The weather outside wasn’t frightful, but it was nearly 90 degrees as about 50 members of the Women’s Giving Circle celebrated Christmas in July.
The group, an initiative of the Catholic Community Foundation, gathered at Nativity of the Lord Jesus Parish in Akron on July 14 to view the parish’s Bethlehem Cave and Nativity Museum. Before the tour, they heard from Joan Hinkelman, senior director of family services for Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, who thanked them for their generosity. Group members were invited to make donations to Catholic Charities’ annual Joyland Toyland program through which parents facing challenging times can provide a meaningful Christmas for their families.
(See photo gallery above.)
Hinkelman said her office is filled with hundreds of donations from the group, including coats, clothing, pajamas, games, toys and more.
“Every December we serve 300-plus families in need and help them to provide Christmas,” Hinkleman said. Parents sign up for the program in advance and are assigned a time to visit one of the participating Catholic Charities family centers to select gifts for their family members. Once their selections are made, volunteers wrap the gifts and parents then take them home. She said donations from the Knights of Columbus, private groups and others help make Toyland Joyland a reality.
Patrick Grace, executive director of the Catholic Community Foundation, and Mary Lou Ozimek, assistant director of the foundation, thanked the group for their support of Toyland Joyland and other programs.
The Women’s Giving Circle, which is beginning its third year, seeks to invite, inform and involve women of faith in the charitable, educational and spiritual work of the Church in Northeast Ohio. They work to raise awareness and funds to support organizations serving area communities while engaging in fellowship and making a difference along the way, Ozimek said.
Father Zachary Kawalec, Nativity pastor, welcomed the group and offered a prayer as they enjoyed a light dinner before their tour, led by parish catechist Kathleen Conrad and other volunteers.
The visitors, most of whom had never been to the parish, saw many of the nearly 500 creches and Nativity-related items in the museum in addition to touring the Bethlehem Cave, a replica of the cave in the Holy Land where Jesus was born. It is one of only two in the country. The other is in Washington, D.C. They also learned about the stained-glass windows in the church that depict the Christmas story and viewed the large star window at the back of the church. A volunteer even rang the parish’s prized possession, a 16th century bell from St. Augustine, Florida. The creches and Nativity sets on display are from all over the world – except Antarctica, depicting the “catholic” or universal nature of the Church. They range in size from tiny, intricate pieces to large sets with multiple figures.
Museum volunteers said periodically the sets are rotated so visitors can view as many as possible.
Learn more about the Bethlehem Cave and Nativity Museum here. More information on the Women’s Giving Circle is available here.
