Dear Parishioners,

We have seen many changes with our Parish Center addition and Food Pantry construction projects since sharing the last update. 

For the Parish Center addition, the upstairs framing is nearly finished and attic insulation is completed.  They are adding backing for cabinets and heavier items that will need to be hung.  Staining work continued this week, and they will start trimming out the conference room next week.  Work on the ceiling for the conference room will take place in mid-December.

On the lower level of the Parish Center addition, most of the walls are laid out and the ceramic tile is being placed in the men’s restroom. 

Outside, the masons have made significant progress.  Brickwork may be completed within the next two weeks.  The trailer which serves as office space for the secretary, business manager and myself, is being winterized.  Rubber pads have been added to the outside stairs to guard against slippery surfaces.

For the Food Pantry, the parking lot paving is completed.  They are finishing interior framing and plumbing rough-in work, and adding temporary heating.  Once all rough-in work is completed, insulation and drywall installation will begin.  The masons began this week on the portion of the building’s exterior that will be bricked.  A dumpster enclosure is being added. Temporary doors will be installed so that the building may be secured.

Our church and Parish Center is now, once again, filled with the joy and energy of our Faith Formation children who attend classes on Wednesdays and Sundays, our youth who attend Middle School Youth Group and Teen Catholic, and our Confirmation students who meet on Sunday evenings.  We have had to put one of our Wednesday classes in the kitchen, and some of our youngest Sunday children behind temporary walls in the dining room, due to lack of space for classes.  So we look forward, with great eagerness, to the completion of the new classrooms/meeting rooms expected to be available to us by sometime in April.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we reflect on the many things for which we as a parish family are thankful.  The opportunity for the Our Lady of Grace Food Pantry to participate in the Twice Blessed fundraising campaign is a great gift to the pantry and to the many individuals and families it serves.  Donations made to the pantry through the program are doubled.  To donate, visit the Twice Blessed website at https://inspiritnd.com/project/food-pantries/ and look for Our Lady of Grace Food Pantry.

We are also thankful for those who are donating toward our building projects, ensuring that they may be completed in a timely manner without financial burden upon the parish.  If you have not yet taken the opportunity to donate, please consider doing so by visiting our website at https://www.olgminot.org/ and then choosing the “Give Online” tab and then the “Vibrant Vision” fund.  Or feel free to place your gift in the Sunday offertory, or call or visit our parish office for more information.

Third, we are thankful to those who are including the parish in their prayers and who are volunteering at our many events or behind the scenes.  Our church is a house of God – a structure in which we may come together to worship our Lord.  Our parish is a family of God – the people who seek to grow in their relationships with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and who do their part to ensure others may do so, as well.  For both our church structure and our parish family, we are grateful. 

Please join us for our Thanksgiving Day Mass at 9:00 a.m. on November 27.

Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Adam Maus

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