This year North Raleigh Ministries has partnered with the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle to sponsor 40 local school children by providing backpacks filled with healthy foods that are distributed to hungry children at times when other resources are not available, such as weekends and school vacations. The BackPack Buddies Program serves children who are food insecure, meaning they do not have access at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.

BackPack Buddies targets kids who access free and reduced price lunches at school. Children are identified as “in need” by school guidance counselors and site coordinators.  The food is child-friendly, non-perishable, easily consumed and vitamin fortified. Backpacks are discreetly distributed to children on the last day before the weekend or holiday vacation.

We are looking for some churches and/or Sunday school classes to help sponsor this effort by having food drives specifically asking for the items that are needed to fill the backpacks. Right now the biggest need is for individually sized servings of boxed, shelf-stable milk and 100% juice boxes. Some other items to consider when shopping for the BackPack Buddy Program are  individual serving size containers of canned meats, stews, packaged noodles, breakfast items, canned fruit and vegetables and healthy snacks. Please contact Katie Lghtbody at 785-9911 Ext. 157 if you have questions or would like to sign up.

St. Timothy’s School is making room for the new Junior Kindergarten and has a piano to give away. If you would like the piano, you simply need to come and take it away. Please contact Father James at 787-7590 or Elaine Clark at 787-3011 if you are interested.

On Saint  Francis Day, October 4th, we will have a blessing of all animals. Saint Francis loved the natural world God created and loved all of the creatures in it. He saw nature as reflecting the beauty of its Creator and could see the loving will of God and His hand in all of nature. We will bless some of God’s creatures on Sunday, October 4th at 4 PM in front of the Church. If you have pets of any size or shape, please bring them to the front doors of the Church, and we will pray over them and bless them. Our pets and all creatures are dear to us, and we can give thanks that God has let us enjoy them and care for them.

Discover St. Timothy’s School for yourself at our Annual Fall Open House on Sunday, October 4th from 3:30 to 5 PM. Bring the family to visit the classrooms and meet the teachers. The students’ work will be on display in the classrooms, and samples of art will be displayed in the Art Center.

The series of adult education classes continues with a class led by Father Martin titled, Our Participation in the Life of God. The course will be held on October 11th, 18th and 25th at 10 AM in the Parlor. Father Martin will focus on the Eucharist as the Sacrament of the Church and how it is based on the Sacramental Principle. He will then move onto the meaning of the Sacrifice of the Mass or the Eucharist and the Cross of Christ, and in the last class he will teach us about the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, or how we encounter the Living Lord.

The Adult Bible Study will cover the Book of Malachi for the next few weeks. Father James will lead the study of this book of one of the minor prophets. The name “Malachi” means “my messenger”. Let’s examine the text together and see what message Malachi has for us! The Adult Bible Study meets on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8 PM.

Sunday, October 4th is Craft Sunday. Parents are welcome to come and help with this monthly event.

We have a great Nursery with a full time attendant that everyone is welcome to use. The Nursery is open for both the 9 AM and 11 AM services and is located beside the parlor. Nursery care is also provided from 10:00 to 10:50 AM during the Adult Education Class.

The Annual Bobby Asher Classic Golf Tournament will be held on October 3rd at the Riverwood Golf Club. We are looking for as many participants as possible. Men, women and children are all welcome. If you are unable to play, please consider donating either a prize for the tournament or a financial gift. We are also in need of volunteers to help at registration. The cost per player this year is $60.00 which includes golf, prizes and a catered lunch at the end of the tournament. We have a set amount of slots, so please contact either Bob Elsea at 919-231-9350 or Warren Grant at 919-812-5727 for information. You may also approach any of the Men’s Fellowship members, and they will get you signed up. Let’s support the tournament which in turn supports the Scholarship Fund to provide for a child’s great education at St. Timothy’s School.

We are keeping this feast day today instead of the actual day, September 29th, so we can celebrate together as a parish family. St. Michael and his angels, according to the account in The Revelation to John, fought against Satan and his army of angels. St. Michael won the battle, threw the devil out of heaven, and showed us that the goodness, love and power of God are always stronger than any evil. Pray that, like St. Michael and all his angels, we too will remain strong  to fight against sin, the world, the flesh and the devil and finally be forever with the angels worshiping God in heaven.