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 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: This year’s VBS will be absolutely “Monumental” and it’s now only one week away! Monday July 11 – Friday July 15th, children from pre school through 6th grade will be taught about the greatness of God and His goodness starting with the majesty and power of God found in nature where the children will make virtual visits to some of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders of God’s creation. Potty trained 3-4 year olds with some preschool experience have a program all their own. Every other child in K-6th grade joins us for the full track of music, outdoor games, Bible discovery and Imagination Station each day from 9am – noon. There is a special program to conclude the last day followed by a hot dog lunch grilled by the Knights of Columbus. The Kona Ice Truck will be pulling up that afternoon as well so all the kids can choose their own snow cone flavors! This is the last weekend to qualify for the early registration discount: $15 per child, $30 for two, $45 three or more. July 5 or after/at the door: $20 per child ($60 max/family). Register online here: https://www.osvhub.com/queen-of-the-miraculous-medal/forms/vbs-2022 Participants get a tee-shirt, daily snack time and lots of take home items each day including a CD of their favorite VBS songs. To help us plan for a better experience for everyone, please sign up now and don’t wait until the last minute. Vacation Bible School is open to non-parishioners and even non-Catholics. If the kids are getting bored with summer and not staying active, perhaps this is the perfect way to break up the monotony of the lazy days of midsummer. Sign up today!  UPCOMING MASS CHANGES: I am moving some Mass times during Bible School Week so I can be present for the start of each day’s sessions. On Monday July 11th and Friday July 15th the 9:00am Masses at Queens will be moved to 8:00am so I can do both. I am also canceling some daily Masses in July when I will be away from the parish for the first time in three years. There will be NO weekday Masses on July 22, the morning of July 23rd, or any weekday between Monday July 25th and Friday July 29th. Guest priests will come to celebrate the weekend Masses on July 23-24. If you attend daily Mass here at Queens please make a note of these upcoming changes.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! This Monday is the 246th Birthday of The United States of America. Come join us in person for Mass as we pray for our country and for the safeguarding of our rights as a free people. We often don’t realize how good we have it here as we take many of our blessings for granted. Here are some inspirational quotes for us to ponder as we celebrate this weekend: “Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.”–Alexander Hamilton “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.”–President John F. Kennedy A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.”–President Dwight D. Eisenhower “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”–Abraham Lincoln “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”— Ronald Reagan  There is a 9:00am Mass at Queens on Monday July 4th. Come join us to pray for our country. The offices will be closed and there will be no Open Doors Disciples Ministry on Monday. The Divine Mercy Chapel remains open for prayer and contemplation. Our regular schedule resumes on Tuesday July 5th.  Queens entered a new budget and fiscal year on July 1st. We have given COLA wage increases (cost of living adjustments) in an effort to help the hard workers at Queens Church and School meet their expenses and provide for their families. As your costs increase, so have ours. Please be as generous as you can to the weekly offertory as we strive to keep the new budget in the black. The most reliable way to support the parish beyond regular offertory envelopes is to sign up for our hassle free Online Giving Program. You can do that here: https://www.osvhub.com/queen-of-the-miraculous-medal/giving/funds  Thank you to the many generous benefactors who regularly support Queens with their Time, Talent and Treasure. This pays off on the broader level as well. Queens continues to have the second highest DSA pledge total in the Diocese ($243,806 on a goal of $196, 774). We have the third highest number of donors at 588. It would take only 23 more gifts of any size from new donors in order for us to meet our 40% participation goal. If you are one of the 940 households in the parish who did not make a gift in support of the 100 programs and ministries funded by the Diocesan Services Appeal, you could add your two cents or two dollars here: https://dioceseoflansing.org/appeal  SEMINARIAN IN RESIDENCE: The Diocese has placed many seminarians here over the years when they are home from seminary for the summer. We’ve hosted John Whitlock and Peter Lawrence before they were priests. This year, Queens’ parishioner and Lansing seminarian Luke Henderson is in residence at Queens. He has finished his first year of Pre-Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. A Spring Arbor Resident and graduate of Western High School and Jackson College, Luke is spending the summer learning the ropes of a busy parish life, serving at Mass, acting as sacristan, and helping our maintenance men in the school and on the grounds. We will have him introduce himself to you at Masses next weekend. Welcome to Queens Luke! Happy 4th of July America and to all Americans! Fr. Tim MacDonald Pastor |