May 17, 2009

The Parish Merger Committees of St. George and Our Lady of Perpetual Help parishes met on Tuesday, May 12th A final list of eight subcommittees needed to take care of the details of the parish merger was agreed upon. Committee responsibilities were outlined and representatives from each parish were named to serve on them.

All subcommittee leaders will meet on Tuesday, May 19th, and then begin their work. The list of subcommittees and their members will be available this weekend at both parishes. Pick one up after Mass or ask at the rectory for your copy. The subcommittee lists will also be available today at Lithuanian Village.

You are encouraged to contact the subcommittee leaders with your ideas and concerns. Volunteer to help. Tell fellow parishioners who may not be aware of this process about this opportunity to join in the work of creating a new parish.

APPLE, the American Professional Partnership for Lithuanian Education will continue its yearly fund raising campaign today at St. George after the 10:30 Mass in the lower hall. More information about APPLE is available at applequest.org.

Lithuanian citizens living in Cleveland can cast their vote for president from 11:00 am to 12 noon today in the lower hall at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sunday May 17th.

You are invited to stop in the upper hall at Our Lady of Perpetual Help today after 12 noon mass for coffee and fellowship.

The Lietuviu Bendromene will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, May 24th at 12 noon in the conference room at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Today the Bendromene's Ohio Apygardos will hold elections, also at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Lithuanian youth ensembles Svyturys and Naujoji Intriga will perform a concert entitled "Tree of Life: A Celebration of 1,000 years of Lithuania". There will be singing by Naujoji Intriga and dancing from Svyturys, including the little Svyturukai. The event gets underway on Saturday, May 30th, at 6:00 pm in the auditorium at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Lithuanian Cultural Garden Society reminds you that it's time to renew your membership, or to become a member for 2009. The Society will host a get-together at noon on Sunday May 31st in the Pavilion located at the north end of Neff Road, on Lake Erie. The event is free for Cultural Garden Society members, and you can join at the door.

Mark your calendar for Abiturientu Balius or Graduates Spring Fling, coming up on Saturday, June 6th at Lithuanian Village. The optional dinner buffet starts at 5:00 in the Gintaras dining room, followed by the official program, desert and dancing in the upstairs ballroom at 6:30. If you or a member of your family is a graduate this year, contact Vilija Nasvytis or Shirley Kizys right away to be included in this special event recognizing graduates in the Cleveland Lithuanian community. You can email Vilija at vilija@nasvytis.com or you can call Shirley at 216-554-9729.

The Baltic communities of Greater Cleveland will gather on Sunday June 14th at Our Lady of Perpetual Help to commemorate the 1941 deportations of Baltic peoples to Siberia. The prayer service begins at 3:00 pm.