​Help Support St. Thomas More with a Christmas Gift
​This year, as God’s abundant love shines down upon you and your family during this Advent season, may He be in your heart and in your thoughts.  Advent is a very special time in our Holy Church, a time of preparation as our anticipation builds with excitement and joy at the birth of our Savior.  It is also a time in which we prepare to celebrate Christmas. 

Last year the Christmas Gift Appeal raised over $37,000 and allowed us to support Worship & Liturgy, RCIA, Faith Formation, and Building & Grounds expenses.  We were able to bring new 
formation programs and speakers to the Newman Center to benefit both students and permanent community.  

This year with COVID we are more reliant than ever on your generosity.  Offering support has changed greatly over the past year.  Thank you to all who help support our parish, especially those who have switched to electronic giving; the consistency of this method of support helps us to plan and budget prudently in these uncertain times. Despite this, our offertory support is down 19% from last year at this time, but that can change with your help!  Appeals like this one will be critical this year in maintaining the vibrant church you have come to know and love.  
As this year closes, we humbly ask that you prayerfully consider making a "Christmas Gift" to Newman. 
​Your donation helps support the operational costs of keeping our church and community alive. 
Mass and Adoration
We have been blessed to be able to open the doors at St. Thomas More during COVID and offer Mass and Adoration to our community.  Not only is Mass available to those that feel comfortable attending during COVID, but we have been streaming Mass weekly since the start of the pandemic.  We have taken great strides to keep everyone safe.  We have put COVID safety protocols in place, trained volunteers, reorganized the church and the center to allow for social distancing, and have purchased personal protective equipment such as masks and sanitizer.  The cost of sanitizer alone will be over $2000 this year.  We have taken all these steps to keep everyone safe and allow access to our church for spiritual nourishment and you are worth it!
 
The cost of keeping our doors open during COVID is about the same as any other time of the year.  Heating, air conditioning, candles, hosts, and altar wine are just some of the costs that we continue to incur regardless of how many people attend Mass.  Your support will help bring the light of Jesus Christ to all who enter our church. 
Campus Ministry and RCIA
 Our students are nourished spiritually every morning with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  The Newman Center exists to lead the University community to know and love Jesus Christ.  Students are the future of the Catholic Church and our ministry to them is critical.  This year, during COVID, we have been blessed to continue our ministry to students.  We have an incredible group of students this year who hunger to grow in their faith. 
 
There are several areas of our ministry that will flourish with your support: We envision a Spring Mission/Service Trip; we desire to bring in a nationally recognized keynote speaker as part of Catholic formation and education to our students; our evangelization efforts on campus can be enhanced with updated professional promotional materials and signage; and our RCIA program is in need of bibles and catechesis training materials that are essential in learning about the faith.  
FOCUS
We are blessed with amazing FOCUS missionaries!  We have all been working together to make the best engaging events for our students.  Their small group bible studies have had an incredible
impact teaching the foundational pillars of the Gospel message.  This fall, they are leading several bible studies with over 30 students!  Our Leadership Team (staff) is experiencing a FOCUS lead bible study as part of our weekly prayer hour. 
 
We are looking forward to an exciting winter term as our
students anticipate attending the SEEK Conference hosted by
FOCUS.  The silver lining of COVID is that this year the
conference will be online, allowing more of our students to
participate.  The SEEK Conference will introduce our students to powerful Catholic speakers from around the country.  We plan on making the conference accessible at a local level to
as many students as possible.  Our students will participate in small group discussion, Adoration, prayer, confession, praise and worship, and daily Mass.  Partner with us to help with registration and the underlying costs of hosting an event like this so that our students can attend at minimal cost
or none at all. 
Buildings and Grounds
Our new roof is finally completed and St. Thomas More looks like new!  We are truly are blessed by the support we received from so many on this much needed repair to our church.  We were able to complete this project without having to use any of our annual operating funds! 
 
Fr. Garry is our “Spiritual Gardener,” not only to our souls but to the grounds here at Newman.  He has turned our property into a veritable Garden of Eden with his love and attention to flowers, shrubs, and trees.  Now, we desire to have seating areas with benches and chairs to allow you to enjoy and pray in the garden and around the church.  Fr. Garry was the driving force in getting our Friendship Table in front of the center for the students to gather around.  We would like to put up a cover so that they can maintain social distance outside and stay dry on rainy days.  Your help and support will continue to improve our buildings and grounds for everyone’s enjoyment.
We are all called to this community for one reason or another.  Maybe it was for school, or to receive one of the Holy Sacraments, or for whatever reason, you found Newman to be your spiritual home.  We believe that the Newman Center holds a special place in all our hearts. 
 
We are most grateful for the support you have given to the Newman Center over the years.  We are asking that you prayerfully consider supporting your spiritual community with a special Christmas gift this year.  
 
We wish you and your family a wonderful Advent and Christmas Season.  May you experience the joyful hope of knowing God seeks to bless you abundantly with His presence and love!

Your support makes this critical ministry possible.  
All donations will go into the general operating fund to support the above-mentioned needs