Weekly Letter: April 21, 2024 Bulletin

Dear friends in Christ,

     We are just one week away – yes, it’s next weekend! – from the 39th Spring Festival so allow me to share with you some key details of what to expect not only on Festival weekend, but in the days leading up to it this week.

General Spring Festival information

• Hours: Saturday, April 27: 5 – 10 p.m. and Sunday, April 28: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Where: After great feedback last year when we moved from the front parking lot to the back, we will again be on the back lot behind the Parish Office and Parish Life Center. Please note that the back parking lot will be closed beginning on Sunday evening this week for the installation of the tents. When you come to the campus this week, please park in front of or on the side of the church or by the Redeemer Activity Center.
• Mass schedule: Same as usual except there will be no 5 p.m. Mass next week on Festival Sunday, April 28.
• Shuttle: The parking lot fills up fast on Festival weekend, so consider taking the park and ride from Millsap Elementary on Saturday from 4 – 11 p.m., and on Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Round-trip service provided free of charge!
• Bingo and Silent Auction will again be in the Parish Hall with lots of room for everyone, and you'll find the Sweet Shop there, too, while the Wine Garden will be on the deck at the rear of the parking lot, near the metal buildings.
• Tot Spot: We had great feedback about a dedicated place for our youngest Festival-goers, so the “Tot Spot” for kids 5 and under is back again on the Redeemer Activity Center front lawn. A $10 wristband provides unlimited time in this area throughout the entire festival. We’ve added a bigger tent for it this year, too, so parents, check it out.
• Tickets: You’ll need them for all the food (favorites like BBQ, Cajun, Vietnamese, Tex-Mex, and African are all back again this year), games, and rides, and you can get them in advance this weekend, or at the festival in one of two centrally located booths. Tickets only accepted at the booths (helps keep the money secure) so get yours today. In addition, there is no separate beer ticket (you’ll just need four $1 tickets per drink).
• Rides and Games: You’ll find them in and around the back parking lot with plenty of room to spread out. We're also offering an Unlimited Ride wristband on Sunday good for the whole day for only $30.
• Music: We’ve got two DJs on tap for Saturday throughout the night to keep the dance floor (OK, technically it’s still the parking lot!) warm. Come kick up your heels and dance the night away under the tent.

Auctions

• Live Auction: Begins at 2 p.m. next Sunday under the Big Tent on the back parking lot with our friend Dan Block once again taking your bids on a variety of great items from vacation trips, memorabilia, home décor items, and so much more. We’ve got a special Auction Item Bid Book, too, with a complete rundown of what is up for bid, so make plans to raise your paddle early and often. See www.ctrcc.com/festival for a link to the bid book online. The live auction is one of the biggest fundraisers for the parish so come join us. We'll also be playing a fun game at 3 p.m. called Heads or Tails. Entry is only $10 a person and you can win a very nice flat-top grill if you come out on top ... or bottom!
• Silent Auction: It’s all on-line (with many of the pieces available to see in person in the front of the Parish Hall) and you can begin bidding as early as this Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. and continuing up until Sunday, April 29 at 5 p.m. Again, it’s another great way to support the parish with a variety of items available for your bids. Check out all there is and get your bids in early, and keep track of them electronically on your phone.

Flea Market

• Donations: The Flea Market is a Festival tradition that relies on your donations. Donations only will be accepted in the Community Center beginning Saturday, April 20 from 12 noon – 7 p.m., on Sunday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and this coming week, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. You can shop early, too, when you drop-off your donations beginning on Monday and continuing through the week. Consider lending your time to help sort and price, too. No donations accepted after next Friday, however. Then on Festival weekend, it’s open for shopping 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday.
• Accepted/Not accepted: We will accept large items (like furniture) and electronics, and just about everything else under the sun, but we cannot accept clothing or mattresses. (Instead, consider donating clothing to Cypress Assistance Ministries Angels’ Attic resale shop.)

Grand Raffle

• This is your chance!: Get your chance to win the Grand Prize of $12,000 in Visa gift cards, or one of several additional prizes of 2nd Prize - $5,000 Visa Gift Card; Two (2) 3rd Prizes - $1,000 Visa Gift Card; Four (4) 4th Prizes - $500 Visa Gift Card; Five (5) 5th Prizes - $100 Visa Gift Card.
• All families: We ask all CtR families to consider supporting our parish mission by purchasing one book of tickets (tickets are $10 each). Tickets available after mass this weekend; in the Parish Office during business hours this week, and, of course, at the Festival all weekend. 

Other donations

• Easy-peasy: Need to keep it simple? It’s easy to support the Festival with a $5-$10-$20 gift cards from local stores and restaurants (for the Mystery Booth), store-bought cakes and cookies for the Sweet Shoppe and our cake booth. We also would appreciate pre-filled confetti eggs!
• When you are shopping this week, please pick up a few liters of Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite, along with a case or two of bottled water, and drop those items at the parish this week. That’s an easy way to give back to the festival and we’ll make use of all those Cokes and waters at the Festival.

Volunteer

• You … yes, you: Lastly, and most importantly, the Festival is a people-powered event – and we need you! Please sign up for a shift or two, and invite your family, friends and fellow parishioners to join you. We need volunteers in our food booths and game booths, and to help us close out and clean up the Festival after it ends Sunday. Sign up online at www.ctrcc.com/festival or at the tent this weekend.

    This weekend is the last chance to visit the tent outside of the church to get tickets for all the rides, games, and booths. The t-shirts are mighty fine, too, and the most popular sizes are moving fast so get yours today, and, of course, we’ll assist you with finding a place to volunteer to help. It’s only through the gift of time and talent that we are able to hold a Festival of this magnitude for the parish and community, so pitch in where you can and help make it a great success.

    Spread the word to your family and friends and pray for good weather. I’ll see ya’ at the Festival!

Peace, Fr. Sean