study, games, music, fellowship and more. We will break into age-groups for portions of the program and then come together for our evening closing. On Wednesday night, we’ll conclude with dinner and an outdoor movie on a large drive-in theater type screen.
>> Click Here for registration and more information.
Parish Luau
Hula on over on Sunday 19th May for our Parish Luau!
We'll celebrate our Sunday school teachers and a great year of formation on Sunday, 19th May at 11.30. After our combined Mass at 10.30 am, we'll have a parish luau on the lawn. We'll have luau games, celebrate our teachers and graduates, enjoy some great food prepared by the Knights of Columba, and bask in the fellowship of fellow church friends. All are invited - bring your family, friends, neighbors. It's going to be a 'hula of a time’!!
Pentecost Sunday
Sunday, 19 May, is the Feast of Pentecost. Celebrated on the 50th day after Easter, the feast of Pentecost commemorates the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. You're invited to wear red to church as we celebrate the birth of the Church and our call to 'preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.'
Sunday school has concluded, and we begin our Summer schedule with just one Mass at 10:30 am. After Mass there will be a Parish Luau on the Lawn. All are invited.
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Easter at St Columba's
Holy Week and Easter at St Columba’s
Join us for the holiest of weeks, celebrated by Christians all around the world.
Maundy Thursday (3/28) - 7.00 pm
Good Friday (3/29) - 12 noon & 7.00 pm
Holy Saturday - Easter Vigil (3/30) - 8.30 pm
Easter Sunday (3/31) - 8.30 and 11.00 am
Click Here for our full schedule.
St Paddy's Gala
Join us on Sunday, March 17 for our annual Fish-N-Chips parish dinner in a Pub-style set up. We will be serving baskets of authentic fish-n-chips, dessert, and a variety of beverages. Come for a delicious meal and festive celebration. The dinner is being hosted by our Knights of Columba and Youth Group. It will be a delightful evening for the whole parish AND guests! Space is limited - so register early! There will be a 5:00 pm and a 7:00 pmseating. We ask that you reserve a ticket for 5pm if there is space available (and the 7pm seating would then begin once the 5pm seating has sold out). Invite your friends! The cost is $30 per person, with $5 early-bird discount if you register before the 9th! Registration Deadline is midnight on Wednesday, 13th March.
Click Here to purchase a ticket
Wednesdays In Lent
Lenten Series: “Witness at the Cross”
6.15 pm - Low Mass
6.40 pm - Stations of the Cross
7.00 pm - Dinner & Program: Amy-Jill Levine’s, Witness at the Cross
8.15 pm - Candlelight Compline
Ash Wednesday
Join us on Ash Wednesday, the first day of the holy season of Lent. We will have three liturgies on Ash Wednesday: 7.00 am, 12.00 noon, and 7.00 pm.
7.00 am | This services includes the Ash Wednesday liturgy and imposition of ashes. It does not include Mass and lasts just under 30 minutes.
12.00 noon | This liturgy is Low Mass with the imposition of ashes and a brief homily. It lasts approximately 50 minutes.
7.00 pm | Our evening liturgy is a fully sung Choral Mass and includes imposition of ashes.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Join us for our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper as we prepare for a holy Lent. Pancakes, bacon, sausage, fruit, and more. Of course the evening will include an all-parish bingo games with prizes, the Amazing Pancake Race, fun and fellowship. Come for a few minutes or the whole evening. No reservation necessary. Join us and bring a friend with you!
God's Saving Deeds
Join us for our Sunday morning Adult Forum for Lent:
Sunday Mornings, 9.45 am in the Chapel
We begin Sunday's adult forum with the Lent Madness bracket update and discussion of the lives of those who have inspired Christians in their generation. Then we continue our exploring of the Old Testament, reading those great stories of God's saving deeds of people.
Click Here to read more about the "Lent Madness" series sponsored by Forward Movement (the publishers of the popular booklet Day By Day).
All Souls Requiem Mass
“The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God”
Join us on All Souls' Day, Wednesday, 2 November at 7.00 pm for our annual Requiem Mass for All Faithful Departed. The choir will sing some of the most beautiful music of the year, and we'll remember by name all those who have departed this life in faith.
This is one of the most moving liturgies of the year as it holds in tension both Christian hope and human grief. The Agnus Dei from John Rutter's Requiem portrays the duality that the All Souls' liturgy conveys so beautifully: "in the midst of life, we are in death; of whom may we seek for succour . . . whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
Please join us for a beautiful service of faith, sorrow, and hope as we remember before God "all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore, and in a greater light, that multitude which no man can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom in the Lord Jesus we are for ever one."
This is a beautiful, tender liturgy and a great opportunity to invite someone to come to church with you. A reception will follow Mass, and all are invited.
Christian Formation Programme
The schedule for our adult Christian formation program has just been published. Our Sunday morning and Wednesday evening programs will get underway just after Labor Day. Click Here to view the full schedule. We hope you’ll join us this fall!
Parish 20th Anniversary Celebration
Join us as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary: twenty years of ministry, of growth, of loss, of joy, and throughout - filled with God’s blessing! Details for the full celebration to come - stay tuned!
Vacation Bible School
Stellar VBS: Shining the Light of Jesus!
Launch kids on a cosmic quest where they’ll have a blast shining Jesus’ light to the world. Stellar rockets kids on an out-of-this-world adventure that’s light years of faith-building fun. The week will include catchy songs, teamwork building games, yummy treats, Bible adventures and “sciency-fun gizmos. Click here for more information, including a short video about the theme.
VBS meets from 9.00 am until 12.00 noon, Monday through Friday, the week of June 19-23, 2023. The cost is $40 for the first child and only $15 per additional child from the same household.
Registration deadline is Wednesday, 14 June.
However, the T-Shirt deadline is Friday, 9th June (in order to receive a VBS shirt, you must register by 9 June)
To register, click the button below.
Pentecost Sunday
This Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost. Celebrated on the 50th day after Easter, the feast of Pentecost commemorates the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church. You're invited to wear red to church as we celebrate the birth of the Church and our call to 'preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.'
Sunday school has concluded, but we will stay on our regular Mass schedule through the summer months: 8.30 am, Rite I Mass and 11.00 am - Sung Mass.
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Parish Luau
Hula on over on Sunday 21st May for our first ever Parish Luau!
We'll celebrate our Sunday school teachers and a great year of formation. This Sunday (5/21) will be our last day of Sunday school. Then, after our combined Mass, we'll have a parish luau on the lawn. We'll have luau games, a slide show showing highlights from the school year, enjoy some great food prepared by the Knights of Columba, and bask in the fellowship of fellow church friends. There will be ONE MASS ONLY on 5/21 at 11.00am (we will not have the 8.30 am Mass on the 21st; we return to our regular Sunday schedule on 5/28)
All are invited - bring your family, friends, neighbors. It's going to be a 'hula of a time!'
Youth Sunday - Baccalaureate Service
Our celebration of youth ministry and baccalaureate service will be Sunday, 14 May. We'll recognize all high school and college graduating seniors that morning and our high school graduating seniors will be preaching at the 8.30 and 11.00 Masses that morning. We will have a special blessing for all the graduating out, and a festive reception will take place in the Narthex immediately following Mass.
We will have a video display celebrating each graduate’s accomplishments, college plans, and aspirations for the next chapter of their life. All are invited as we celebrate the gifts and blessings of the young people of St Columba’s.
Graduating youth and/or their families should complete the graduate questionnaire and submit graduate photo to Father Tripp by Monday, 1st of May. Links for those uploads can be found in the weekly Parish Post.
Easter at St Columba’s
Easter at St Columba’s
Alleluia. Christ is risen!
Join us for Easter Mass:
8.30 am - Rite I Mass
11.00 am - Solemn Choral Mass (incense)
10.00 am - Children’s Easter Egg Hunt and Parish Reception on the Lawn