As we know, Thanksgiving dinner is a grand exercise in having way too much to eat. And even after we have had too much to eat, there is often a lot left over—to be distributed to the aunts and uncles and cousins and still have plenty left for the host family. For many of the unhoused, Thanksgiving begins the month of plenty, wherein there are lots of free dinners, parties, gift bags, and doggie bags. Leftovers are as much a part of Thanksgiving as the collection is to church. So, maybe it is in keeping with the season, that I fill this column with items that I want to share with you, but in smaller portions, sort of like what we might find in the refrigerator on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

First, I have not written much about Renew My Church lately, but we are well underway with what the Archdiocese calls “Building the New Reality.” A very enthusiastic Evangelization Team has been formed. Their main project this year is relaunching the Alpha program. Ten guests have participated in the first eleven-week Alpha course and a new group will be launched after the first of the year. Alpha has two purposes: to invite those who have drifted from church or who are unchurched to consider the deeper questions of life and to enable those who are churchgoers to become more comfortable talking about their own faith. It is not a course of instructions in the Catholic religion but an invitation to form a personal faith relationship with God. If you are approached by a member of the Evangelization Team or one of the guests in our current Alpha to join the next Alpha course, please give it serious consideration. Then, after you graduate from Alpha, invite someone else (someone who is not a churchgoer) to be part of the next group. Jesus’ message just before he departed the earth was, “Go out and make disciples.” We must first become disciples ourselves before we can invite others to become disciples. In our secular age, Pope Francis has challenged all of us to become “missionary disciples.”

Second, we are still on schedule to begin the renovation of the church on January 8, the Monday after Epiphany. The old pews, the old carpeting, and the old tile will be removed, and new pews, new tile, and new carpeting will be put in place. For at least two weekends, we will be having Mass in the Parish Hall. I would like to be able to say that the old pews will be repurposed or reused; but, the reality is that the market is glutted with old pews. A great many more churches are closing than opening. Plus, many churches have seen their pews damaged by bleaching agents that we were required to use during the COVID era, and, like ourselves, have decided that buying new pews is a better option than restoration. However, if you would like to HAVE a pew and repurpose it yourself, we would happy to GIVE it to you. You would have to arrange to pick it up, preferably on the day it is removed or within a couple of weeks. Let us know in advance. These pews are from the 1950’s and are not original to the church. By the way, if you would like to donate the cost of one of the new pews, we are still open for business on that front too.

Third, as some of you know, the late Katie Kennicott, who died last month, started the Assumption Garden Club more than ten years ago. With a group of volunteers, she transformed our “front yard” into an attractive flower-laden garden, which has been enjoyed by parishioners and neighbors alike. Our garden was reimagined by the developers of the 311 building, and Katie and her gardeners adapted to the new layout six years ago. This past spring, Katie handed over the reigns of leadership to Jeanne Sowa, who has put together a whole new group of garden helpers. They have focused more on introducing native plants and perennials, making our garden more in line with world-wide ecological concerns. Last week, Red Kennicott, Katie’s husband, informed me that he has set up an endowment fund for the garden. Each year Assumption will receive a grant to provide for the needs of the garden. The garden itself will be rededicated to honor Katie, as well as her beloved granddaughter, Bridget, who died of Batten’s Disease. This is a great gift for Assumption, and a gift to the larger community that is mostly brick, steel, and concrete.

So, there you have it: a full plate of goodies, almost two weeks before Thanksgiving!  Meanwhile, this is a good time to dust off the Tupperware. The other kind of leftovers are on the way.

                                                Fr. Joe