News & Events

CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE 2025

DECEMBER 24
4:30pm at Christ the King
5:00pm at St Thomas the Apostle
10pm at St Thomas the Apostle

DECEMBER 25
9am at Christ the King
11am at St Thomas the Apostle

SOCIAL JUSTICE

CHRISTMAS CARDS TO DETAINEES

Thank you to all the parishioners who participated in the Christmas card writing to ICE detainees last weekend. We had a huge success - over 160 cards from both CTK and St. Thomas! Participants wrote notes in English/Spanish, Somali, and Arabic. These cards will be taken to the federal prison on December 21 by Steve Kraemer with Conversations with Friends. Watch for follow-up to this project after the New Year. Questions or comments can be directed to maryjanemitchell@msn.com.

DECEMBER OUTREACH 2025

ADOPT A FAMILY
If interested in making a family’s Christmas, please consider Adopting-A-Family from Ascension Parish/School. We still have families to Sponsor. Our goal is to help provide as many families as possible with an unexpected Christmas gift experience. Please see the table in the GS this weekend to sponsor a family or make a donation to purchase gifts for a family.

WARM CLOTHING DRIVE
As the weather is changing and you are thinking of purchasing a coat, sweater, long johns, warm socks, gloves, hat, scarf or mittens for yourself, please consider purchasing an extra pair to give to our neighboring Shelters of St Stephens/Ascension/Incarnation. Drop off at CTK is Sat, Nov 15 thru Dec 21. You can place your donation in the marked bins in the GS.

Some thing old, something new …

Christ the King has a new Advent wreath, created by our parishioner, Jim Walus.

The pedestal for the wreath is from Christ the King's original church. Built in 1938, it is composed of the same wood as our pews and bears the Greek letters, Alpha and Omega, a title used for Jesus Christ in the book of Revelation. Jesus Christ is the first and last, the eternal God who existed from the beginning of creation, who will exist for all eternity.

On top of this pedestal, Jim mounted a stage for the wreath and candles. Three of the four candles are violet, a color symbolizing the royalty of Christ and our penitence and preparation during the Advent season. The color violet reminds us that Advent is a time of introspection, prayer, reflection, and quiet as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. One candle is pink, and will be lit on the third Sunday of the season, reminding us to rejoice in the promise of Christ’s coming.

Jim Walus has created many of the wood fixtures in our new church, including the stands for icons and the podium that we use for small weekday liturgies. All of us who work with our parish’s liturgical arts and music are tasked with bringing from the church’s storeroom the treasures of both the old and the new. Our thanks to Jim for his handiwork!

Monthly Food Shelf Collection for Ascension: Upcoming Date is JANUARY 10/11 WEEKEND

Once a month, we collect food shelf donations for Ascension Church. You can bring in a non-perisable food item or make a $10 donation and we will do the shopping for you. We also have monthly volunteers who help with this food shelf collection. Please read the weekly e-bulletin to see the upcoming dates.

Would you like to be part of our Food Shelf Team? We need drivers, baggers and sellers after Masses. Contact Janell for more information.

Ascension Food Drive Donations Currently Most Needed:

Pasta, Rice, Pinto Beans

Tortillas

Oatmeal, dry cereal, pancake mix and syrup

Boxed potatoes

Canned vegetables and fruit

Canned tuna and chicken

Diapers sizes 4, 5

Toilet paper

Loaves & Fishes Outreach- Help Needed

We are looking for more Outstanding Ministers to share their time to help prep and serve meals with our Loaves and Fishes Outreach every other month. Our next time serving will be in January 2026. Please contact Jeff at 612-910-1334 to sign up.

Social Justice Team News

History of Racism Follow-up: For those who were unable to attend the very informative presentation on March 9, we have a number of leftover folders which contain a wealth of resources and information sheets on the evidence of ongoing systemic racism education, employment, housing, health care, policing, incarceration, state and federal policies, with thanks to the St. Odilia Racial Equity Ministry. There are also bookmarks from the CTK Social Justice Team with the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Feel free to pick up these items on the table outside the library. Questions - contact mcolbert712@gmail.com

Watch the bulletin for details of a follow-up presentation in late May or early June, looking at specific actions our parish can take to combat racism. We have invited Professor David Williard to return this spring or next fall. Questions - contact ann.sittig@state.mn.us

Action Steps: Each week we will highlight some of the action steps from the folder. The Antiracism Collective in Edina facilitates meaningful conversations and policy change to strategically dismantle structural racism and hate. They offer a variety of resources for learning about racism, fostering dialogue, and taking action against systemic racism. Check out their calendar for events and actions.

Anti-Racism Conversations | Anti-Racism Collective | Edina

The Anti-Racism Collective facilitates meaningful conversations and policy change to strategically dismantle structural racism and hate in the place where we live. We believe in growing individually and changing collectively.

www.ar-collective.org

Justice Commission of The Sisters of St. Joseph Carondelet joins with other groups to address issues that demean or deny human dignity. Contact mroers@cjstpaul.org to receive their weekly newsletter which provides opportunities for getting involved in justice initiatives.

New Members Welcome We invite people of all ages to join our team. Contact maryjanemitchell@msn.com.