UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Saturday, September 12, after 5:00pm Mass – Saturday Hospitality, Parish Hall
• Sunday, September 13, 11am-2pm – Sacred Heart Fall Festival with Brass Rail chicken dinners, Rush City
• Sunday, September 13, after 10:30am Mass – Coffee Sunday, Parish Hall
• Sunday, September 13, 6:00-7:30pm – High School Youth Group gathering, Romero House
• Monday, September 14, 7:00pm – “No Greater Love” Video series, Parish Hall
• Friday, September 18, 5:00pm – Friday Family Fun Night: Mini golf, Green Lagoon Golf in Chisago City (RSVP by Sept. 11 to Liz Long, liz@stgregorynb.org)
• Sunday, September 20, 10:30am – Discipler commissioning at Mass, Church
• Thursday, September 24, 5:30pm – Mary and Martha Women’s Group monthly meeting, Parish Hall
• Saturday, September 26, 9:30am – OCIA/Catholic 101 class; Meet in Romero House.
• Sunday, September 27 – St. Gregory’s Booya and Fall Festival.  Mass at 10:30am.  Food and games 11:30am to 2:00pm.

Hospitality Weekend at St. Gregory’s – This weekend
This weekend is the Hospitality Weekend for September, with Saturday Hospitality and a light meal after the  5:00pm Saturday Mass and traditional Coffee Sunday after the Sunday 10:30am Mass.  We hope to see you there for one or both.
               
Second Collection – This weekend
This weekend will be the monthly second collection.  The collection for September will benefit the St. Gregory Scholarship Fund.

THIS SUNDAY – Sacred Heart Fall Festival – Sunday, September 13, 11am-2pm
Visit Sacred Heart this Sunday to enjoy food, live music, kids’ games, silent auction, and Country Store and support their parish.  The food will be the ever-delicious Brass Rail chicken.  Raffle tickets are available now from the Sacred Heart office or at the festival.  

Youth Faith Formation 
Welcome Back families and youth.  Faith Formation starts on Wednesday, September 16^th at 6:00pm.  Our 2nd year Confirmation youth will start on Sunday, September 20th.  We are looking forward to an awesome year of faith, friendship and fun!

Booya and Fall Festival – September 27
The 45th annual Booya and Fall Festival at St. Gregory’s is coming up soon on Sunday, September 27, 11:30am-2:00pm.  How will you help with our biggest annual event?
       We still have raffle almost 500 tickets waiting to be picked up and purchased – that’s $2,500 of potential profit sitting in the narthex.  Who can you sell tickets to in our life – friends, neighbors, family members outside of North Branch?  
       *NEW* this year – We are offering cash incentives for selling tickets.  We will award $50 to the person who sells the grand prize winning ticket, and $25 to the person(s) who sells the most tickets.  It looks like we may have multiple people win the $25 prize – will you be one of them??    
         This event has many opportunities to donate your time or goods.  The sign up boards for food donations and volunteers roles are in the narthex now.  Donations for non-perishable items can be dropped off anytime.  Meat for the booya can be frozen and placed in the freezer in St. Gregory’s kitchen.  
         We are also seeking donations for these booths:

• Silent Auction – We welcome parishioner-created baskets of any theme, for any age, or items donated from businesses or your place of employment.   St. Gregory’s tax ID is available from the office if needed for tax purposes.
• Wine Bottle Booth – Seeking 100 bottles of wine.  $10 per chance to win a mystery bottle of wine.  
• Country Store – Fresh produce, craft items, homemade or canned food items, knick knacks, small toys, collectibles, whatever fills your heart!  Seeking small to medium items to be sold at a set price.   
• Bottle Booth – Bottles of anything except alcohol.  (Think lotion, hot sauce, Chick-fil-A sauce, nail polish, mustard.   $1 per chance to win a random bottle of something.  

Job Opening – Part-time Bookkeeper; now accepting applications
As our dear Mary Felix is preparing to retire, we are searching for someone to fill her role as Bookkeeper for St. Gregory and Sacred Heart parishes.  This hourly-paid staff position is part-time at 10-20 hours per week, split between the two parishes.  The exact schedule and working hours can be flexible.  The ideal candidate would have prior bookkeeping or accounting experience, knowledge of Microsoft computer software, non-profit accounting, and is a practicing Christian.  Apply by submitting a cover letter and resume to St. Gregory’s Parish Office or emailing to donna@stgregorynb.org.  The full job description can be found online at    https://www.indeed.com/job/part-time-bookkeeper-ab3d15a034f57238

High School Youth Group
All high school youth of St. Gregory’s and Sacred Heart are invited to join the Youth Group which meets monthly on Sunday evenings during the school year. The first gathering this Fall will be Sunday, September 13, 6:00-7:30pm at the Romero House (6385 Maple St, North Branch). Signed permission slips are required. You are welcome to bring high school-age friends also.  Contact Fr. Matt with questions: fathermatt@stgregorynb.org

Friday Fun Nights – Family Edition:  Mini-golf on Friday, September 18 at 5:00pm, RSVP by Friday, Sept. 11
The school-year fun returns with some new opportunities for the whole family to join!  The first event will be mini golf at Green Lagoon Golf (8640 Green Lake Trl, Chisago City, 651-213-3326).  All ages are welcome.  We will meet at the Volcano Valley Adventure course at 5:00pm.  Cost:  $11 for kids age 13-15 and Seniors, and $14 for ages 16-59.  Please RSVP to Liz Long (liz@stgregorynb.org, 612-414-4854) by Friday, September 11.  
         About Family Fun Night Events:   These will be off-site events.  Families will be responsible for their own transportation and for paying (although a group discount may apply).  We will meet in a central spot at the event location. Parents will need to attend with their children. In the case that a child attends with a different family, notice needs to be given with the RSVP.  Watch for details of these other upcoming family events:  Bowling at Splitrocks (November 20), snow tubing at Wild Mountain (January 15), and roller skating at Thunderblades (March 12)

Parents as Primary Educators Initiative
September’s special Archdiocesan-inspired blessing at Mass on Sunday, September 20 will be for all families.  

Options for Women of Chisago County Fall Banquet – Thursday, September 24 at 6:00pm
Support Options for Women at their Fall Banquet at The Creamery in Scandia.  This special event promises an evening of great food, engaging conversations, and delightful company.  We look forward to celebrating the season together!  Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to connect and create lasting memories.  Find reservation options at www.pregoptions.org or by calling 651-674-2121.

OCIA/Catholic 101 – Classes open to all; Next class on Saturday, September 26 at 9:30am
“OCIA/Catholic 101” class is now open to all adults–those hoping to become Catholic as well as parishioners who would like to learn more about their Catholic faith.  The group will generally meet every other Saturday (until Easter) from 9:30 to 11:00am, usually in St. Gregory’s Parish Hall.  The first class is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, September 26th from 9:30 to 11:00am in the Romero House (note: location change).  Contact Fr. Matt (fathermatt@stgregorynb.org) or the parish office to sign-up.

Formed.org Catholic Resource – Video of the Week:  
What Catholics Believe About Mary: Immaculate Conception, Virginity & the Rosary:  Join Dr. Edward Sri as he answers some of the internet’s most asked questions about Mary. Who is Mary? Why do Catholics pray to Mary? How could she be a virgin if Jesus had brothers and sisters according to the Bible? Find out answers to these and more questions in this episode of What Catholics Believe.  https://app.formed.org/app/videos/3561162/