As a show of support and solidarity for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, our Holy Thursday collection will be going to Asian Counseling and Referral Services (ACRS). ACRS promotes social justice and the well-being and empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities – including immigrants, refugees, and American-born – by developing, providing and advocating for innovative, effective and efficient community-based multilingual and multicultural services. These include Aging Services for Older Adults, Behavioral Health & Wellness, Child & Youth Development, Employment & Training Services, Citizenship & Immigration Assistance, and Recovery Services. You can learn more about this organization by visiting ACRS.org.

From the Franciscan website: "Every year on Good Friday, a collection is taken up in Catholic Churches to support the work of the Franciscans working in the Holy Land. Christians there rely heavily on the help that comes to them from this worldwide collection.

The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America is part of a world-wide network of Commissariats of the Holy Land which function as bridges between the Holy Land and Christians all over the world. The Franciscan Monastery in Washington, D.C., coordinates this vital support for the work of the Franciscans who work in the Holy Land.

The Franciscans of the Custody of the Holy Land have the unique responsibility to care for the Holy Places as well for the “Living Stones,” the Christians living there. It is vital that we support Christians living in the Holy Land, in order to maintain a Christian presence in the very land made holy by the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus."

Concrete is a hard subject to talk about. To talk about concrete, well it is a pretty solid subject.

I am Benny Beatty and my Eagle project, if you have not guessed, involves concrete.

Concrete is a ruff subject. More specifically, to the east side of Saint John’s is a walkway.  A few years ago the steps were removed and a ramp was added.  That was a BIG improvement! That ramp improved pedestrian passage, met ADA requirements and essentially improved the appearance to the Saint John’s property.

However the ramp ends at a gravel path way. That gravel path way is challenging. The surface is uneven, there are small trip hazards, and the surface does not meet ADA recommendations. The gravel pathway is, in many ways, a bit of a safety issue, for pedestrians and for Church liability.

I am with Troop 711 out of Maple Valley.  My Eagle project is to connect the two sidewalks on the east side of Saint John’s, to make it more handicap accessible and to make it safer for all users and finally to meet ADA requirements.

You may be thinking to yourself? How can I, as a 13 year-old scout, know so much about leading this type of project? Let me assure you, I have, as a scout, helped with three (3) other Eagle projects that involved concrete. I am familiar with area prep work, installing forms, and finally the pouring and finishing of concrete. This project involves some 47 feet by 5 feet of new walkway, or about 3 and a 1/2 yards of concrete.  Total cost is around $2,000 dollars in materials.

So how do you start a concrete race? READY…….SET.

Scouts and adult leaders from Troop 711, will be assisting me with my Eagle Scout project. Further they will help with the labor, equipment and technical guidance in this Eagle project. I am asking for your support in funding this Eagle project. Below is a picture.

Any funds that are collected in excess of the cost of this project will be returned to Saint John’s. Those funds will be put into the Saint John’s Grounds Committee operational fund, where my dad serves.

So what is the difference between pavement and concrete? It’s a gray area.

Thank you for your time, support and May God bless each and every one of you and, Thank you for your support!

Respectfully and sincerely yours, Benny Beatty

The office is closed today, 2/13/2021 due to snowy conditions for the safety of staff and visitors. Confessions at 4 pm and Mass at 5:30 pm are also cancelled. We plan to celebrate Mass at 9 am and 11:30 tomorrow. We have hired someone to plow the parking lot, but we need someone to shovel the walkway! If you can help, contact the office before 3 pm or send an email to Kathy Wickward. The 11:30 Mass will be live streamed to our Facebook page, just click on the Facebook icon below the video on the home page. We hope to post the recording here on our website shortly thereafter. Stay safe!

From Ashes to Glory: A Virtual Lenten Retreat with Dan Schutte

Stay at home and make a Lenten retreat on your own time with eighteen music reflection videos by Dan Schutte. Access to the videos will last from Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday.

At the end of the retreat, you’ll have the option to join a virtual Zoom conversation with Dan and others like yourself who’ve done the retreat.

Registration includes a downloadable retreat workbook/journal to help you reflect on your experience and offer you a place to keep notes if you find that helpful

Registration fee is $100 per person. Registration fees go directly to Dan Schutte Music and do not benefit St. John the Baptist. The link below will take you to the retreat website.