Our Parish Picnic is on Sunday, September 7th beginning at 12 Noon at the large Pavilion in Stewart Park. Please sign-up on the sheets located at the church entrances so we can determine how much food and drink to purchase. It was a large success last year and we are hoping for an even better year this time around. Deadline is Tuesday, September 2nd so be sure to sign up before then. 

Immaculate Conception Church has its own app for iPhone and Android smart phones. The My Parish App allows us to better communicate with you throughout the week and bring you relevant parish news and updates. The app is very well designed and very intuitive. It is a great resource for parishioners by providing daily Mass readings, Catholic news and prayers, convenient prayer and Confession reminders, our bulletins and more. Download the app from your app store on your cell phone.

Beginning on Saturday, September 6th, our usual 9:00am Marian Mass will now become a Regional Mass. We will still feature our wonderful Children’s Choir. It’s a great way to start out the weekend. Bring your children, bring your families! Coffee & Doughnuts will be offered after Mass. 

Beginning in September, we will resume our First Friday and 1st Saturday Holy Hour Adorations. The Monday Holy Hour will also resume in September, but not until Sept. 8th. Come and spend time with the Lord during these times.

We extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to all our dedicated Altar Servers of all ages; for their dedication to this Ministry and their willingness to give freely of their time and to serve with thoughtfulness and professionalism. We use Altar Servers during regular weekend Masses, and also during our Funeral Masses. Anyone who might be interested in joining this important Ministry, please contact the office.

The Service Team is pleased to report 60 backpacks and 15 boxes of school supplies were delivered to the Children’s Services Unit at Tompkins County Dept. of Social services. Thank you to all the parishioners for making a difference in the life of a child by supporting the backpack appeal.

We are always in need of new singers to join the choir! You can join the choir to sing at 8:30 or 10:30 am on Sundays, feast-days, or any combination of the above. The Resurrection Choir sings for funerals and Memorial Services. Sunday choir members are invited to attend the weekly rehearsal on Tuesdays 6:16-7:30pm. We also have the Children’s Choir, which sings for the 1st Saturday Regional mass at 9:00am. Rehearsals are Tuesdays from 5:30 6:15pm. Please consider serving in this essential liturgical ministry. Contact our Music Director at Mary.Holzhauer@dor.org to express interest or if you have any questions. 

I know summer has only begun but we are already looking forward to the coming year in faith formation, sacrament preparation, and youth ministry. It promises to be another busy year, and we are looking forward to a few changes, especially with Confirmation preparation and high school youth group. Please keep Sunday, September 7th in mind as that will be our registration weekend for faith formation/youth ministry registration weekend. We will also hold a sacrament preparation meeting for parents on Sunday, September 21st at 10:00 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. This will be a combined session for parents from both parishes. Rich will send a newsletter update to families on his distribution list in the weeks to come and more will be coming in future bulletins. Praying you all have a restful and enjoyable summer.

New members are welcomed into the Catholic Church through a process of prayer, study, discussion, and a series of ceremonial steps known as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). All people who are open to learning more about the Catholic Church are welcome to begin the OCIA process. The process begins in September and ends at the Easter Vigil (the night before Easter).

Those who have never been baptized will prepare to receive Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion. Those who were baptized in another Christian denomination and wish to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church will prepare to receive Confirmation and First Holy Communion.

 Those who were baptized Catholic as infants but did not complete the Sacraments of Initiation will prepare to receive Confirmation and (if they had not already done so), First Penance and First Holy Communion.

 The OCIA program will begin on September 22 at 6:30pm in the Immaculate Conception Parish Hall (basement of the Church). Deacon Dan Hurley (dan.hurley@dor.org 585-319 8205) and Deacon George Kozak (george.kozak@dor.org 607-351-3642) will be leading the program. Please contact us if you have any questions or for further information.

The Cemetery Committee would like to thank all those who participated in the recent activities to raise funds for the Calvary Cemetery recovery from the July 3 storm. Donations sent directly to the parish as well as funds from the Doug’s Fish Fry event have exceeded all expectations and are very much appreciated. In fact, parish support of our appeal and the record sale of 230 meals at Doug’s Fish Fry on August 19 have now covered 100% of our $5,650 extraordinary storm recovery costs. Our cemetery grounds are now cleared of all fallen trees and the damaged headstones have been re-set. Thanks to your support, and the hard work of cemetery staff and volunteers, Calvary Cemetery is again the pride of the community. Sales of graves and columbarium niches have been brisk this summer. Plans are underway to have an honorable Veterans Day ceremony at the cemetery. Thanks again, from Father Chumo and the Cemetery Committee, for your generosity and unwavering support.

Kindly visit the lost and found basket in the northern corner of the front entrance of the church and check it out. There are some precious items in the basket. The basket is pretty full, and it needs to be emptied. Thank you! Items not removed will be donated to the homeless shelter.

The Care and Concern Committee of the Church sends cards to church members in nursing homes. However, often people in our congregation are in the hospital, healing at home or are at rehabilitation centers to gain strength. We want to be sure that our church family knows that we’re thinking of them and praying for them. If someone you know would be blessed by receiving a card, please send the contact information (name and address) to cbgracem@gmail.com…so the Holy Spirit can touch lives one card at a time.

Is there someone you know who could use a warm, cozy shawl that comes with a prayer to help brighten their day? We have Prayer Shawls available for people to hand out. These shawls have been knitted by members of the parish with love and hope that they can help make a difference in someone’s life. Please contact the Caring Team or Parish Office  607/273-6121 if you would like one.

Your voice matters. If you have a suggestion, good idea around the pastoral goals of the parish; spiritual opportunities, outreach/community building, youth and family, buildings/grounds, cemetery and financial matters, kindly stop by the pastoral council meetings that occur every first Thursday of each month. You will be listened to because you love your parish.

Confessions are heard every Saturday from 2:00pm-3:30pm in the Church.

Call 273-6121 to receive this Sacrament or if your loved one is in the hospital.

For Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, and Confirmation email Rich at rich.rasmussen@dor.org for information or to register.

Call 607-273-6121 at least 6 months in advance of your wedding date.