2025: The Year Ahead
Jan 02, 2025
With the horizon of a New Year stretched out before us, it’s fun to consider what’s ahead. Here at Rebuilt and at our home parish, Church of the Nativity, that would be quite a lot. Here’s a brief overview of some of the coming highlights:
January
The New Year Message Series
We’re kicking off another year of weekend message series with one I am really excited about. Our new series is all about stories, our own story and the larger story that our faith calls us to be a part of. As we step into a new year, this is exactly the kind of reflection we all need. We invite you to check us out throughout January…and invite a friend! [Watch Nativity | YouTube Live]
February
New Book Launch & Small Group Challenge
Another Rebuilt book! Along with my long time co-author Tom Corcoran, I’ve written another book, The Transformative Power of Small Groups (Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, IN). This one is all about, well, the transformative power of small faith sharing communities in the life of parishioners and in the life of the parish. We believe this book has real potential to positively impact parishes interested in, but struggling with, the prospect of building a culture of small groups.
At Nativity we’re also going to use the occasion of this launch to make a small group challenge to our parishioners: we’d like everyone to get into a group this winter and spring. And, with the help of a generous donor, we’ll be giving every small group member at our parish a copy of our book, which will be available to be signed by the authors! (The book officially launches Feb 7, available now for pre-ordering!)
March
The Lenten Message Series and Campaign Kick-off
In March we are introducing a major capital campaign to remodel our Next Gen wing. The accompanying message series will focus on the parish’s commitment to children’s and student ministry that is both orthodox and innovative. We kick off the campaign with 40 hours of prayer and Eucharistic Adoration beginning March 5 and will end with a one of a kind celebration the weekend of April 5 & 6.
April
Holy Week & Easter
One of the most special times of the year runs from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. This holiest of weeks brings some of the most unique and moving liturgies in the Church’s calendar. The center piece and focus of the whole observance is the Sacred Triduum, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, April 17, followed by the Service of the Passion on Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter, the following day. And of course, Easter Sunday will be over the top festive and fun for all.
May
Springtime Sacramental Celebrations
One of the delights of springtime at Nativity is to celebrate with our kids and students as they make important steps in their faith formation. As per tradition, most 2nd graders receive their First Holy Communion, while high school students (mostly 9th and 10th graders) receive Confirmation. Both groups are big this year, but our Confirmation class is one of the biggest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, a testament to the strength of our program.
June
The Rebuilt Conference
Topping off a busy spring comes a truly exciting and unique event. Church of the Nativity and Rebuilt Parish will be co-sponsoring a conference on parish renewal, “Can You Imagine...” Running just two days, June 2nd and 3rd it will include key note addresses and breakout sessions by Nativity and Rebuilt staff and music by our house band.
The conference is for pastors, church staff, and parish leaders interested in growing healthy parishes. We expect to welcome up to 800 guests from across the country, Canada, and Europe whom we hope to inspire, encourage, and equip to refresh and renew their parishes. This will be our fifth conference, but the first post-covid. To learn more or register for what promises to be an uplifting experience check out our Rebuilt Conference website!
Also in 2025….
Admittedly, summertime is a slower season, but that pace gives us an opportunity to do some things we otherwise don’t have time for. While service projects off campus are happening throughout the year in our home-city of Baltimore, summer affords an opportunity to venture further afield, including Guatemala, Kenya, and the Dominican Republic. We look forward to telling you about those projects as plans are finalized. Stay tuned, because there will be opportunities for members of our Partner Parishes to join in! (Partner Parishes - please reach out to your coach if this is something you'd like to explore!)
Summer is also the season for maintenance and repairs around the campus, technology upgrades (a never ending project), and general enhancements… all part of our commitment to offering parishioners and guests the very best church environment we can.
The fall season will unfold in a predictable pattern, with our annual “Kickoff Weekend,” when all our kids and student programs get started for the semester, is slated for September 6 & 7. Then it’s a sprint to “Stewardship Sunday,” November 23rd and, of course, the very summit of the year “Christmas Eve at the Cow Palace.”
It will be here before you know it!
