Save the Date

SPAGHETTI DINNER TO SUPPORT OUR YOUTH
Help support our youth going to the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in November by coming to the Spaghetti Dinner they are holding on October 6th from 11:00 am - 5:30 pm in the Social Hall. Come after mass! Come after PSR! Just come! Cost is by donation. Thank you for your support.

THE TRAVELING ROSARY
The Traveling Rosary, sponsored by the Holy Name Society, will be here at Holy Spirit on Sunday, October 6th at 2:30 pm in the Church. Stop by if you would like to participate.

LOYOLA RETREAT HOUSE REVERSE RAFFLE AND AUCTION
The Loyola Retreat House Reverse Raffle and Auction will be held on Wednesday, October 9th at 6:30 pm at Guy’s Party Center (500 E. Waterloo Rd., Akron). This is a great opportunity to win $3,000 and support Loyola Retreat House. For more information or to register to attend, go to www.loyolaretreathouse.com or call 330-896-2315.

MARRIED COUPLES WEEKEND
Reconnect with your spouse on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend and hear presentations, do exercises and reflections that help them to understand both themselves and their spouses better. A Fall Weekend is scheduled for October 11th - 13th at the Homewood Suites Hotel in Solon and space is limited. Call 330-305-9963 or visit GreatMarriagesOhio.org to learn more.

40TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER DANCE
Let’s party at the Prestwick Country Club on October 12th to celebrate 40 years at Holy Spirit! Doors open at 6:00 pm with a cash bar and appetizers. Dinner will begin at 7:00 pm and the event ends at 10:00 pm. Just $25.00 per person. Tickets will be on sale after all Masses starting THIS WEEKEND and will continue through October 6th.

DINNER DANCE BASKET RAFFLE
We are creating gift baskets that will be raffled off at the Dinner Dance on October 12th at Prestwick Country Club. The baskets will be great for holiday gift giving or for your enjoyment right away!
We have arranged for a variety of “theme baskets” and are asking for your help filling them with items that are needed. There will be sign-up sheets in the Narthex with each of the themes that are available. Sign up for what you will provide. All donated items need to be brought in to church on or before October 5 and placed in the appropriate basket in the Narthex.
Raffle tickets will be sold at Prestwick for $1 each or 6 for $5. If you are unable to attend the dinner dance and wish to purchase raffle tickets at church, please put your phone number on the ticket so you can be notified. Raffle winners will be announced after the dinner! Thank you for your support.

PRAYING THROUGH PILGRIMAGE PRESENTS… HOLY FIRE GREAT LAKES; A MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENT LIKE NO OTHER
Save the date and plan on joining us for a youth/parent pilgrimage to Bowling Green, Ohio on Sunday, October 13th from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Holy Fire, a national Catholic one-day faith experience for middle school youth in grades 6-8. This day will be filled with dynamic speakers, high-energy music, and the sacrament of the Eucharist like youth have never before experienced. Parents are encouraged to attend as well. Ticket are $35 ($40-$45 after July 14). See youth bulletin board for more details. Contact Cathy at the office with any questions.

DIOCESAN MINISTRY DAY: CATECHISTS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND VOLUNTEERS
We invite you to participate in the Diocesan Ministry Day on October 19th from 8:30 am - 3:00 pm at St. Thomas Aquinas High School (2121 Reno Dr., Louisville, OH). Ministry Day is a day of prayer, workshops and keynotes to enliven our ministries and unite us as a Diocesan church. For more information, please visit Ministry Day or contact Anne Weeks or Cathy Kasza. To attend, contact the parish office. Deadline for early bird registration is October 1st.

25TH, 40TH, 50TH, OR 50+ WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION MASS
The Diocese of Youngstown will sponsor a Wedding Anniversary Celebration to honor couples observing their 25th, 40th, 50th, and 50+ wedding anniversary in 2019 on October 20th at 2:00 pm at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist (627 McKinley Ave. NW, Canton). The Wedding Anniversary Celebration includes Mass with Monsignor Robert J. Siffrin, renewal of marriage vows and a personalized certificate for each couple. Following the Mass, there will be a reception for the couples and their families in their Cathedral Hall. You must make advance reservations for this event by completing the registration form (found on the bulletin board) and returning it to the parish office by September 15th.

MEN WHO COOK FUND RAISER
The 15th Annual Men Who Cook fund raiser will be on Saturday, November 9th at the Barrette Center at Walsh University. This event helps support Catholic Charities of Portage and Stark Counties. There will be auction items, raffle, a restaurant pull and delicious food samples. For more information about the event or to help volunteer, contact Catholic Charities at 330-491-0896 ext. 102.

BUILDING FAITH, FAMILY, FUTURE

BUILDING UPDATE
In March of this year, we expected to break ground in the Spring or early summer, but the start of construction is behind that timeline for a few reasons. Contract negotiation with the construction manager took more time than anticipated, not due to any adversarial issues, but rather just to reach agreement on details among Holy Spirit, Metis Construction and the Diocese. More significantly, we confirmed what we began to learn during the feasibility study phase – that adding to an existing facility, particularly one with an older building like our office area, is complex and intricate, like “building a watch,” as our architect put it. Our existing campus is built on four elevations, three of which affect the design for new construction. Our challenge is to design and build the additions with the most efficient use of stairs and ramps for a user-friendly functionality and flow. We want to get this right, not just for now but also for generations to come. The architect and engineers are close to a final design for the best possible solution; the target date for construction drawings is late September, followed by contractor bidding for a start of construction yet this fall. Our goal is still for completion by September 2020.
The project cost is currently estimated at between $1.4 and $1.5 million, up from the initial estimate of $1.2 million from last year.  The increase has been reviewed and approved by the Holy Spirit Finance Committee. We will agree with Metis on a final guaranteed maximum price prior to startup. All of this has been made possible by the tremendously successful capital campaign.  The campaign goal was $600,000, and we have raised $739,000 in pledge commitments, an increase of almost 25%. This is a mark of the huge generosity of our parishioners! “Thank you” to all who have supported the campaign; your continued faithfulness as the drive is completed will assure the financial viability of the project.

FISH

OUTREACH SUNDAY FOR FISH
FISH, our Lake Township community food pantry, relies on the generosity of others to stock it with items they needed. Once a month is designated as “Outreach Sunday.” This month’s “Outreach Sunday” items for Holy Spirit are meals in a can, canned vegetables and cleaning products. Please bring your donations next weekend and place under the wood tables.

ACME RECEIPTS FOR FISH
It’s that time again! Please save your Acme receipts dated August 8 to December 28, 2019 for FISH. Circling the cash-back amount on the receipts is a big help! If the cash-back amount is $0, please do not turn them in. Place your receipts in the FISHbowl on the usher’s table or turn in to the parish office.

Holy Spirit PSR & Youth Group Activities

Cancellations
To find out if PSR or other activities have been cancelled due to weather or other reasons, please check the Holy Spirit Facebook page (Holy Spirit Catholic Church) or follow us on Twitter (@HolySpiritUNOH). Links to Facebook and Twitter can be found on the parish website www.holyspiritunoh.org

CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD RESUMES
Children’s Liturgy of the Word will be offered at all three weekend Masses on the weekends listed below. On these dates, children will be called forward at the opening of Mass by the celebrating priest, blessed and sent with an adult catechist to the meeting room to hear and discuss the day’s Mass readings on a more age appropriate level that relates to their understanding. The catechist will then lead the children back to church to rejoin their families after the Creed.
Additional adults are needed to join the team of adult catechists leading children’s liturgy. There is no need to change your regularly attended Mass times and preparation/time commitments are minimal, yet it provides a valuable ministry to the children and families of our parish. Contact Cathy Kasza to learn more.

• October 19/20
• November 9/10
• December 7/8
• January 11/12
• February 8/9
• March 7/8
• April 25/26

On these dates, children will be called forward by Father John after the opening blessing, blessed and led by an adult catechist to a prayer space in the meeting room to celebrate a separate Liturgy of the Word that is more appropriate to their level of understanding.

DISCOUNTED TICKETS AND BUSING NOW AVAILABLE! HOLY FIRE GREAT LAKES: A MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENT LIKE NO OTHER
St. Paul’s in North Canton has arranged busing to Toledo for this event. The cost is $55 which includes event admission and bus transportation to and from the event on Sunday, October 13 at the Stroh Center at Bowling Green State University. Holy Fire, a national Catholic one-day faith experience for middle school students in grades 6 - 8, is a day filled with dynamic speakers, high-energy music and the sacrament of the Eucharist. This will be an event like youth (and maybe some parents) have never before experienced and is a wonderful opportunity for them to journey together to fan the flame of faith! For more information, contact Dustine May at St. Paul’s Parish at 330-494-0223

NATIONAL CATHOLIC YOUTH CONVENTION (NCYC)
High school students (in the fall of 2019): Do you want to participate in an energetic, faith-filled gathering with 20,000 others Catholic teens? Do you want to hear some of the best Catholic speakers, singers and performers? Do you want to spend time in prayer with your peers? If so, NCYC is for you. NCYC is a multi-day pilgrimage, from November 21 - 24, of prayer, community and empowerment. To learn more or to register, contact Anne Weeks or go to http://youngstownoyyam.weebly.com/2019-ncyc-pilgrimage.html.