Lent is always a time to reach out to others in need with our almsgiving and acts of charity. This year especially many people have lost work and are struggling. Many people among us are isolated and alone. And with regular activities canceled or scaled back, most of us have a little more free time than usual. Taking the time to send a note or card, perhaps through Operation Cheer described below, or to make a phone call during Lent is a simple act of charity that would mean more than ever this year. In addition, there are several other projects proposed for us to participate in as a parish during Lent. Please consider joining with other parishioners and making one or more of these projects a part of your personal Lenten sacrifices. Reaching out to encourage others and to provide for their needs during the season of Lent will help us prepare our hearts to welcome our resurrected Lord at Easter.
† Monetary Projects
† Kahama Diocese, Tanzania/Bishop Minde: While Bishop Minde was assigned to a new diocese in Tanzania in 2019, he continues as the ordinary of the Kahama Diocese as well. This includes our sister parish, Holy Family, and the many parishes and schools that some of our parishioners have visited since 2010 when the construction of our Sister Parish began. To help Bishop Minde with his many projects building up the diocese of Kahama, place your monetary gift in a blue Lenten collection envelope and place it in the weekend collection basket or make your donation online by using PushPay: https://saintcyrils.church/give/ by Easter Sunday, April 11. Please make a check payable to Ss. Cyril & Methodius and include Tanzania on the memo line.
† Image of God Crisis Pregnancy Centers: Thanks to the time and talents of several tech volunteers, Image of God’s four centers have an ever-increasing presence on social media as well as more and more traffic on their website. This means more women are contacting Image of God and choosing LIFE for their children. But there are also high costs associated with maintaining this internet presence. Coupled with the cancellation of their annual fundraising dinner in 2020, the financial need is great. Your monetary gift will help Image of God maintain its internet presence, keep the four centers open and continue offering a lifeline to women experiencing crisis pregnancies. Place a check payable to Ss. Cyril & Methodius in a white Lenten collection envelope and put it in the weekend collection basket or make your donation to the Christian Service fund online using PushPay: https://saintcyrils.church/give/ by Easter Sunday, April 4.
PLEASE NOTE: Donations made to Ss. Cyril & Methodius by check or through PushPay, will be shared between Image of God and St. Christine’s, per Archdiocesan guidelines.
† St. Christine Christian Services (SCCS): The food pantry and soup kitchen operated by SCCS has had to adapt not just to COVID restrictions but also to an increased number of people needing help. The weekly food pick-up has become a drive-up event and the soup kitchen’s hot meals are carry-out only. Along with the increase in clients, costs have also increased. Help SCCS continue its vital mission of bringing food to the needy with a monetary donation. Place a check payable to Ss. Cyril & Methodius in a white Lenten collection envelope and put it in the weekend collection basket or make your donation to the Christian Service fund online using PushPay: https://saintcyrils.church/give/ by Easter Sunday, April 4. You can also give directly to SCCS online at http://sccsdetroit.org
PLEASE NOTE: Donations made to Ss. Cyril & Methodius by check or through PushPay, will be shared between Image of God and St. Christine’s, per Archdiocesan guidelines.
Fasting for Food: What are you giving up for Lent? We can all answer this question. Sweets. Coffee. Binging on Netflix series. How much money will that save? We probably haven’t thought much about this question. After all, that’s not the purpose of fasting during Lent. And the savings over 6 weeks probably is insignificant. But what if we set aside the money we saved each week that we don’t buy ice cream or coffee and used it to help feed families in need? Or what if we canceled Netflix or Disney+ and did the same with the monthly fees? By themselves our sacrifices are small but collectively they would go a long way toward feeding needy families. During Lent, would you consider magnifying your fasting to feed the families served by the food pantry and soup kitchen at St. Christine’s Christian Services in Detroit? Collect your savings during Lent and then write a check to Ss. Cyril & Methodius and place it in a white Lenten collection envelope and place it in the collection basket on Easter Sunday. On the “Fasting for Food” line (on the envelope), write in the amount of your donation that was from your Lenten fasting.
Note to parents: Placing your savings in a jar and watching them add up during Lent can be a good visual for children to see the importance of their Lenten sacrifices.
Baby Items Collection on March 13 and 14: Besides financial assistance, the four Image of God Crisis Pregnancy Centers are also in need of baby care items. We can show our love and support for the mothers who have the courage to choose LIFE for their babies by helping to supply some of their needs. Help these mothers care for their babies by bringing a baby care item or clothing when you come to Saturday evening or Sunday Mass on March 13 and 14 and leave it on one of the specially marked carts in the vestibule. Items that are most needed are: diapers sizes 4 & 5, diaper rash ointment, diaper bags, boy’s clothing size newborn to 2T, and rear facing car seats.
Operation Cheer! The current pandemic has hit nursing homes especially hard! Many residents have been isolated in their rooms with few activities, eating meals alone, and very limited family visits. One of our parishioners works every day in nursing homes providing counseling to residents, and the rates of depression are at an all-time high! She has started an initiative, Operation Cheer, to bring encouragement, cheer, and support to nursing home residents. During Lent, will you set aside a little time to sign or make a card, or write a letter, or have your children draw pictures to help cheer up residents and let them know they are not forgotten? Messages of support might include: Hang in There! One Day at a Time! We’re Praying for You! You are Loved! Thinking of You! Have a Good Day! Easter cards and birthday cards are also appreciated. Place your cards and letters in the box on the table below the bulletin board by Palm Sunday, March 28. If you have any questions about Operation Cheer, contact Trisha, (248) 925-6900.
Easter Food Baskets for Families in Need: Would you like to prepare a basket of food for Easter dinner for a family in need? St. Dominic’s Outreach Center provides each of the 150 families they assist with a basket of food filled with all they need to enjoy a special Easter dinner. Baskets should include non-perishable food items and a gift card (to purchase a ham or turkey) and other perishable foods. If you would like to provide a food basket for a family, please contact Erin Rybicki at (586) 530-0547 or at christianservice@saintcyrils.church. Please do not bring your Food Basket to church without speaking to Erin.
Let’s also join together as a parish to pray for one another during our Lenten fasts, as well as for the people who will be assisted by our Lenten projects and those who serve them.
If you have any questions about any of the 2021 Lent Projects, please contact: Erin Rybicki, Christian Service Coordinator, (586) 530-0547, or the Parish Office at (586) 726-6911.