May 2021 -- Mission Support
Little Portion Friary
Our support this month is directed once again to Little Portion Friary in Buffalo. The homeless shelter re-opened in September with revised living arrangements. At this time, men only are being sheltered and are safely spaced from one another. The common areas are closed and the meals are being served to individuals--- not groups. It's hopeful that women will be allowed to be sheltered again when the COVID numbers will allow it. We received a current update on how personally involved the staff and volunteers are with the residents.
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Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them, O Lord
In May, 2021, two members of our community entered eternal rest. We pray for the families of both Dave Everett and Sandy Fuzak.
Our community is thankful for the many, many years Dave served as Eucharistic Minister in the Newman Mission and in local hospitals. Dave also served as the scheduler for readers and Eucharistic Ministers since we became the JNMC. In the recent past, Dave shared the daily scripture readings with us and offered his commentary and questions to ponder. May he rest in peace.
Our community is thankful for Sandy's friendship and her concern for people in need, wherever they may be encountered. Sandy was active with the choir ministry and was always generous with her smile. May she rest in peace.
June 2021 -- Mission Support
Harvest House
One of our long-term missions was the focus of our attention for June: Harvest House. Carol Murphy attended mass and provided us with us with a very descriptive summary of the many ways the ministries of Harvest House helped the people of Buffalo during the pandemic. The health clinic was designated an essential service for the community by the Department of Health and funding was allocated to keep the clinic open ... serving even more people than pre-Covid 19. The adult ed school remained open with remote instruction for the students. The baby and children's ministry remained open with a new mode of operation ... families were by appointment only. This allowed the number of people in the building to be manageable. The retreat center was the home of daily instruction (via remote learning) for children in the Buffalo Public Schools. Pods of elementary school students were brought into the building thanks to a grant administered by Erie County.
Summer -- Celebrating Mass Under the Tent
Once again, we are blessed to be together, celebrating the mass under the tent, behind Bender's on Sheridan Drive. Thank you to John Roba and the team who helped assemble the tent and all the accessories necessary for our Sunday masses.
Father Jim, bringing the Good News and a personal call for each of us to our mission.
July Mission Nicaragua Mission
Our community support was directed to the Nicaragua Mission, which continues to serve the neediest people in this country. Ann Marie Zon spoke to us and explained the humanitarian tragedy brought on by the government. The containers of clothing and home goods and school supplies have been stopped by those power. Yet, our financial aid can get there, with the help of Father Alfonso. And so, we help as we can, and pray for better days to come.
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Summer Picnic
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Teri Mugler - Rest in Peace
July 31, 2021
Our dear friend, Teri Mugler, passed on to her eternal rest on July 31, 2021. Teri suffered with Lupus and other complications for many years, and was unable to leave her apartment for the past two years. She was a prayerful, generous member of our community. Many members of the community stayed in prayerful communion with Teri, thanks to the sharing of the Eucharist.
May she now rest in peace, free from the painful illness that kept her confined to her room these many years. We pray for her dear friend, Rusty, as he truly mourns Teri's passing.
August Mission -- Timau Mission in Kenya
Sister Joanne Gangloff brought us up to date on the school in Timau, which has reopened. Vaccination rate in Kenya is less than 2%, so the risk throughout Kenya is substantial. Nearly all the children have returned to school, but some have "run away" or have not returned for other reasons. She is very grateful for our support, including those who have been sponsoring children.
Photos of Duncan, Freddy and Wendy -- from the younger years to today!
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GARDEN WALK
Thank you to many community members, who opened their gardens for Sunday viewing during August. The beautiful scenes below are from the gardens of Joanne Montante and John Roba.
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Team Newman -- Donations Exceeded $20,000!
Thanks to the superlative leadership of Renie Stevens and Perry Figliotti, the Ride for Roswell was a huge success! Our Newman Mission Community was very generous in supporting the team, and the team kept many, many loved ones in their minds and hearts as they rode this year.
Pictured from left to right: Luanne and Jack Leo, Mark Brady,
Joanne Montante, Perry Figliotti and Renie Stevens, captain.
Not present: Jasmine and Darius Leo (see below)
Back-to-School Supplies
Response to Love
Thanks to the generous donations of our Newman Mission Community, and the Outreach Donation to "The Teacher's Desk", a huge donation was made to the Response to Love Center. Sister Johnice was grateful for the support and spoke words of encouragement to us following the mass on Aug 22.
Thankful for Another Blessed Year as the John Newman Mission Community
As August 2021 comes to a close, we mark the 14th Anniversary of our first celebration of the Eucharist as the John Newman Mission Community. We are all thankful for the countless hours of giving by all members to make the community a living example of mission in our world. We are ever grateful to Father Paul, Father "Duke" and Father Jim for celebrating the Eucharist every week. Thank you for board of directors, the committee chairs, the committee volunteers and all the behind the scenes work that have helped the community to thrive. When we began in 2007, you might say "we didn't know what we didn't know" about real mission work and the liturgy. We learned as we grew, and we grew to help each other more and more.
Thank you to our hosts for the many meetings and the celebration Eucharist, and many other festive celebrations. These include, but are not limited to:
The Sisters of St. Joseph; The Sisters of St. Francis of the Neuman Community; The Williamsville Meeting House; The Unitarian Universalist Church of Amherst; The American Legion - Lamm Post; Bender's Christian Store; ECCN Classrooms and last but not least,
Zoom.com with the capable technical work by Perry Figliotti and Mark Brady. God is good, All the time. All the time, God is good!
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JNMC HISTORY
Click on this link to read the account
of the beginning of our mission community
in 2007
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