"I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you, praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1: 3-6
November 15, 2023
Greetings and God Bless in this Holy Season,
We enter the Advent and Christmas season this year with news that changes are occurring at Holy Rosary-St. John. The Community of Holy Rosary and St. John the Evangelist and St. Dominic parishes will be merged, and the church at Holy Rosary-St. John will be closed some time in 2024.
Given that news, you may be wondering why we are still doing a year-end fundraising letter, but the Transition Team for the two parishes has committed itself to keeping the social services of the parish open. Although we will not know that exact configuration until later in 2024, we expect that the St. John Community Center will continue to serve the neighborhood, and that the social service organizations and ministries in the center will continue to be there. So, we need to support the church in order to support those ongoing services.
Our community ministries have served large numbers of people in 2023. The St. John Food Pantry’s main focus is on serving the south side of Columbus, but it also serves families from around Franklin County. The St. John Learning Center offers a wide range of educational opportunities for adults, including G.E.D. classes, business classes, homeowner classes, health and mental health classes, and more. Both are programs of the parish.
Other organizations in the St. John Community Center that work closely with the church include Community Kitchen, Inc., and the Order of Malta Center of Care (health and dental clinics).
Please take the time to learn more about all that our parish offers to the Columbus community. Go to hrsjchurch.org/service for links to all our ministries, programs, and partner organizations. While there, sign up for our email newsletter and follow our social media.
We are grateful for all the time that The Community of Holy Rosary and St. John the Evangelist has been able to serve the surrounding neighborhood, both spiritually and through our social services. We have been the little church that could for so many years, and under the combined parish, the goal is to have this service continue. So, we still need your assistance to do this.
Please consider a donation. We do so much with so little. Every donation is a huge blessing to us, and helps us to serve God and our neighbors every day.
To donate by check, simply send a check made out to “Holy Rosary-St. John” to 648 S. Ohio Ave., Columbus, OH 43205.
To donate online, go to hrsjchurch.org/donate for information about how to donate through our secure online donation system or through PayPal. If there is another way you would like to donate, please get in touch. We are part of a variety of donation networks, and can work with you.
We also have a related organization that grew out of the church and is now a separate nonprofit, Community Kitchen, Inc. You may donate to the Community Kitchen by making your check payable to “Community Kitchen, Inc.” and mailing it to: Community Kitchen, Inc., 640 S. Ohio Ave., Columbus, OH 43205.
With God’s help, we will move forward in hope. With your help, we will continue our ministry in the neighborhood we are called to serve. Your support makes such a difference. God bless you and thank you.
In Christ, Rev. Ramon Owera
Our mailing address is:
Holy Rosary-St. John Church 648 S. Ohio Ave. Columbus, OH 43205