This week, we witnessed the amazing work of PSO and many volunteers as part of the school space was transformed into Santa's Secret Shop. It is a great event to kick off the Christmas season and allows our OLG community to help support St. John Paul II Catholic School and their families in Northeast Minneapolis. This experience allows the students to love in the light of Christ and touch the hearts of many as proceeds from sales will go to St. John Paul II Catholic School – thank you for your generosity!

With the upcoming hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, the house to decorate and presents to wrap, it is important, as Catholics, to remember that we also start Advent this weekend. According to the General Norms for the Liturgical Year, Advent has a twofold nature: it prepares us for Christmas, when we recall Christ’s first coming among us, and it is also a time when we look forward to His second coming at the end of the ages. Advent is the season of joyful expectation. Our challenge, as Catholics, is to help our children to look beyond the materialism of Christmas and focus on the spiritual preparation.

As a school community, we will be exploring many avenues during Advent amidst the frantic energy of preparing for December 25. For example, we will be lighting the candles on our Advent wreath, holding Advent prayer services, and praying and reflecting on the readings of Advent—just to name a few. How wonderful it is that as Christians, we do not liturgically celebrate Christmas until December 25 and after, giving us the opportunity to focus our attention on the true meaning of the season! 

Mike McGinty,

Head of School

Santa's Secret Shop

Monday - Friday, December 4 - 8

The doors open to this magical experience on Monday! Thank you to all the families who have deposited shopping money and turned in their student’s Gift Giving List. If your student(s) would still like to participate, please deposit shopping money via CheddarUp by this Sunday, December 3rd and have them bring their shopping list on this Monday, December 4th. After this date, please contact Kate Hobbins. Questions? Contact chairs Taylor Mahoney, Jess Gessner or Kate Hobbins. To be a volunteer elf at the shop, please click here!

Preschool and Kindergarten for Fall 2024

Applications Due Friday, December 15

Current parents, note that new siblings are not automatically enrolled, so please email Amy Selby to get application information for next year. Current OLG preschoolers do not need to reapply for Preschool or Kindergarten—you should have received an email with instructions on how to submit your registration intent for next year. Letters regarding acceptance will be sent to families in January. If you know a family who would be a great fit for OLG School, have them reach out, too!

Nativity Play

K - 2nd graders are invited to prepare for Christmas on Wednesdays at 5:00 PM and learn about the Nativity through crafts, books, activities, play, and performance! The experience will culminate with a Nativity Play before the 4:00 PM Mass on Christmas Eve. Complete details will be emailed to registrants. Sign up here to make this season extra special for your child! Questions? Contact Amy Selby or Liz Seaman. 

Middle School Service Club (MSSC)

Monday, December 4 - Senior Cookie Exchange

Friday, December 8 - Elves for SSS Take Down

Friday, December 15 - Concert Chair Take Down

Sunday, December 17 - Sunday School Donuts

Once you register for MSSC, you can sign up here for events. Questions? Contact Jamie Pohl, Anna Lima, Kristin Frederick or Angela Brown.

Baked Goods Needed

Due Monday, December 4 by 3:00 PM

MSSC is putting together packages for senior members of our parish, and we need baked goodies/cookies/bars/candy that are 2" and smaller (no cupcakes). All bakers are welcome! Drop off at the carts at the school entrance. Middle School students earn Religion service hours for any time spent planning, shopping and baking. Click here to learn more.

Release Day Extended Care on January 19

Register by Tuesday, December 19

Join us for a day of fun at Grand Slam. Click here to register.

Snowbusters

Register by Friday, December 29

Join us this January/February at Hyland Hills for Snowbusters, a downhill skiing and snowboarding program for OLG 3rd-8th graders. Whether a beginner or expert, students will learn new skills and have fun with their friends! Click here for complete details on the program, volunteering and registration.

Grandparent Volunteers

Have a grandparent who would like to volunteer at OLG School? There are opportunities in the Lunchroom, Library, and more! If you are interested or have questions, please contact Jamie Pohl.

Volunteer Opportunities

Click the links below to sign up for the current parent volunteer openings:

Library Reader/Volunteer

Lunch Room

Photography

Santa's Secret Shop

Santa's Secret Christmas Photos

Thanks to the over 60 families who joined us for our Santa Shop Christmas photo event, it was a true joy to capture so many Christmas smiles. Special thanks to our photographers, Megan Eddy and Natalie Snyder who were busy elves all day, as well as our chair this year Kate Simek, who made this long standing tradition come to life for the OLG community again this year! 

Thanksgiving Baskets

Thanks to all the families and students that helped bring Thanksgiving meals to over 35 families this year through our Thanksgiving basket donations. Thank you to Joanna Roth for coordinating this year's efforts.

Advent Reflection

Please feel free pick up an Advent devotional and/or candles in the Commons for your Advent wreath to help you reflect and light the way throughout the season of Advent.

Men's Club Tree Lot

Open Until Friday, December 8

Click here for the dates and times that lot is open, as well as to volunteer. They will also be collecting new and gently used winter gear for local charities!

Sharing & Caring Hands Drive

Drop off by Friday, December 8

Please drop unwrapped, new (or gently used) sweatshirts, new slippers, fuzzy socks and nail polish in the marked bin outside Cassidy Hall. Bless you for your generosity!

Christmas Flower Fund

Due by Sunday, December 10

If you would like to remember someone with a donation to the Christmas Flower Fund, please click here. Thank you for beautifying our sanctuary!

Key Year-End Dates for Financial Giving in 2023

The last business day of 2023 is Friday, December 29, and the OLG Offices are closed on this day. Therefore, OLG must receive cash gifts at the Parish Office by Thursday, December 28, 2023, and checks must be dated and postmarked by the USPS no later than Saturday, December 30, 2023 in order to count for 2023. Thank you for your continued support of the OLG and its mission of making Jesus Christ known and loved.