Would you and some of your St. Anthony neighbors want to organize a Neighborhood Potluck Gathering? The purpose of a Neighborhood Potluck Gathering is simply to enjoy the fellowship of the St. Anthony neighbors you know and to introduce yourself to those you have not had the pleasure to meet. As a side benefit you will enjoy some great dishes that your neighbors will bring to share. Many of our neighborhoods have a park within their neighborhood or one close by that can be used for your event. You could also gather at someone's home or use our church property for the event.
The Crandon Park and Centralia Court area neighbors tested the concept on May 19th. The gathering was attended by 63% of the St. Anthony families in the neighborhood. In total 49 parishioners attended. It was a very age diverse crowd – children to senior citizens were all well represented.
Check out some pictures of the event.
Here are some comments about the event:
“As I went door to door to invite some of my neighbors, I was encouraged by the excitement they had at the opportunity to spend some time together with their neighbors and fellow parishioners. The turnout was great and it allowed me to meet some new parishioners and new neighbors. I see this translating into a friendlier environment for the Parish. I even heard several people saying that we should have a gathering like this more often in our neighborhood.” Doug King
It was nice to finally meet those I’ve always waved at in passing but didn’t know their names. It was a beautiful day, with great food and lots of laughter. It solidified what we already knew about this great neighborhood. The kids had a blast, too! Kelli Stackhouse
"This gathering made us all more aware of the people (neighbors) around us and who we worship with as a parish community at St. Anthony’s." Karen Walker
I have lived in the Crandon Park neighborhood for 6 years, and I am ashamed to admit that I had no idea so many parishioners were also my neighbors. The neighborhood potluck we attended really helped me to meet some new people within our Church and visit with the ones I already knew. I believe this type of get together would be valuable for any neighborhood as a way to meet new people, visit with friends, and ultimately become more active in our Church community. It is always nice to discover things that you have in common with people - I believe it brings people, neighborhoods, and our Church community closer together. Jenny Lindquist
One of the great things about St. Anthony's is the great feeling of family. As I sat chatting and dining at our get together it felt as if I were at a family reunion. Comfortable, fun. It is a wonderful feeling to have that with parishioners/neighbors. Susan Cox
To assist in the organizing efforts of other St. Anthony Neighborhood Gatherings the Parish will provide:
A list of all St. Anthony registered families in your neighborhood.
Funds to purchase meat and picnic paper/plastic products.
Assistance to set up an online RSVP page.
Copies of the Flyer you design. For best results your neighborhood organizing committee should personally deliver the flyers to your neighbors.
If you and a few of your St. Anthony neighbors would like to organize a Neighborhood Potluck Gathering contact Barbara Morra at the Parish Office or email Jim Kenney at jimkenneyiii@gmail.com