Greening the Church 2018
On Sunday, December 23rd, Holy Family held its annual Greening the Church event. Members of the church decorated the sanctuary with Christmas trees, garlands, and other decorations and made preparations for three Christmas worship services. Following the decorating, congregation members enjoyed a spaghetti dinner prepared by members of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.
Rocked the Socks!
This fall Holy Family teamed up with The Episcopal Church of All Saints in Indianapolis in an attempt to donate 10,000 pairs of socks to Wheeler Mission in Indianapolis. Socks are the most needed (and at least donated) items for the homeless community. At the end of the drive which took place over about six weeks, 20, 732 pairs of socks were purchased or donated to Wheeler Mission! Many thanks to those who participated in donating money, socks, or helping deliver the donations. For more information about outreach projects at Holy Family, please contact Deacon Cathy Scott. cscott@hfec.org
Angel Tree 2018
Holy Family delivered gifts to children at Fishers Elementary as part of its annual Angel Tree ministry. This beloved tradition brings together young and old and the spirit of giving. For more information about Angel Tree, please contact Jolene Johnston jjohnston@hfec.org
Confirmation: December 2018
On Sunday, December 16th, The Rt. Reverend Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Bishop of the Diocese of Indianapolis, visited Holy Family. Bishop Jennifer celebrated both morning worship services, led an open discussion with congregation members during Christian formation hour, and shared fellowship during a reception following the services. Bishop Jennifer also confirmed or received three members of Holy Family during the 10 AM worship service. Bishop Jennifer spent time meeting with the vestry and finished her visit by contributing to Holy Family’s new podcast called Shortcut to Sunday. It was a busy and joy-filled day for all who attended. For more information about being confirmed in or received to the Episcopal church, please contact Deacon Cathy Scott or Father Bruce Gray.
For more photos from Confirmation and Bishop Jennifer’s visit, please click HERE.
Junior Daughter Cookie Exchange 2018
On Saturday, December 15th, several members and prospective members of the Junior Daughters of the King at Holy Family gathered with their mothers and other Daughters of the King for a cookie exchange. Participants made holiday crafts and watched a movie. For more information about Junior Daughters of the King at Holy Family, please contact co-directors Ruth Everett and Kristine Canter. mmjrdok@gmail.com
View more cookie exchange photos HERE.
Breakfast with St. Nicholas
On Saturday, December 8th, the Holy Family chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew hosted Breakfast with St. Nicholas. Families enjoyed a variety of breakfast treats including chocolate and peppermint pancakes and participated in crafts and games. St. Nicholas himself joined the gathering to share his story and give the children chocolate coins. St. Nick had a few minutes to take photos with the children before he had to get back to his adventures. For more information about children’s activities at Holy Family, please contact Children’s Ministry Director Jolene Johnston jjohnston@hfec.org.
View more photos from Breakfast with St. Nicholas HERE.
Gospel at Hogwarts 2018
Holy Family invited children of all ages to enjoy an adventure of discipleship to uncover the Gospel at Hogwarts. Scripture passages included The Wedding Feast at Cana, The Parable of the Sower, and the Second Epistle of Paul to Timothy. This multigenerational adventure took place on November 17, 2018 from 6:00-8:00 PM. Led by House prefects, guests attended a variety of classes at Hogwarts including Herbology and Potions, played a rousing game of Quidditch, and shared fellowship with treats in the Great Hall.
View photos from the 2018 Gospel at Hogwarts HERE.
This was the second annual Hogwarts event at Holy Family. View photos from Holy Family’s 2017 Gospel at Hogwarts by clicking HERE. Contact Children’s Ministry Director Jolene Johnston for more information. jjohnston@hfec.org
Pastoral Response to Fishers Shooting Deaths
In response to Wednesday’s shooting in Fishers, Deacon Cathy Scott, who is certified in Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, will lead a crisis response session for teachers, school staff, teenagers, and parents Sunday, October 28th at 11:30 AM in the Youth Room. For any other adults touched by this tragedy, Fr. Bruce will facilitate a similar conversation also at 11:30 AM Sunday in the parish hall. The Rev Cathy Gray, who has years of experience working with pre-teens, will be available for conversations at 11:30. Childcare will be available.
If any individuals or families wish more private time with Bruce (bgray@hfec.org), Cathy Scott (cscott@hfec.org) or Cathy Gray, please do not hesitate to contact them. Our prayers and sympathy go out to all directly and indirectly affected by this violence and its aftermath.
Pet Blessing 2018
On Sunday, September 30th, Holy Family held its annual pet blessing during the 10 AM worship service in the outdoor chapel. Many dogs, and a few cats, attended the service with their humans and received a blessing in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals. Photos from this special service can be viewed by clicking HERE.
In addition to the pet blessing, this day was also named Social Media Sunday by the wider Episcopal Church. Members and guests of Holy Family were encouraged to share special photos and moments from the day on social media using the hashtag #SMS18.
Bench Blessing
On Sunday, September 23rd, representatives from Girl Scout Troop 183 in Fishers participated in a special ceremony to bless the playground bench they donated to Holy Family. The scouts gathered over 400 pounds of bottle and container caps and lids that were recycled and transformed into the bench. The bench was a gift to the church in thanksgiving for using the space for Girl Scout meetings over the past five years. Following the blessing, the scouts chatted with Father Bruce, Mother Cathy, and members of the congregation about the project.
