…”For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” The Gospel from Matthew this weekend reminds us of the blessing that comes when we gather together in the name of the Lord. God is with us and present in our midst when we come together in prayer, in service, in community. When we come together God is with us in our midst. Let’s take time each day to notice the presence of God with you – with us.

…I had a beautiful call on Labor Day night. It was from one of our members who was tired and distressed about the challenges of the day. She simply asked if we could ‘say a prayer together.’ Over the phone we prayed and it gave her great comfort and peace. For me it was a powerful reminder of the Gospel. God was with us in our coming together – seven over the phone.

…Who is it that we can reach out to this weekend? Someone who – in person or over the phone – needs to be blessed by the presence and peace of the Lord.

…This weekend a collection will be taken to offer relief for those who suffer in Texas from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. All funds will be directed to the Catholic Charities Relief efforts in the storm ravaged area. May they find comfort in the Lord and strength by our prayers and compassion.

…As I write this, I have been in conversation numerous times with our mission community in the Dominican Republic as they brace for the impact of Hurricane Irma. We were working to line up some materials to make sure their tin roofs and doors, etc are secure and braced for the storm. Thank you for all your support for Mission Possible. YOU really make it possible for us to provide the materials needed this week so they can weather the storm. God bless you.

…The Installation of Bishop Perez this past Tuesday was a beautiful example of our Gospel. As we gathered together, you could feel and sense the presence of God in Saint John Cathedral. Please keep Bishop Perez in your prayers as he begins his new ministry. We still have some tickets available for his regional Mass this coming Monday, September 11 at Saint Basil the Great at 7 pm. Contact the front desk if you are interested.

…This coming Monday is a special day for our nation as we remember the events of 9.11. Let this day be a powerful reminder of our need to work and pray for peace in our hearts, homes and world. Our students at Saint Ambrose School will be gathering for a special prayer service at 1:30 pm.

…September 11 is also a GREAT day for Saint Ambrose School as the Ohio Department of Education comes to formally present us with our STEM banner. Last spring we received STEM designation – an amazing honor. This formal presentation is one more affirmation of the great work our faculty, staff and students are doing every day at SAS.

…Saint Ambrose School is currently blessed by a great faculty and staff. Even more, we have inherited such a solid foundation from so many who have taught in our school and formed the minds and hearts of hundreds and hundreds of young people. This weekend we especially remember Sister Mary Ann Senia, HM who served our school for fifteen years as principal (1988 – 2005). Sister Mary Ann was called home to her eternal reward this past Sunday. We give thanks to God for her life, her ministry as a consecrated religious Sister as a member of the Humility of Mary Sisters. We especially celebrate her years of generous and faithful service to the Lord at SA.

…This weekend we kick off our Youth Ministry Year. I met with Caitlin O’Neill this past week and she has been working hard with the teens and adult core team to outline a great year of faith, fun and friendship for our teens at FIAT (Faith in Action Teens). Parents… we need your help to help us help your teens. Please encourage them (nudge) to come to FIAT on Sunday nights (5 pm Mass and 6 pm for food, friendship, fun, and meaningful conversations). We also need adults (of every age) to help support our youth ministry program. Our high school students need and deserve our support. The challenges of our world are daunting and real. Together we can bring them the presence – and wisdom – and strength of God….together. Contact Caitlin for information and/or ways you can help (even a little) (coneill@StAmbrose.us).

…Our PSR year and Junior High Program is up and running. We are blessed with so many wonderful catechists who are working hard to pass on faith, hope and the love of God to all our youth people. It’s not too late sign up for PSR. Contact Deb and Janet at 330.460.7302 for information and details.

…This coming Thursday all of our Busy Bees are coming for lunch. They do great work for our parish community by taking care of a ton of important detail work for our parish – from stuffing bulletins to putting the new music books into the covers every year. We are so blessed. If you are looking for a great group to join that does good work for our parish, please contact Mary a 330.460.7342.

…Matt Fodor, Helen Lanzarotta and Max Menkhaus have kicked off the new year for our music ministry. You are always welcome and they would love to have you join any of our groups. We are also looking to develop a stronger ministry for the 4:30 pm Saturday Mass and Sunday 5 pm Mass. Can you play an instrument or sing? Many voices coming together make a beautiful song to the Lord. Interested in learning more? Contact Matt or Helen at 330.460.7343.

…The Fall Season is in full gear. There are many wonderful moments for us to come together to celebrate faith and family and have fun together. Thank you to the K of C for a great Steak Roast last weekend. This weekend we have the Polka Mass and Ramserfest. See todays’ bulletin for many wonderful celebrations.

…Make sure you check out the Mother Teresa room for a new beautiful picture of Mother Teresa. God bless Tom and Sue Knapp for initiating and making this possible for our parish. They wanted to have a lovely picture of Mother Teresa for our parish so they turned to the best person they could think of – their daughter Amy. It’s beautiful and a beautiful reflection of why our parish is so blessed. Take a look.

…Together…when we come together God is in our midst. Thank you for all the ways you make God’s presence known in our community. Have a blessed week.